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[kent]

I just went to the Covington site to purchase some silicon 3" x 8" belts for my expando wheel and noticed they are selling a "agglomerate" belt they claim lasts 10 x's longer and I also saw they are selling diamond belts.

Anyone have experience with these belts ?

Kent

[lithicbeads]

Sorry no. I am a bit confused about that type and diamond  plated belts as well. I would imagine they might be stiffer changing the drape the wheel creates a bit. Great question.

[peruano]

If you are talking about the agglomerate belts that the same as those sold by Kingsley North at about 2x the price of typical Sic belts, I can say "they are a good buy".  They are extremely durable and last much longer than their cheaper counterparts.  I also feel they are a bit more aggressive, but not in a destructive sense. They have a significantly rougher texture (matrix in which the material is embedded) and hence they are a bit more likely to remove skin if you touch a spinning wheel.  I had not thought about drape, but it is possible that they do not allow the rubber wheel to conform quite as much to pressure from the work piece.  IMHO they are worth a try. 

[kent]

I purchased an 80 grit and 120 grit and will see how they perform. Frank, your probably correct about the extra stiffness. Perhaps with these grits it won't be too noticeable.

Cheers,

Kent

[kent]

Just a short update on the new (to me) sanding belt. The photo shows the new "agglomerate" belt next to a standard silicon belt. Both are 80 grit.

I've only used the new belt on some mexican calcite which is relatively soft. The new belt is a monster. I was done pre-forming three pendants before I knew it. I haven't tried a harder material yet so I don't know if these belts will cause the minute chipping at the edges during preforming like my hard diamond wheels.
$ 7.25 vs $ 2.50 at Covington. Could be a game changer for me. We'll see after more usage. 


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[lithicbeads]

Sounds like it cuts like a 60 grit nova wheel. Thanks