Belt Sander problem

[Badger]

   I have a 6X48 harbor freight belt sander, been using it for years almost daily. All of a sudden the belts are too long to adjust. I have taken it completey apart and cannot find any worn parts or detect any wear on bearings, cam adjutment, pins etc. Scratching my head. I can still use it by prying out the front roller and then locking it down but that should not be neccessary. Feels like I am loosing about 1/8" somewhere. If I have to replace it I figure costy of ownershp has been about .10 cents a day but I would rather not if I could avoid it.

[artcher1]

Have you changed brands of belts lately Steve? Old belts too long also? I've had bandsaw blades I had to return because they were too long.............Art

[Badger]

 Art, I did change brands and that seemd to be part of the problem, Just yesterday I got my old brand in the mail and they will work but slip if I put too much pressure. I am thinking I mush have some where somewhere but can't figure anything else to look at??

[paulsemp]

 the drums might be starting to wear down a little. I got an old one from my grandfather when he passed there was no more tension in so I glue a piece of thin leather around the drum.... works like a charm

[artcher1]

My sander is the old Montgomery Ward and is about forty years old. Only problem I have from time to time in all those years is the roller adjustment screws back off from vibrations I guess.  About the only other thing I can think of except for belts. 

[artcher1]

Hey, my front roller have a rubber sleeve over it, so Paul's suggestion would certainly take care of your problem Steve.

[Trapper Rob]

I have a Harbor Freight also it does the same thing & it hasn't been used that much.

[Badger]

  Leatherize the roller it is. I have been using about 4 thicknesses of duct tape around my rollers I just cut it off as some sticky stuff was bleeding out and causing roughness in the belt.

[artcher1]

Steve, after doing some searching around the web one guy suggested buying some brush-on rubber urethane to handle the job. Check out ebay. 

[sleek]

Hmm, that lends itself to lots of stuff, like roll on bed liner, or silicone gasket maker. Rubber cement maybe?

[mullet]

Build the rollers up with Duc Tape.

[skarhand]

Duct tape will wear out and bleed like stated above. What I would do is if you have any bike tire tubing laying around (since it appears to be favored around here above clamps, lol) just cut yourself a 4 in piece of it and slip it on over the drum. It should hold itself on and provide a non-slippery surface which will help more than duct tape anyway.

[PatM]

Use some sections of bike inner tube and sleeve them over the rollers. Get a size that will fit snugly.

[Buckeye Guy]

Sounds like they have you covered Steve

Just a thought does your adjusting shaft have a spring in it that may be wearing down
if not then cover one or both rollers with leather or rubber like has been said and keep going
Guy

[Dharma]

What often happens is the rubber gets too slick. Use coarse grit sandpaper to roughen up the rubber on the drums so the belt can grip better.