Belt sander advice?

[Scott]

I have a DeWally belt sander and I can't seem to get it running properly. When I run it in mid air the belt tracks off the rollers and settles with about 2cm of it's width hanging off the right hand side. When I apply it to the work the belt tracks back to the correct position and it works fine.

If I start with the belt running in it's proper position it tracks left as soon as it touches the work and chews the belt up in seconds. :?

Anyone got any ideas? Shouldn't it just stay in the same position all the time?

Thanks in advance

 

[DaveL]

Shouldn't it just stay in the same position all the time?

Well thats how it should work, sounds a if there is a slack bearing on one of the rollers how old and how much use has the sander seen?

If it is new I would take it back!

 

[devonwoody]

Try a different belt first incase of a problem arising there. MY old chinese job blew up the other week, sparks flew into the dust bag, NASTY. .
However it did have a tension device for altering the tracking.

 

[Scott]

It's not very old and hasn't seen much use. I'll have a look at the bearings. Thanks Dave.

DW, it does have a tracking adjustment which does work

 

[GCR]

Sounds like the belt is old stock/subjected to damp at some stage. Had some at work that did just what you describe.

Bob

 

[Scott]

Yeah, I've had a waggle at the bearings and there doesn't seem to be anything untoward there. I'll get some new belts.

Thanks guys

 

[Ian Dalziel]

Scott,
Make sure the belt is on the right direction....you will see arrows on the underside of the cloth belt.
Dewalts are usually not bad as they are the old ELU design...i've still got the ELU version and i've never had a problem with it.

Ian

 

[Scott]

Aye, it's deffo on in the right direction Ian

 

[Shady]

Scott - check Devonwoody's point: my Bosch has a 'tracking left/right adjustment' knob: it's actually (from memory) a spring loaded plastic thingy on the end of one of the 2 'end axles' that the belt revolves around. Turning it alters the relative alignment of the 2 axles, so that by trial and error I can get the belt to track centrally, without edging left or right all the time... I do however, find that tracking centrally needs a different setting for 'no-load' and 'being used' conditions. Pressure/angle at which you present the sander to the workpiece will alter the tracking. HTH.

(edit - Doh! (homer) - just seen your response re tracking, which I missed!! - can you not sort it with that then?)