# Belt sander question



## hilly (Jul 30, 2007)

I'm trying to use an old Sears Belt sander (belt size 24"x4") and the belt keeps slipping off when I turn it on. Is there an adjustment I can do to prevent this?
Thanks.


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## jqgs214 (Jul 30, 2007)

Not familiar with the sears unit but all the ones I ever used have and adjusment knob or screw of somekind for alignment


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## hilly (Jul 30, 2007)

Thanks very much. I have found the knob, and now I'm adjusting it to try to keep the belt in one place!


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## Harley (Jul 31, 2007)

sometimes there's a few adjustments - one for the tension itself to keep it in place somewhat to make the belt easy to take on or off, but maybe if you look around for some more adjustment screws.... there may be some there for the "tracking" of the belt.  That sounds like that might be the problem of the belt it tight, and still wants to wander off


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## hilly (Jul 31, 2007)

Thanks Harley, I'll have another look.


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## jqgs214 (Jul 31, 2007)

Most units have a coarse adjustment that is a lever which allows the belt to come on and of.  The second is usally a knob or screw for fine adjustment.  at least all the ones I have used.


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## Gooserider (Aug 1, 2007)

The basic idea is that the two rollers have to be EXACTLY parallel, or the belt will "walk" off to one side or the other.  Normally, as has been said, you will have one lever that does overall tension to allow belt changes, and a second knob or screw to adjust the fine spacing of the rollers to get them parallel.  Note that the rollers are not quite cylindrical, they should have a slightly greater diameter in the center than on the ends - this helps center the belt if everything is adjusted right.

Essentially the process is to put a belt on, position the sander so you can reach the fine adjust knob and watch the belt, turn the sander on and watch the belt while adjusting the knob until the belt tracks.  If the belt goes off line quickly, turn the knob quite a bit (if one direction doesn't work, try the other) and then as the belt goes off more and more slowly, get more and more gentle with the adjustment - it can often end up being a quarter turn or less each way between shifting left or right.  

In theory, once you have the tracking right, it should stay set even through belt changes, but in practice I find you often have to tweak it a bit.

If you can't get it to zero in, check to make sure the frame isn't warped or that you have other damage that throws the rollers out of alignment in another plane.

Gooserider


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## elkimmeg (Aug 1, 2007)

If the drive roller is worn then you will never get the belt to track properly  I happen to have a couple craftsmen here the belt is removed by pushing in the front roller
 once the belt is replaced the roller is pulled back out and snaps into place on the ld eft side middle is the adjustment nob


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## hilly (Aug 1, 2007)

Thanks for all the help guys. I got it to more or less work correctly but it's very finicky so I suspect the problem that Elk mentions.


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