# Craftsman belt tracking problem



## Mmfh (Dec 9, 2010)

Hey everyone,

I'm new here and I'm enjoying reading what everyone has to say. I have a small home shop where I like to build European style kitchen cabinets.

I have a older Craftsman sander, its the combo 6" wide belt and I believe the 9" disk. Sits on a stand and for the most part seems to be a pretty good well built sander.

I'm having a hell of a time keeping the belt from running off the machine. You fool with the tracking knob until it runs in one place and by the time you turn around and get what you wanted to sand the belt is running one way or the other and pretty fast at that.

I replaced the bearings in the roller that spins, not the roller driven by the motor. The roller cylinder now feels tight as does the other cylinder that the motor drives.

Is there something that I don't know about the process of tracking these belts. I bought this sander used and it has always been a problem for me to use. Most times I remove the belt and just use the disk.

I appreciate any and all advice you might have for me.

Thanks very much!

Mm


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## Fishbucket (Aug 18, 2010)

run a piece( or 2) of elec. tape around the center of the roller, like slipping on a rubber band around newspaper. it will put enough tension on the center to keep the belt in one spot.


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## H. A. S. (Sep 23, 2010)

When you get it tracking true, do you lock it in place?


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## dodgeboy77 (Mar 18, 2009)

I have one of those beauties, too, and use it a lot. Yes, the tracking is touchy. Make sure you have enough tension on the belt. I finally got mine to track well by increasing the tension to beyond what I thought it should be. Sometimes the belts get bad, too.

I believe that the tracking/tensioning mechanism varies from year to year on these sanders. The one I have currently uses cams that are turned by nuts (or bolts & screws, I forget). Anyway, I replaced these with a knob and a thumbscrew on one side which made the tensioning/tracking process easier. I don't have to go reaching for wrenches every time the tracking is off a bit. 

Bill


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## Mmfh (Dec 9, 2010)

That electrical tape idea sounds like my kind of idea, Super Easy! 

I will try that but to reply to the type of tensioning it has. I havent used it in a little while but just to the right of the disk sander there is a lever that you flip to loosen the belt so you can remove and replace belts. 

All I have done is flip the lever to tighten the belt after the belt is installed and then after turning it on I use the knob there to bring the belt in or out to try to get it in the center and to stay there.

Is there a adjustment as far as how tight the lever makes it? If the whole idea is to get that damn thing as tight as possible, I will look at this thing a little differently.

As far as locking it in place when I've got it tracking true, I actually didn't know you could do that. I'm going to feel pretty stupid if I go out and take a look and I've been missing this all the time I've had this.

I'll have to have a look and report back.

Thanks

Mm


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## dodgeboy77 (Mar 18, 2009)

Mm,

When I taught shop we had one of those (not in the main wood shop but in another where we did some light fabrication). It was like yours - it had a lever to release the belt. That's what I was referring to when I said that through the years they changed the design somewhat - the model I have currently has no lever. Your's may have no way of locking the tracking adjustment unless you put a locknut or wingnut on the shaft of the adjustment knob.

It still would be worth checking the machine to see if there is a way to get more tension on that belt. Fishbucket's tape idea is a good one, too.

Do you have a manual? If not, you may be able to find one and a parts diagram here: http://www.searspartsdirect.com/partsdirect/index.action?sid=PSHx20080114x00001

Bill


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## Mmfh (Dec 9, 2010)

dodgeboy77 said:


> Mm,
> 
> When I taught shop we had one of those (not in the main wood shop but in another where we did some light fabrication). It was like yours - it had a lever to release the belt. That's what I was referring to when I said that through the years they changed the design somewhat - the model I have currently has no lever. Your's may have no way of locking the tracking adjustment unless you put a locknut or wingnut on the shaft of the adjustment knob.
> 
> ...


Hey Bill,
I bought this sander used a few years back and don't have any paper work on it. I grabbed a roll of trusty electrical tape and went after that sander. I put like 4 wraps around the center of the cylinder. 

I played with the tracking until it settled down and it seemed to stay put. I'm totally amazed at what something so simple can do.

I really like having this type of sander, and once again me and my sander are good friends. I feel like buying my good friend a few new belts so we both can have a little fun together :laughing:

So it uses a 6" x 48" belt. I haven't bought any belts in quite awhile. Any recommendations as the best place to buy belts that are not too expensive and actually stay sharp for awhile?

I sand mostly Alder and Maple and Oak. I have some Alder framed cabinets I'm going to be doing next.

Thanks again guys for your great advice!

Mm


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## dodgeboy77 (Mar 18, 2009)

The Sears stores have belts and disks for that sander. They seem to be decent quality. I noticed that the local woodworking store near me (Woodworker's Haven) has that size, too. I think 6x48 is fairly common. Rockler has them and Amazon has a large selection.

Someone else here can probably suggest a good brand. I get pretty good belt life unless I do something stupid with it.

Oh, find the model number on your new friend and that will lead you to the 'paperwork' by way of that Sears link I noted before. When I got mine a year or so ago, I was happy to find that parts were still available. I needed the dust collection shield from the end of the belt and I got a new one.

Bill


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Someone here has used these folks*

http://www.keystoneabrasives.com/belts.html
Lots of choices and good service if I recall. :thumbsup: bill
also this: http://klingspor.com/


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## Mmfh (Dec 9, 2010)

One of the things I found really great about buying craftsman tools is the fact that Sears has such good info online for just about everything they have sold in the last 10 years.

Break down of the machine, parts lists, users manual. Pretty darn cool!

Hey I noticed something about the Klingspor sanding paper, belts and discs. They must be pretty good because "Jet" is putting Klingspor stuff in their Jet boxes as if Jet made it.

That's if you like Jet products, I think their stuff is really good.

Anyway, Their is a pretty good deal I found on ebay that is ending tomorrow. I'm hoping to save some money on some good belts.

Mm


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