Metal Grinder FAQ

Q: What are the differences between a wet machine or a dry machine?

A: Wet - There is no risk of a fire with a wet sander. There is increased belt  life. There is a higher quality of finish in less steps. There is a  cleaner working environment around the sander and parts are cleaned of  oil and grit left from the sanding process which reduces wear on press  brake tooling. Dry -  There is a risk of fire in a dry sander or in a dust collector when  mixing metals; i.e., aluminum & mild steel. There are increased  steps to reach a final finish and there is decreased belt life.

Q: What widths are there?

A: Many widths are available ranging from 9'' to 64''.  Some widths, however, are not available on all models.

Q: What is the shortest part I can run through a Timesavers sander?

A: The shortest part length is determined by the distance between the  infeed holddown rolls and the outfeed holddown rolls. These distances  change from model to model, however, there are some alternatives: 1.  Building a fixture to group small parts in a way to meet the minimum  part length. 2. Leave the part tabbed together in sheets after punching  or stamping the parts. 3. Use a vacuum bed conveyor. 4. Use a magnetic  bed conveyor for ferrous parts only.

Q: What is the purpose of adding coolant to the water in a wet process machine?

A: The coolant, when mixed with water in the correct proportion, protects the machine and the customers product from rust and corrosion.

Q: Which brand of sanding belts does Timesavers recommend?

A: Timesavers does not recommend any specific brand. We do, however,  recommend that a belt of good quality from a major manufacturer be used.

Q: How much material will I remove when using a belt sander to deburr and finish my sheet metal parts?

A: Generally speaking, less then .001''. In most cases less than .0005'',  depending on the material being sanded and the abrasive grit selected.