Wolf Belt Sander Attachment Question

Jewelry Discussion
1

I am looking at the Wolf Belt Sander attachment to polish a small flat surface on earrings that I make before adding texture. I usually do it by hand with sandpaper that is 4000-8000 grit. I thought it would be much easier with the belt sander but I am not seeing sanding belts in that fine of grit available. So my question is, can one make their own belts for this sander? If so, how would I connect the ends? Thanks everyone for your help.

2

It’s a nice attachment but will not sand as flat as you can do it by hand. With 4K-8K grit you can’t be giving it that many strokes.

3

Thank you for your response. I’m not sure what you mean by “you can’t be giving it that many strokes.” Would you mind giving a bit more details regarding that? Thanks

4

Hi There,
Id like to help but ive been checking out the paper your wanting to use, and theres no such thing as 4000 to 8000 grit paper.
Are you sure it says 4000 on the back of the paper?
Cos the highest normally available is 1600 grit.
Moving on also theres no easy way to butt join band sanding belts so theres no bump! as the join passes under the work. Ive tried all sorts of joining methods and none of them work for long. 3M belts are the most joint reliable. you can tension the belt till it pings run it for days and it wont separate.
For what its worth, your best bet is

  1. get the paper you use and stick it down to a piece of float as in flat glass say 3/8ths in thick with double sided tape at the paper edges.
  2. If the paper is whats called wet and dry you then can use it with water to improve its life.
  3. as to holding the work is there any thing sticking up on the back to hold it with a pair of small pliers held shut with an elastic band? Saves sanding the skin off your fingers.
    also, you say you texture the work. Now I do the same but I use a highly polished as in mirror finish texturing tool that eliminates the above work of paper polishing.
    Hope this helps.
    Tech Ted
    in Dorset
    UK
5

Here is the paper I use: 3M Tri-M-Ite Imperial Polishing Paper Assortment 3M Tri-M-Ite® Polishing Paper Assortment - RioGrande . It is wet or dry but I just use it dry. It is fabric like. I hold the pieces with a piece of folded tape on the back side. I find that they are much easier to finish the polishing in the tumbler when I am all done if I polish the metal before I texture. Thanks

6

What are you talking about? 3M Tri-M-Ite® Polishing Paper Assortment - RioGrande This is only 1 example

7

You are using an extremely fine polishing paper? How many strokes on the paper do you have to give your model to get the effect? One assumes you have already been through the heavier grits.

8

Hi Bernadette,

I would be very leery of trying to make your own belts. If the adhesive tape you use to join the ends starts to come loose, the freed end could slice your hand very quickly.

I found a cool item in SNAG’s Metalsmith Magazine, the EZ Lapper. It’s a simple flat plate with clamps to attach a sheet of paper. I use mine all the time. You can find it here: http://www.ezlapper.com/

Good luck,
Alec

9

Hi Rc2,
I looked up your link and Im happy to stand corrected.! here in the UK we have 3M but our engineering supply houses dont list the finer grades. Nor do we have rioG here in the UK.
Thanks anyway
Ted.

10

The 3M Microfinishing (E-series) looks to be in the grits your talking. It seems to have a simple piece of tape (I’m sure some specialized tape) holding the ends together. I have a Wolf sander, things heat up real quick making it to hot to touch also, you can’t see your work as your sanding. Save your money and do it by hand. I do use my Wolf sander for wax models.

11

Another tool that does flats, and has much finer grit paper is the Jeweltool, which operates a bit like a split lap.
For just polishing flats spots on earrings though, this might be too much of an investment.

12

If you don’t need a large abrasive surface you might build a stand that will hold a simple orbital or vibratory sander upside down.

13

Another tool that does flats, and has much finer grit paper is the Jeweltool, which operates a bit like a split lap.
For just polishing flats spots on earrings though, this might be too much of an investment.

14

Sorry. Somehow I posted the same thing twice.

15

That looks really interesting. I am definitely going to research that. Thanks for the information.

16

I like this idea and I have the sander in the garage already. I might have to try this. Thanks

17

Hi Alex,

thanks for sharing the EZ Lapper link. Quick question…is this just a clamping system with a flat surface? Or is it mechanized…ie: vibratory? I visited the link, but did not see working details…

Julie

18

3M is not the only brand and if desperate, Rio Grande will ship to the UK

19

Hi Bernadette,

Funny you should ask, because I had the same question. It’s only a clamping system with a flat surface. I toyed with the idea of adding a vibratory mechanism to the plate, but it’s working just fine without it.

Alec

20

Hi Alec,
WOW! No vibratory mechanism. I went to the website to see what it was like and didn’t see enough information to really understand that it was only a mechanism to hold the polishing/sanding media. If the objective/design is simply to hold sanding/polishing media, it would be a lot less expensive to simply spray adhesive the media and keep it on a piece of aluminum/marble/hardwood or whatever. then it can be stored almost anywhere until needed. My bench space is way to skimpy and my budget way to small to spend $80 on fancy clamps that are stationary.

I’ve never though about mechanizing the process but now that it has been brought up I have a simple solution in my shop. I have a small 5" round vibrator that I keep next to my investment station, I use it to de-bubble prior to vacuum application. It would be simple to just put some spray adhesive on the back of a media and slap it on, turn it on, and polish away.
RLW