Wide belt sanders for moulding

Can the same finish quality be attained with a wide belt sander as with a random orbit sander? April 25, 2001

Q.
We manufacture flat mouldings out of hardwood. These are milled with a moulder, then sanded with Dynabrade sanders using 150-180 grit. We spray finish. I would like to use a wide belt sander to increase production. Is it possible to sand these mouldings with a wide belt (one or two head) at 180 grit and get the same or better quality than I am with random orbitals? Can I start finishing these mouldings from the wide belt sander?

Forum Responses
If you purchase a quality machine, yes. The more belts, the better. A friend of mine sends his stock through his moulder (SCMI) right into his wide belt, 150 grit. Then it goes into his spray room, where he lays down a nice pre-cat. His stuff looks excellent, but he buys nothing but the best knives and belts and keeps his equipment tuned.

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It'll work great as long as you're only making flat moulding. We have a Makor profile sander. You shape the wheels to match the profile and sand away. Works great.

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From a finishing standpoint, the grit on a wide belt is different from that on a random. 100 on a wide belt is about 80 grit on a random; 180 on a wide belt is about 150 on a random. This comes into play when the cabinet shop tells us that they sanded up to 180, we stain the wood expecting it to have the same porosity that a random would give the surface and the stain color comes out darker.