2" x 168" Metalworking Sanding Belts, 6 PACK

Tube, pipe, round bar and handrail are awkward on a short belt, which is why shops that finish them run long belt grinders and backstand machines with a 2" x 168" loop: a narrow belt wraps a contact wheel or slack section around a curve, and fourteen feet of belt keeps the heat down while a long part slides past. These 2" x 168" metalworking belts are offered in ceramic, zirconia, Zirconia+ with a grinding aid and cloth A/O, 24 through 600 grit.

They come six to a pack, converted in Anaheim, California, on cloth backings that can be run wet or dry. Other 2" lengths are made to order in about 3 days.

• Narrow 2" belt follows tube, pipe, bar and inside curves on a contact wheel or slack section
• 168" loop runs cooler and gives more belt life per change than short grinder belts
• Ceramic, zirconia, Zirconia+ grinding aid and cloth A/O, 24 through 600 grit
• Y-weight poly-cotton backing under the metal grains holds tension on a long machine
• 6-pack covers a coarse, a medium and a finish grit with spares
• Converted in Anaheim, California; free shipping on orders over $200

Which grain suits round stock, tube and long parts on a 2" x 168" belt?

On round and tubular work the belt contacts a narrow line rather than a flat face, so pressure per grain is high even on modest machines. That favours the self-sharpening grains, but heat concentrates on the same line, so the grinding-aid option earns its place.

• Ceramic: orange-red grain for stainless tube and handrail, hardened shafts, and heavy removal on steel bar where a rigid, well-powered long belt grinder can keep it loaded. It holds a near-constant cut rate through its life, which keeps a run of identical parts consistent.
• Zirconia: green or blue grain for mild and carbon steel tube, pipe, bar and weld seams. It self-sharpens at moderate pressure and costs less than ceramic. Stocked from 24 to 120 grit.
• Zirconia+ (Grinding Aid): zirconia with a lubricating top coat over the resin bond. On round stainless the contact line gets hot fast, and the grinding aid is what keeps a handrail from turning straw-coloured. Also the coarse grain to use on aluminum tube and extrusions that load a plain belt.
• Cloth A/O: brown aluminum oxide on poly-cotton. For aluminum, brass and copper tube at every grit, and the only grain we offer from 150 through 600 for the satin and pre-polish passes on any metal.

A typical handrail sequence is Zirconia+ 80 to remove weld and scale, Zirconia+ or cloth A/O 120 to blend, then cloth A/O 180 or 220 for a uniform grain before a surface conditioning belt or buffing.

Grit guide for tube, bar and weld seams

Rotate round stock continuously against the belt so the scratch runs around the part rather than along it in one spot. Never skip more than one grit; a polished tube shows every scratch left under the finish.

What machines take a 2" x 168" belt?

• Long belt grinders and backstand grinders with a 2" belt and a 168" belt path, used for tube, pipe, bar, shafting and long fabricated parts.
• Edge sanders and stroke sanders set up with a 2" belt for narrow edges and inside curves.
• Dedicated tube and rail finishing machines that run a narrow long-loop belt over a contact wheel.

Confirm 2" width and 168" length in your machine manual; if your machine runs a different length in this width, we make it. Check the inside of the belt for a direction arrow before mounting. A 168" belt twists easily while you thread it through the idlers, so hang it and let it relax first, then track it so the edge runs just inside the contact wheel. Use a metal-rated dust collector or wet collection; never grind steel or aluminum into a collector that holds wood dust.

How to get the most out of it

1. Work round stock on the contact wheel or slack section. Let the belt wrap the curve; the platen is for flats. Rotate the part steadily so the contact line keeps moving.
2. Load the coarse grains. Ceramic, zirconia and Zirconia+ stay sharp only under pressure. A shiny belt and a straw-coloured stainless tube mean the pass is too light; press harder or fit a fresh belt.
3. Slow down for aluminum. Use the lower belt speed if the machine has one, run Zirconia+ or cloth A/O, and dress the running belt with a grease stick so aluminum tube does not pack the grain.
4. Keep long parts sliding. Move tube and bar along the belt at a steady rate; stopping leaves a flat spot and a heat ring.
5. Run wet where the machine allows. The Y-weight poly-cotton under the metal grains and the poly-cotton under the cloth A/O tolerate coolant, which is the simplest cure for heat tint on stainless rail.
6. Hang the spares. A 168" belt folded in a drawer takes a set at every fold that you will feel on the contact wheel. Keep the pack hanging in a dry place.

Use it for / don't use it for

Use it for

• Weld blending and finishing on stainless and steel handrail, tube frames and pipe
• Deburring and satin finishing round bar, shafting and hydraulic tube
• Removing scale and saw marks from long steel bar before coating
• Finishing aluminum tube and extrusions before anodizing or powder coat
• Narrow-edge and inside-curve work on an edge or stroke sander fitted with a 2" belt

Don't use it for

• Wood and MDF; a wood-grade 2" belt is the right product for that
• Zirconia or Zirconia+ above 120 grit when a finish is the goal; switch to cloth A/O
• Ceramic at light pressure on an underpowered machine
• Grinding metal into a wood-dust collector

Specifications

Frequently asked questions

Related products and guides

• All sanding belts
• Narrow sanding belts collection
• 3" x 168" Metalworking Sanding Belts, 4 pack
• 2" x 132" Sanding Belts, 6 pack
• Custom sanding belts made to order in about 3 days