Thread: Dressing gator belts

This question is directed at Butch, but if anyone else has any info, it would be appreciated as well.

Butch, I've seen you mention several times that you can "dress" gator belts to get more life out of them. Can you elaborate on how you do this and what you use?

I use gator belts as well as norax belts, and the higher grits in particular don't seem to last as long as I think they should. I've tried to freshen them by using a lot of pressure with a piece of steel, but that doesn't do it.

Thanks,
Josh

i have a wheel dresser stone that i use
the gators down to A30 can be dressed (higher grit liek the A16 i have can not )
i liek to do it on a wheel and just press the stone dresser stone into the belt nice and flat/ even to keep the belt flat
it does not take much but the stone works much better then the steel bar

i use my belts till there is little more then canvas backer on them (gators only )

Butch, do you think the abrasives on the belt are getting clogged/rounded over/smoothed ?

Thanks, Butch. Why can't the higher grit belts be dressed? I'll have to get a dressing stone...

Josh

I use a "belt dresser" that I get at sears. It's like a big rubber type eraser. When new, they are about 6" long & a little over 1" square... Found it by the routing bits at my local sears...

Edit: I only use this on the finer belts...coarse belts just chew up the eraser...

Originally Posted by shooter74743

I use a "belt dresser" that I get at sears. It's like a big rubber type eraser. When new, they are about 6" long & a little over 1" square... Found it by the routing bits at my local sears...

Edit: I only use this on the finer belts...coarse belts just chew up the eraser...

Hmmm.....I call that a belt "cleaner"....

yep, sorry...

yep thats a belt cleaner the dresser is a stone bar
i will try and get a pic of a new belt and a belt im still using (jsut a bit longer)and one of the sub A30 style belts (there made different )

It's one of the good uses for Carborundum hones.

ok so there is an x5 and then used A45 and a new A45
the A30 is as smooth a finish you get with the tall gator belts

they make 2 other kinds of structured abrasive the X16 and X5 are more like fine ceramic on a belt