How Do You Change A Belt On A Belt Sander?
Belt sanders are the heavy artillery of your sanding arsenal, providing the kind of power and consistent movement that pad sanders, rotary sanders or hand-sanding just can’t match. Belt sanders are harder to control than other sanders, and changing the sandpaper belt can be tricky if you aren’t used to the tool. You will know it’s time to change the belt when you can run your palm across the sandpaper (with the sander off, of course) and feel little resistance from the sandpaper. Unplug the sander. Take it to a workbench or other flat, elevated surface. Locate the tension lever on the side of the sander, between the top and bottom spans of the sandpaper belt. Lay the sander on its side so the lever is facing you. Pull the lever upward. The two wheels will move incrementally toward one another and lock there, causing the sandpaper belt to slacken on the wheels. Slip the old sandpaper up off the side of the rollers. Slide the new sandpaper back on in the same fashion, making sure that th
