Cloth backed belt abrasives

Abrasive Finishing Systems Ltd The Old Sawmills, West Tanfield, Ripon HG4 5JU
T: 01677 470795 F: 01677 470796 E: sales@abrasive-systems.co.uk

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Cloth Belt Overview

Whilst paper backed belts are generally used in the woodworking industry, belts with a cloth backing are used predominantly in metalworking industries.
Cloth belts are the product of choice when working on metal as they offer far improved longevity when compared to a paper backed product, as well as being far more robust and as such giving a much reduced likelihood of damage occurring to the belt.
Cloth belts offer a range of weighted backings, allowing for greater or lesser flexibility as required and come in a full range of sizes and grades.
We supply cloth backed sanding belt abrasives for use on stainless steel, aluminium, mild steel, aerospace and a host of specialist applications. In addition cloth sanding belts be used on hardwoods, glass, leather, stone and plastic.

Cloth Weight:
The flexibility and weight of the backing of the belt is determined by the letter it is assigned. From flexible F and J-Flex through to heavy duty Y.

Backing Types:
Traditional premium cloth belts were manufactured with Egyptian cotton. Today we have many more technically advanced poly-cotton materials which increase flexibility, edge durability and the ability to withstand lubricants.
As a basic guide:

	Heavier weight cloths tend to be tougher and more aggressive than light weight cloths.

	Polyester backings can be used with water, emulsions or dry and are less likely to tear. They are normally produced with H or Y weighted backings.

	Poly-cotton backed products have the strength of polyester and the flexibility of cotton.

Cloth Belt Sizes:
We stock an extensive range of common belt sizes, but we can also manufacture abrasive belts to order in almost any size or shape required.

Joints:
Joint angles can be cut co 45, 55 or 67 degrees. They can be joined together according to your requirements:

Overlap-ST - Most common joint
Overlap-M - Oblique joint similar to the standard joint, but with surface of joint abraded to reduce chatter marks
Overlap-EX - Again similar to the standard joint but with grain on the surface of the joint removed to guarantee a smooth surface
BB - Edges are butted up to each other and joint secured with reinforced tape on the reverse of the belt
BB-ZZ - As with BB joint but the 2 edges are cut in a zig zag pattern. Particularly useful on delicate surface such as thin glass
BB-EX - As with BB joint but with abrasive grain removed from each side of the joint
BB-SO - As with BB-EX joint but with tape being attached on the upper surface of the belt

Our standard belt for metal working applications is the BB joint as this allows the use of the belt in either direction and is a joint which is flexible, strong and will not leave marks on the work-piece.

Notes on Achieving the Perfect Finish:
Correct belt speed, hardness of contact wheel and the pressure exerted are all key factors when trying to achieve the perfect finish.
Excellent finishing is extremely difficult without the correct belt speed. For example, as the belt speed is increased, for the same grit size a better cut can be achieved, but will leave a coarser finish. Please Note: Increased belt speeds will also lead to an unnecessary increase in heat and considerably reduce the working length of the abrasive products.

Abrasive Finishing Systems recommend the following working speeds:

Trizact™ Abrasive Belts:
Also available is a range of Trizact™ cloth backed belts. Please follow the link for more information.

Suggested speeds in metres per second

Workpiece

Speed in m/s

Stainless Steel and Alloys

18 - 30

Cast Iron

25 - 45

Carbon Steel

25 - 40

None-Ferrous Metals, Copper, Brass

30 - 50

Aluminium, Zinc

35 - 50

Tempered Steels

8 - 15

Titanium and Titanium Alloys

8 - 15

Glass, Ceramics, Stone

8 - 14

Plexiglass

5 - 14

Synthetic Materials

15 - 28

Wood

15 - 25

Cloth backed abrasives

Where Can I Use Them?

HZ72

Zirconium Oxide

Please click for more information about the HZ72 zirconium oxide grinding belt.

Use on

Steel and

Stainless Steel

for

Aggressive Grinding

HG49Top

Ceramic

Use on

Stainless Steel and

Harder Metals

for

Rapid Grinding

TX52

Aluminium Oxide

Please click for more information about the TX52 aluminium oxide grinding belt.

Use on

Non-Ferrous metals and

Hard Wood

JF4Top

Aluminium Oxide

Please click for more information about the JF4T aluminium grinding belt.

Use on

Stainless & Mild Steel,

Non-Ferrous Metals

for

Fine Finishing & pre Polishing

HC25

Silicon Carbide

Use on

Glass, stone, plastics

and non ferrous metals

for

Grinding to Fine Finishing

Range of Cloth

Belt Abrasives

Comprehensive list of

grinding belts and

their applications

Choosing the Right Product

We do not expect our customers to be abrasives experts. Talk to our technical experts at Abrasive Finishing Systems and they will be able to give advice on the right abrasive product for your application. If you want to speak to one of our abrasives experts

Please call 01677 470795 or e-mail us at info@abrasive-systems.co.uk