2" x 36" Sanding Belts, 12 PACK

Small bench belt sanders and compact belt/disc combination machines run a 2" x 36" belt, and the people who own them tend to be model makers, knife hobbyists, small-parts fabricators and woodworkers who need a belt that holds up to being leaned on at the platen. We build these in Anaheim, California on a Y-weight poly-cotton backing with heat-treated grain, a heavier cloth than the light belts usually sold for this size, so they take extra pressure without stretching, tearing at the joint or shedding grain.

Three grains cover the work: aluminum oxide for wood and general sanding, zirconia for heavy removal on steel and aluminum, and silicon carbide for the fine finishing grits where its narrower scratch pattern shows. Twelve belts to a pack, 36 through 400 grit.

• Y-weight poly-cotton cloth backing built to outlast typical light-cloth and paper bench belts
• Heat-treated grain takes extra pressure without stripping
• Aluminum oxide, zirconia and silicon carbide in one size
• 36–400 grit: shaping, sharpening and fine finishing on a small bench sander
• 12 belts per pack, one grain and grit, for DIY or production use
• Converted in Anaheim, California; free shipping over $200

Which 2" x 36" belt should you choose?

• Aluminum oxide: the everyday belt for a small bench sander and what we recommend for wood roughly 95 percent of the time. It cuts cleanly at light pressure, does not tear or burn the way zirconia can on wood, and it handles aluminum, brass, mild steel and stainless at bench-sander pressure when cost matters more than belt life. Available across the whole 36–400 range.
• Zirconia: heavy stock removal and long life on aluminum, stainless and steel in the coarse grits, 36 through 120. It self-sharpens under load, so it rewards firm pressure. Use it on wood only for rough shaping where speed matters more than finish.
• Silicon carbide: the sharpest of the three with a narrower, thinner scratch pattern, which is why woodworkers and metalworkers choose it at 220 and 320 grit after the stock removal is done. It leaves a better finish than aluminum oxide at the same grit, and it is the grain for plastics, fiberglass and non-ferrous metals. The trade-off is life: it wears faster, so save it for finishing.

A sensible starter set for a 2 x 36 combo sander: aluminum oxide 80 and 120 for wood, zirconia 60 for steel, silicon carbide 220 and 320 for finishing and sharpening.

Grit guide for small bench sanders

Step up without skipping more than one grit, and change the belt when the cut slows instead of pressing harder; pressing harder heats the part and glazes the grain.

What machines take a 2" x 36" belt?

• Small bench belt sanders and belt/disc combination sanders built around a 2" wide, 36" long belt, the compact machines common in home shops, school shops and model-making benches.
• Hobby knife grinders and small vertical belt grinders with the pulley spacing for a 36" belt.
• Shop-built sanders using a 2 x 36 belt path.

Fitment notes: a 2 x 36 will not fit a 2 x 42 or 2 x 48 machine, so measure an old belt around the outside or check the manual before ordering. Most machines tolerate about 1/4" of length variation. Look on the inside of the belt for a direction arrow before mounting; if there is none, the joint runs in either direction. Track the belt at speed with no load and re-check after the first few passes, since a fresh cloth belt settles slightly.

How to get the most out of it

1. Let the Y-weight backing work for you. The heavier cloth means you can press a part firmly against the platen without the belt cupping or the joint lifting; that is what makes zirconia self-sharpen and keeps aluminum oxide cutting flat.
2. Use the platen for flats and the slack section for curves and convex edges. Put end grain and small end cuts on the disc side of a combo machine so the belt does not load.
3. Keep the work moving across the belt width so a 2" belt does not wear a groove down the middle in the first ten minutes.
4. Cool steel constantly. A small bench sander has no speed control, so dip the part in water every pass or two and change to a fresh belt before it dulls. Never let the colour change on a blade edge.
5. Clean the belt with a crepe belt eraser as soon as pitch, aluminum or plastic starts to pack the grain. Loading, not wear, ends most fine belts early.
6. Run wet only on a machine built for it. The poly-cotton backing tolerates water and silicon carbide likes it on plastics and stone, but most bench sanders are dry tools.
7. Store belts hanging or loosely rolled, away from humidity and sunlight, and let a cold belt warm up before running it.

Use it for / don't use it for

Use it for

• Small woodworking parts, box components, pen blanks and model work
• Knife hobby work: profiling and bevels with zirconia, finishing with aluminum oxide and silicon carbide
• Sharpening chisels, plane irons and garden tools on the slack belt at 220–400
• Deburring and shaping aluminum, brass and small steel parts
• Plastics, fiberglass and acrylic with silicon carbide

Don't use it for

• Zirconia on fine woodwork; it tears and burns where aluminum oxide sands cleanly
• Silicon carbide for heavy removal on steel; it is a finishing grain here
• Sanding finer than 220 on wood that will be stained
• Machines built for a 42" or 48" belt

Specifications

Frequently asked questions

Related products and guides

• All narrow sanding belts
• Knife making belts and supplies
• 2" x 42" Sanding Belts, 12 pack
• Grease Stick for sanding belts (aluminum and non-ferrous)
• Custom sanding belts, any size, made in about 3 days