Speedy Top Tip: How to Use a Belt Sander

How to Use a Belt Sander - Correctly and Safely

Perhaps you have some old furniture or an old door you want to bring back to life but you’re unsure where to start? Why not start with one of these, this is a belt sander, and you can hire them from Speedy, the UK’s number one hire company.

A couple of good things to remember when hiring from Speedy, all our hire equipment is checked, tested, cleaned and serviced before every hire and will all come ready to go. You’ll also notice a folder attached to your hire product, these are the safety and operating instructions, please make sure you read these before you begin your job.

Belt sanders are ideal for stripping paint from wood or even removing rust from metal. Whatever you are planning to use your belt sander for just remember belt sanders can use all sorts of paper, everything from coarse sandpaper which is ideal for removing tougher debris like plaster or paint. Medium sandpaper which is ideal for removing varnish and fine sandpaper which is ideal for finishing. Any sanding belts you need can be purchased from Speedy.

Speedy Top Tip! Please Watch our How-To Use a Belt Sander Video below:

On our belt sanders you will notice a tube at the rear of the machine, this is for the dust collector bag supplied with the belt sander that simply slots over the tube. Once the dust bag is full it can be emptied by sliding the plastic tube from the bottom of the bag and then empty it into a bin.

Changing the sandpaper on this belt sander is really easy. Simply pull this lever up, this will move the pad base inwards allowing the belt to slide over, locking the lever back into place will move the pad base outwards, applying tension to the belt.

If you're unsure on what sanding belts you need for your tasks, just ask your local Speedy service centre, as they are happy to help.

Before you use your belt sander it's really important that you use the correct PPE, eye protection, safety boots, gloves and a dust mask are essential when operating this bit of kit. Any PPE you require for your job can be purchased from Speedy.

Any mains powered equipment that you hire from Speedy can come with one of three different types of plug a UK standard domestic plug that can be plugged directly into any household socket. A yellow 110v plug that will require a transformer or a blue 240v plug that will require an RCD unit, but don’t worry whatever you require your Speedy Service Centre will provide you with everything you need to power up your equipment and no matter the shape or size of your transformer or RCD plugging it in will be exactly the same, simply lift the flap and push in the plug. 

When you are ready to use the belt sander there are a couple of switches worth pointing out. By the handle you’ll find a wheel, this controls the power of the sander. Start at a low setting and gradually increase to ensure that you are comfortable with using the sander.

To turn the sander on you’ll need to hold down the safety switch here on the side and press the trigger at the same time.

If you have any issues with any of the products you hire from Speedy, just give your local Service Centre a call, as we’re always happy to help, and remember to always check the safety guidance before you use any hire product.

Ready for more DIY tips?

Thank you for reading the Speedy Services blog, we hope you found this How-To Use a Belt Sander Guide useful, for further inspiration and help for your DIY projects please visit our Skills and Projects page today.

You’ll find all the power tools you need right here, why not start planning your next DIY project and open a Speedy account today online and instore for all your tool hire needs.