25" x 75" Metalworking Sanding Belts, 2 PACK

Aluminum plate and extrusions are where most wide belt operators get into trouble: the belt loads, the surface smears, and the operator presses harder, which only makes it worse. These 25" x 75" Timesaver belts for metal are set up to avoid that, with cloth aluminum oxide as the correct grain for aluminum, brass and every finishing grit from 150 to 600, zirconia with a grinding aid that cuts cooler and resists loading on aluminum and stainless, and ceramic for stainless and hardened steel when the machine can lean on it.

The 75-inch loop gives each grain more cloth to shed heat between contacts than a 48 or 60 inch belt, which is why longer-bed 25-inch machines are favoured for metal. All three grains are on a Y-weight polyester-cotton cloth that runs wet or dry, converted in Anaheim, California and packed in twos.

• Cloth AO, grinding-aid zirconia and ceramic on one 25" x 75" size, 24–600 grit
• Longer 75-inch loop runs cooler per contact than shorter belts of the same width
• Grinding aid on the zirconia lowers heat and loading on aluminum and stainless
• Y-weight poly-cotton backing runs wet or dry and holds length under drum pressure
• Cloth AO 150–600 covers graining and pre-polish on aluminum and stainless
• Two belts per pack; case pricing and custom lengths available

Which grain should you choose for aluminum, steel or stainless?

Match the grain to the metal first and to the machine second. Aluminum wants a sharp, forgiving grain and low heat; steel wants a grain that fractures under pressure; stainless wants the coolest cut you can get.

• Cloth A/O (brown belt): heat-treated aluminum oxide on poly-cotton cloth, forgiving at moderate pressure, and the grain that cuts aluminum, brass, bronze and copper without smearing when you keep the speed down. It is also the only grain in this listing at 150, 180, 220, 320, 400 and 600 grit, so every fine graining and pre-polish belt is AO whatever the metal.
• Zirconia (green or blue belt): the general fabrication belt for mild steel, plate and tube. Ours has a grinding aid built into the resin and a second one coated on top, which lubricates the cut, cools the part and slows loading. That top coat is why we also recommend it for heavier removal on aluminum and for stainless on machines that cannot load a ceramic belt. Stocked 24–120 grit.
• Ceramic (orange-red belt): for 304 and 316 stainless, hardened and tool steel, and heavy plate work. Ceramic renews its cutting edges continuously and removes stock cooler and faster than zirconia, but it must be pressed to keep fracturing. At light pressure it glazes and heats the part.

The variant selector shows which grits are stocked in each grain. Above 120 grit choose cloth AO regardless of the metal; zirconia and ceramic do not produce a finish at fine grits.

Grit guide for aluminum and steel on a 25" x 75" belt

On aluminum, start at 60–80 unless you are levelling a casting, and finish at 120–220 before a surface conditioning belt or anodizing. On steel and stainless, do not skip more than one grade between belts or the coarse scratch will show through the finish.

What machines take a 25" x 75" belt?

• 25-inch Timesaver-type wide belt sanders with a 75-inch belt path, either purpose-built deburring and graining machines or woodworking machines converted for metal with a metal-rated dust system.
• 24–25 inch open-end shop wide belt sanders of the Grizzly 24-inch class and SuperMax or Laguna 25-50 style whose manual specifies a 75-inch loop.
• Deburring and finishing machines for laser-cut parts, aluminum extrusions and sheet up to 25 inches wide.

Timesaver is a brand name that most shops use for any wide belt sander, so go by the belt dimensions on your machine plate. Width must be exact; length tolerance on most machines is roughly plus or minus a quarter inch. We have not verified specific model numbers for this size. If your machine needs a different length, we make 25-inch belts to order in about three days. Check the inside of the belt for a direction arrow before mounting and run it that way if one is printed.

How to get the most out of them

1. Slow the belt for aluminum. Aluminum smears and loads at steel speeds. Drop belt speed, use cloth AO or the grinding-aid zirconia, and rub a grease stick on the running belt as soon as it starts to squeal or pack. Clean with a crepe eraser rather than pressing harder.
2. Speed up and press for steel. Zirconia and ceramic need load to fracture and stay sharp. Set a real depth of cut and keep the feed steady; a glazed belt heats the part.
3. Never mix dusts. Aluminum fines and steel sparks in a collector that holds wood dust are a fire risk. Run a dedicated metal-rated collector or wet collection on this machine.
4. Keep the part moving. Dwell blues stainless and gouges aluminum. Feed through at a constant rate and never stop the conveyor under the head.
5. Drum for removal, platen for finish. Use the contact drum at 24–120 and the platen at 150 and finer so the scratch is flat and uniform.
6. Run wet when you can. The poly-cotton backing tolerates coolant; a wet head keeps aluminum from loading and stainless from tinting.
7. Store belts hanging on a wide peg away from humidity and sunlight, and let cold belts warm up before running.

Use it for / don't use it for

Use it for

• Flattening and finishing aluminum plate, extrusions and sheet before anodizing
• Deburring laser, plasma and waterjet parts in steel, stainless and aluminum
• Weld knockdown and levelling on mild steel plate
• Directional graining on stainless panels
• Pre-polish sequences ending at 400–600 grit

Don't use it for

• Aluminum at full steel belt speed with no lubricant; it loads and smears
• Wood on the same machine without a full dust changeover
• Ceramic on a light machine that cannot load the grain
• Zirconia or ceramic above 120 grit when you want a finish; use cloth AO

Specifications

Frequently asked questions

Related products and guides

• 25" x 75" Sanding Belts for wood, 2 pack (aluminum oxide and zirconia)
• Grease stick for sanding aluminum and non-ferrous metals
• 25" x 60" Metalworking Sanding Belts, 2 pack
• Surface conditioning belts for the final brushed pass
• Custom sanding belts made to order in about 3 days