Tearing a sanding belt on a belt sander can be frustrating. This is especially true when the belt still has a lot of life left in it. Instead of tossing them in the trash, I made this simple sanding block to give those torn belts a second life.
I sized my block to fit 3"-wide sanding belts, but this idea will work for other sizes, as well. The sanding block is simply an oversize piece of wood with a through hole drilled in the edge and the waste section removed (detail ‘a’). A short dowel is secured to the sanding block with a knob and threaded insert.
To use the sanding block, simply wrap the ends of the belt around the block and trap them in place with the dowel. Tighten the knob to secure the sandpaper to the block and you’re ready to sand.
