Regular maintenance is a huge part of keeping your big machine going strong and performing at its peak. It’s better to take care of smaller issues now before they have a chance to compound into larger ones.

Here are just a few areas of your belt sander which you should attend to on a regular basis in order to prevent expensive repairs from cropping up.

Check your wheels. Check your wheels for flat spots. If you roll your sander back and forth over a flat spot in the floor and if there is a regular thud, this means that at least one of the wheels has a flat spot and has to be replaced.

Blow out the dust from multiple places. Dust is your big machine’s worst enemy. Make a habit of blowing it out of multiple places in your machine using your compressor because compacted dust can cause a whole host of issues. The upper roller assembly is one big area to focus on. When it gets dirty, it affects the pressure on the belt and can even shoot the paper off. Also make sure to blow out the drum pressure screws (if applicable, unscrew them before blowing them out), dust chamber, drum, vented motor cover on a regular basis.

Check on the belts. Loosen the belts every day and remove or loosen the abrasive. You should also regularly check the belts for wear and look at where they are riding—if they are flush or below the pulleys, they will need to be replaced.

Check the platen. Check the platen for wear and tear like cracks, scratches or dents whenever you change the belt. If the platen is cracked, it will need to be replaced.

Take a look at the roller alignment. Make sure they are aligned correctly––if not, the belt can slip off. You can adjust the belt tracking with a knob found on the side of the sander. Check the video below for tips on leveling and removing the rollers on a Lagler Hummel sander and more.

Check the belt for wear. A worn out belt can present a very dangerous situation when operating your belt sander. Worn belts can jump and skip and possibly break at worn spots due to excessive stress on the belt. Check it regularly to make sure it doesn’t get to this point. Shop our full line of belt sander belts! 

Take in your big machine for regular maintenance. This will save you a ton of money in the long run. If you’re local to the King of Prussia, PA area, you’re always welcome to bring it to our repair shop where our expert machinists will take care of your equipment.