6" x 48" Surface Conditioning (Non-Woven) Belts
WHAT ARE NON-WOVEN BELTS?
Non-woven belts are made of an abrasive impregnated nylon material that is often used for the scratch pattern it leaves. It leaves a very uniform scratch pattern typically used in applications where a satin finish is desired. Surface Conditioning comes in four different coarseness levels. The coarsest one is a brown color and it provides a scratch pattern of 60 grit. The medium is a red color and provides a scratch pattern of 80 to 120 grit. The fine is a blue color and provides a scratch pattern of 150 to 180 grit. The ultra fine is a grey color and it leaves a 220 grit finish. Surface Conditioning works on materials such as stainless steel, aluminum, titanium, fiberglass and plastics, and nonferrous alloys. They are great for getting rid of imperfections in a surface making it smooth and burr-free. Surface conditioning is also great for a consistent finish in fewer steps.
TIPS TO USE SURFACE CONDITIONING BELTS?
- Light to moderate pressure pressure is recommended for most of the material grades. Keep in mind, a lighter hand may be needed on the coarse grade as it can remove significant material if used too firmly.
WHAT IS THE GRIT EQUIVALENT OF THE DIFFERENT GRADES OF SURFACE CONDITIONING?
Keep in mind these recommendations are guidelines: the actual non-woven material is not officially rated in terms of grit. However, these recommendations match our (and customers experience) of what to expect.
Coarse: 40 to 60 grit
Medium: 80 to 120 grit
Very Fine: 150 to 180 grit
Ultrafine: 220 grit
WHY 6" X 48" SANDING BELTS?
6" x 48" belts offer the best middle ground between heavy duty grinding and finer detail work blades can require—e.g. sharpening or detailed handle work. This makes the 6" x 48" size one of the most common belt sizes for knife making for profiling, bevel grinding, detailed edge sanding, surface conditioning, and sharpening.
WHAT GRINDERS ARE COMMON FOR 6" X 48" BELTS?
Common machines our customers use for 6" x 48" belts come from manufacturers such as Jet, Rockford, PRM, Kalamazoo, Multitool, and Burr King.
