9" x 138-3/4" Sanding Belts, 3 PACK
9" x 138-3/4" Sanding Belts, 3 PACK
Available in stock (49971)
Long, 9-inch-wide oscillating edge sanders need a belt that tracks true over a tall platen and survives a lot of edge-grain contact, and that is what this pack is built for. These are closed-coat aluminum oxide belts on poly-cotton cloth, cut to 9" x 138-3/4" and sold three to a pack so you can keep a coarse, a medium and a finishing grit on hand.
Cabinet and furniture shops buy this size for squaring door and drawer edges, cleaning up bandsawn curves on the drum end, and bevel sanding. Aluminum oxide is the right grain here: it cuts wood and MDF cleanly at light pressure and leaves a finish that takes stain evenly. We convert these belts in Anaheim, California.
- Aluminum oxide grain, closed coat: clean cut and long life on hardwood, softwood, plywood and MDF
- Poly-cotton cloth backing resists the flexing and edge wear an oscillating platen puts on a belt
- Seven grits offered, 60 through 220, covering rough edge work to pre-finish
- 3-pack lets you stock a roughing, a surfacing and a finishing belt for one machine
- Fits Grizzly G9985-class 9-inch oscillating edge sanders
- Custom lengths made to order in about 3 days if your machine calls for something else
Which grit should you choose for edge sanding?
Every belt in this listing is aluminum oxide, so the choice is grit alone. Match it to the condition of the edge coming off the saw, not to the finish you want at the end.
- 60 grit: squaring rough-sawn or bandsawn edges, removing saw marks and small amounts of stock. The belt to keep on the machine when you are fitting parts.
- 80 grit: the everyday edge belt. Takes out planer snipe and jointer ripples, cleans up glue squeeze-out on panel edges, and is fine enough to go straight to 120 afterward.
- 100 and 120 grit: surfacing an already-square edge before finish sanding. 120 is where most painted MDF work stops.
- 150 and 180 grit: pre-finish on hardwood edges that will be stained or clear-coated.
- 220 grit: final pass before finish. Do not go finer than this on an edge sander for stained work; a burnished edge blocks stain and shows up lighter than the face.
A typical three-belt set for a cabinet shop is 80, 120 and 180. If you do a lot of rough dimensioning, swap the 80 for a 60.
Grit guide for a 9-inch edge sander
| Grit | Use it for | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 60 | Squaring, saw-mark removal | Light passes; check for square often |
| 80 | General edge sanding, glue lines | Most-used grit on this machine |
| 100–120 | Surfacing, paint-grade MDF | Removes the 80 scratch |
| 150–180 | Pre-finish on hardwood | Do not skip 120 first |
| 220 | Final before stain or clear | Stop here; finer burnishes |
What machines does a 9" x 138-3/4" belt fit?
- Grizzly G9985-class 9-inch oscillating edge sanders. Grizzly's own literature lists the belt as 9" x 138-1/2"; the quarter-inch difference is within the tension take-up on these machines, but confirm the length in your manual before ordering.
- Other 9-inch-wide oscillating edge sanders with a belt length between about 138 and 139 inches. Most edge sanders tolerate roughly plus or minus 1/4 inch of length; if yours is stated at a different length, order a custom size instead of forcing it.
Mounting: release tension, slide the belt on with the grain side out, tension it, then rotate by hand and set tracking so the belt rides centred on the platen with the oscillation switched on. Check the inside of the belt for a direction arrow before mounting; if there is one, run the belt that way or the joint can lift. If your machine calls for a different length or width, we make custom belt sizes in about 3 days.
How to get the most out of it
- Let the belt reach speed before contact. Feeding a part into a belt that is still accelerating leaves a gouge at the start of the edge.
- Keep the work moving along the platen. Parking a part in one spot wears a groove in the belt and burns the edge, especially on cherry and maple. Light pressure and steady movement give a flatter edge than force.
- Use the whole platen height. Vary where the edge contacts the belt so the grain wears evenly top to bottom, and rely on the oscillation to spread the load.
- Curves go on the drum end. Inside and outside curves are sanded on the idler drum, not the platen, and always with the part moving.
