Belt sander assessment

[tonypanzica]

Thanks... After a sleeping off the frustration I went back out to my man cave with a clearer head. I had issues with the tensioner. I was confused as to how to add tension to it while keeping belt on. Once I took the belt off then rotated the tensioner several times to add tension, It made sense to me. Put the belt on and away I went. Just finished another 2 hours on it sanding away. Thanks for the help. I had actually called and spoke to Jan at ShopSmith. She had email issues on trying to get me some info. I just necked my email, and it came through! It was exactly the same process I figured out on my own.

[tomsalwasser]

I have yet to feel like I mastered the Belt Sander Tension Adjust. I seem to get it done but it is never easy and every time I change belts it is the same. Once adjusted, the belt sander is great I don't think I could do without it.

All this belt sander talk prompted me to do more searching. Dusty's comments hit the nail on the head for me. Makes me wish for a simple manual tension adjustment of the idler drum, with a tension release for belt replacement. I should add I've only had this thing for barely a day and it is already proving it's value in my shop.