A Common question we get is how can I figure out what size belt I need for my sander! Don’t worry we will help you figure it out. Sanding belts are measured Width x Length x grit followed by the material/grain you will be sanding with. For example 3” x 21” 80 Grit Aluminum Oxide is a common sanding belt sold at any hardware store.
Firstly if you have your sanders manual take a look there for the correct sanding belt size, chances are it will be a common sized belt you can find in our standard belt selections, click here. https://www.rapidabrasives.ca/product-category/sanding-belt/
If you don’t know the size but you have an existing belt this makes it easy as well;
Option#1 Lay the belt flat on a table and measure the width and the length, the length will be doubled to give you the belts actual length. It is important to note not to crease the belt at the radius as this can damage the grain.
Option #2 Roll Length, mark the inside of your belt with a marker and lay the belt on the floor marking on the floor where the mark is on the belt. Roll the belt along the floor until you come to the mark on the back of the belt again and mark the floor again. Now take a tape measure and measure the distance between the marks this will be your length.
Option #3 Cut the existing belt in half and lay flat. Measure the belt along one side to get an accurate size.
If you have no information and no existing belts its time to take a closer look at your sander. First find out how the belt tension is adjusted this will play into finding the correct belt size. Second grab a tape measure and a piece of string. With the tape measure you can measure the roller the belt sits on to determine the width. To find the length make sure the rollers are spaced as if there would be tension on the belt, run the string around each roller until it meets at the other side and mark the string. Now that the string is marked lay the string on a flat surface and measure the string with your tape measure. You now have the width and length and can order your belt. If you find the size isn’t available in our standard selection check out our custom belt calculator. https://www.rapidabrasives.ca/product/custom-sanding-belt-calculator/
