Best belts for a surface grinder

I've been running a belt conversion on my surface grinder for over 15 years now...... With heavy grit belts, I've not found much of a difference. I prefer ceramic belts for heavy belts (50-60 grit) simply because the hold up better on the surface grinder. When it comes to finer grit belts, things are a bit more complicated. AO belts wear very quickly on a surface grinder, which generates excessive heat. Trizact belts last longer, but also generate the heat, and have the added issue of differing once you place a new belt on the surface grinder and make that first pass. When I say "differing", the "grit" that runs over the work piece wears when it contacts, making that area on the belt slightly thinner..... what this means is that if you need very tight tolerances, such as a folder blade, if you hit a new area of grit, you can get a couple thousandths difference from from on area to another on the same blade.

This situation occurs badly if you use "Gator" belts on the surface grinder.... so I steer clear of using those on the surface grinder.

All that being said, I tend to use the same grits/types of belts on the surface grinder that I use on my grinders.... it means I don't have to buy "special" belts or abrasives beyond what I normally would. I know there are some out there who scoff at converting a surface grinder to belts....but having used it with both a "stone" and belts, there is no way I would ever go back to a "stone".
 
Like Ed, I use basically the same belts as my 2x72. Probably most typical is a 120 grit VSM ceramic, which by itself will leave a very decent finish, especially after it wears in a little bit. If I want a little more shine, I'll throw on a fresh 220 AO, or a trizact. Like Ed says, AO belts don't last very long, but at that point, I'm only taking another couple thousands off. I also use belts just like I would a stone, and take relatively small incremental passes, stepping over .100 or less, so that only the corner of the belt is really cutting at first. I'm also not hogging too much at once with the down feed.
 
May be a dumb question but do you dress the belt when you put it on?

Or do you grind with it just how it is when it's new?
 
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Maybe a dumb question but do you dress the belt when you put it on?

Or do you grind with it just how it is when it's new?

There are some makers who dress the belt as you would a stone. Personally, I usually just knock the belt splice down with a dia-pad, and then take some light passes over the piece to check the finish. I imagine that alone should even the grit out as much as a dressing point. If I was using a grit heavier than the 120 I normally use, I might see how a dresser worked, but 120 and higher grits are typically even enough for the surface finish I'm after.
 
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