- Step grits in order. 60 to 80 to 120 to 180 to 220. Skipping more than one grade leaves scratches you will not see until the stain goes on.
- Clean the belt before you change it. Hold a crepe-rubber belt eraser lightly against the running belt to pull packed dust and resin out of the grain. Most "worn out" AO belts are simply loaded.
- Keep dust extraction on. Edge sanders throw dust straight at the belt; a full dust bag or weak extraction is the fastest way to load a belt.
- Store spares hanging. A cloth belt left folded or on a concrete floor takes a set and will thump on the platen. Let a cold belt warm up before running it.
Use it for / don't use it for
Use it for
- Squaring and truing edges on solid wood, plywood and MDF cabinet parts
- Bevel and chamfer sanding against a tilted table
- Cleaning up bandsawn curves on the drum end
- Removing saw marks, planer snipe and glue lines before finish sanding
- Light edge work on aluminum, brass and plastics at 120 grit and up
Don't use it for
- Heavy stock removal on steel; that is a zirconia job and this listing is aluminum oxide only
- Wet sanding; these are dry-use belts
- Running a belt with a lifted or cracked joint
- Finishing finer than 220 on wood that will be stained
- Machines that specify a belt length more than about 1/4 inch away from 138-3/4 inches
Specifications
| Size | 9" wide x 138-3/4" long |
|---|---|
| Abrasive grain | Aluminum oxide |
| Backing | Poly-cotton cloth |
| Coat | Closed coat |
| Joint | Check inside of belt for direction arrow before mounting |
| Grits offered | 60, 80, 100, 120, 150, 180, 220 |
| Pack quantity | 3 belts, one grit per pack |
| Wet or dry | Dry |
| Machine type | 9-inch oscillating edge sanders (Grizzly G9985 class) |
| Converted in | Anaheim, California |
| Custom sizes | Made to order in about 3 days |
Frequently asked questions
Will a 9" x 138-3/4" belt fit a Grizzly G9985 edge sander?
Yes. The G9985 is a 9-inch oscillating edge sander and this is the belt size we supply for it. Grizzly's manual lists the belt at 138-1/2 inches; a quarter inch is inside the tension range of the machine. If your manual shows a different length, tell us and we will cut it to match.
Why is aluminum oxide the only material offered in this size?
Because a 9-inch edge sander is almost always sanding wood, plywood or MDF, and aluminum oxide is the grain that cuts wood cleanly at the light pressure an edge sander applies. Zirconia needs heavy pressure to self-sharpen and can tear or burn wood on an edge sander. If you need zirconia in this size for metal, ask about a custom run.
Which grit should I keep on the edge sander most of the time?
80 grit. It removes saw marks, jointer ripple and glue lines fast enough for fitting work, and its scratch is shallow enough to go straight to 120 or 150. Keep a 60 for rough squaring and a 180 or 220 for finishing, which is why this size sells as a 3-pack.
Why does my edge sander belt burn the wood?
Burning on an edge sander comes from holding the part still, pressing too hard, or running a loaded belt. Keep the work moving along the platen, ease off the pressure, and clean the belt with a crepe eraser. Cherry and maple burn first, so slow down the pressure rather than the movement on those species.
How many belts are in the pack and are they all the same grit?
Each pack contains three 9" x 138-3/4" aluminum oxide belts of the same grit. Order one pack each of two or three grits to cover roughing through finishing. Orders over $200 ship free, and unused belts in original packaging can be returned within 30 days.
Can I run these belts in either direction?
Look at the inside of the belt before you mount it. If there is a direction arrow, run the belt that way so the joint trails and cannot lift. If there is no arrow, the joint is bi-directional and the belt can run either way. Either way, set tracking with the oscillation on so the belt stays centred.
Can you make a different length for my edge sander?
Yes. We convert belts in Anaheim, California and make custom widths and lengths to order in about 3 days. Measure the old belt or take the size from your manual, and if you need a grit outside the 60 to 220 range listed here, call 714-646-3299 or email sales@maverickabrasives.com.
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