Power file belts keep snapping

[daddyshortlegs]

I seldom get to wear out a power file belt, they usually snap soon after fitting. I am putting them on the right way round & lining them up ok, can anyone suggest a brand less likely to snap than the Screwfix ones that I have been using?

[bmw2101]

really? i use the ones from china and they are ok!

[ChrisT]

I had this with ones from Screwfix, got some of the blue zirconia ones from Amazon and they’ve been much better.
I’m using a B&D power file which requires a slightly shorter belt than the ones Screwfix sell, don’t know if this has any bearing on it.

Before…



After, almost no grit left, no breakages..



link

[ducklooker]

Nope.
I tried everything from Screwfix, aldi, lidl etc ,and the fancier ones from the hardware stores and never got to wear them out.
Except on a really nice Ingersoll Rand air power version I borrowed.
I blame Teaboy cos he uses them all the time to great effect on the Porsche.

[automax]

First of all you need to make sure the belts you buy have angled joins, not straight. I havent found any difference in performance/longevity from the online "zirconium" belts than the cheap brown ones my refininshing supplier sells.

The best ones I use are 3M purple cubitron. Can probably get 100 spot welds out of one 36-grit belt. Not cheap initially but a far better belt than one that does 10 spot welds at most. Second to the 3M I'd say are Wurth belts. Good, but not quite on par with 3M. When I've been a div and not reordered I'll pop out for the cheap brown ones to get me buy for the rest of the day.

[at200]

The blue ones are much better. Have a look at the rubber wheel on the end of the finger. It should be a cylinder but after a lot of use the edges get rounded. This causes the belt to slip off and break more easily. The whole arm end mechanism is available for around £13 upwards depending on supplier.

[at200]

The blue ones are much better. Have a look at the rubber wheel on the end of the finger. It should be a cylinder but after a lot of use the edges get rounded. This causes the belt to slip off and break more easily. The whole arm end mechanism is available for around £13 upwards depending on supplier.

[slater]

I'm on the Milwaukee branded ones at the moment, bought a 10mm Milwaukee file and the original belts lasted well, the eBay sourced replacements all snapped within 10 seconds of use.. Decided id stick with what i know!