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I finally got my Grizzly G0527 18" wide belt up and running today. It's a very nice machine. However, I'm having a problem. The sanding belt travels to the left limit switch without quite touching it, and then moves back to the right. However, when it gets to the right, it bumps into the right limit switch. Not so much as to trip the emergency brake, but it bumps into it. No amount of adjustment seems to correct the problem. When I shut the machine off and the belt comes to a stop, sometimes it stops against the limit switch, and the air cylinder keeps clicking out in an annoying fashion until I shut the air off (or release the belt tension). Has anyone had a similar experience? I've sent an e-mail to Grizzly, but obviously it is after hours.

Don't have a Grizzly but have several other belt sanders.

Try changing the belt oscillation.... smaller or greater, you might also adjust air pressure up or down. (I assume you can run with doors open to see what is going on.)

We have also had belts that would not track. Buy the better belts....... usually last longer and have less problems.

Kevin

My G0527's belt oscillates from side to side nice and smoothly. What is your air pressure? I forget the requirement now, but I do recall setting it to exactly the middle of the required range. It sounds to me like your air pressure is too high, so the belt is oscillating too quickly, but I'm not an expert, so I would go with what the Grizzly engineer tells you.

The only adjustment I had to make on mine was to lower the min. height limit switch so I can sand boards down to around 0.060". It works perfectly. I've had it for nearly a year now and I'm very happy with it.

Cheers,
Dave F.

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You can adjust the amount of oscillation "travel". When facing the machine, the adjustments will be made through the upper right door. The annoying click you hear is because the belt has stopped in front of the laser. This happens all the time and is just the nature of the machine. When I'm not sanding but still want the machine hooked up -- I release the air pressure and manually move the belt to the left side of the machine (takes about 4 seconds of your time). If the belt travels to far in anyone direction, the white belt switches will stop the machine immediately. You want as much oscillation travel as possible and so try to have the belt go as close to the switches without turning them on.

It is a great, rugged machine -- I think you will be happy with yours. As with everything Grizzly, be extremely proactive to get everything fixed in the first year if it isn't running correctly!!!

Best Regards,
Simon

Thanks, everyone.

I note the manual has conlicting information about the required air pressure. The manual says at page 16 that the air pressure should be set to 75 psi. However, at page 36 (the machine data sheet), it says 57 psi. I assume the author was dyslexic, but I'm not sure which number to believe. How much pressure are all of you using?

The limit switched should not be h it , that will kill the machine . The oscillation tracks the belt over the drum. Air pressure controls the speed of the oscillations and there is an adjustment for the amount of travel on the oscillation.
On the electric eye I use a fabric softer sheet to help with the static electricity. Also the best on the machine from Grizz are iffy. I use a cloth backed no loading paper I get from Industrial Abrasives in Reading PA . That paper made a big difference. I use 36 for roughing the thickness and 60 and 80 to finish up.
Crepe rubber belt cleaners will really help with the life of the bests. You want to get no loading paper form IA. Also be sure to keep the machine lubricated and cleaned . The dust gets into places you may not want it to get into. Drop oil in the air line once a month to keep the air cylinders lubed. Things Grizz won't tell you until they don't work. Air tool oil ( 3 drops ) right into the air line is all you need.
I also run my air at 65 lbs at the machine regulator.
I had mine for 6 years and had to rebuild it when it was 2 years old . Been working fine ever since.

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John Hall
blues creek guitars
Authorized CF Martin Repair
Co President of ASIA
You Don't know what you don't know until you know it

Quick follow-up question: On my sander, the air inside the right access door shoots out pretty rapidly, and then contracts at a moderate and even pace. The shooting-out action creates a fairly loud clicking or clunking noise. The rate of cylinder expansion compared to cylinder contraction is a night-and-difference. No amount of adjustment allows the cylinder to expand and contract at anything close to the same pace.

Is this normal? It seems odd, and if it's abnormal, then I think I have a problem with the air cylinder.

I've spoken with someone at Grizzly's tech support, but they're still looking into it, so I thought I would ask for your experiences.

Thanks!

Thanks to everyone for your help! I was able to get it working correctly by moving the eye so that it switched the cylinder before the belt hit the limit switch. Grizzly tech support was a big help in getting it working.

I will add my voice to the choir about this tool -- once you get it dialed in, this is an awesome tool. A huge upgrade from my Delta 18-36.

Absolutely no comparison. Just remember to keep it greased.

Congratulations on what will likely become the most used tool in your shop. I love mine!!!