Bosch Power Tools 1274DVS manual Wood Finishing

gouging. Keep the sander moving so that your work will be smooth and even. The stroke is simply a back-and-forth movement with most of the sanding done on the pull movement. Use a light touch. The weight of the belt sander is the only pressure required. Too much pres- sure will slow the work by overloading the motor and reducing belt speed. The result will be decreased sanding efficiency. Sand slowly and systematically and, when you stop, lift the sander from the surface before stopping the tool.

WOOD FINISHING

Take care to select belts wisely. For initial smoothing of rough lumber, use coarse or very coarse grit and sand with the grain. On very uneven or hard wood, sand diagonally (across the grain). Be careful to avoid gouging. Now switch to medium grit belt and sand with the

grain. This will provide a relatively level and smooth finish. Now insert a fine grit belt for final finishing. Always sand with the grain to remove scratches left by coarser belts. Keep the sander moving in long, light strokes during finishing operations. As a final touch, experienced sanders will often insert a “used” fine belt to provide a smooth surface for filling, sealing, brushing or spraying.

REFINISHING COATED WOOD

Your belt sander will also help remove old paint, varnish or lacquer; however, if the coating consists of several layers, remove as much as possible with a paint solvent or varnish remover before using the belt sander. Use a hand scraper to remove the residue left by the solvent and allow surface to dry completely before sanding.

GUIDE FOR WOOD SANDING OPERATIONS

Abrasive Belt	Material/Application
Open-coat	Rough, fast stock
36 to 60 grit	removal, removal of old
	finishes
Open-coat	Intermediate finishing
60 to 100 grit
Open or closed-	Fine finishing
coat 120 to 180
grit
Open or closed-	Extra-fine finishing,
coat, 200 or	especially with hard
finer grit	woods

Remove all sanding dust thoroughly before coating. Use a soft brush or a vacuum cleaner and hose to remove all dust from seams or crevices.

For fast removal, start with a coarse grit, open coat belt. Change to closed coat belts, using

medium grits as the material shows through the coating. When the covering is thin, use medium grit to avoid scratching the material. Use short, light strokes, moving the sander rapidly. Excessive pressure or steady sanding in one place will burn the coating and load the belt.

METAL FINISHING

For ferrous metals such as steel, stainless steel, iron, etc., use coarse grit open coat belts or coarse to fine grit closed coat belts, depending on the finish desired. Non-ferrous metals such as aluminum, solder, brass, bronze, etc., can also be sanded. Beeswax or tallow are recommended as lubricants for metal sanding, polishing or satin finishing to minimize belt loading and to lengthen belt life. To use, simply rub the lubricant on the belt from time to time. SAE No. 10 or 20 lubricating oil can also be used to assure a smooth scratch free surface. Just wipe the oil on the surface prior to sanding.

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