Just a little update on the subject of blue zirconium abrasive sanding belts.
A friend and myself have been putting zirconium belts of various grades through some testing and I can happily report they are significantly better in all respects than the standard ally oxide versions.
The belts we have tested so far have all been 915mm x 100mm (36"x4")on a bench flat bed sander and
these were all purchased from Abtec abrasives ebay shop,in grit grades of 60,80,120.
I also have some Norton premium belts for the flat bed sander and also for my B&D Powerfile on order from BND Tapes & Abrasives which will be tested when they arrive.
One of the differences immediately noticeable with the Abtec belts is the butted and taped seam joint which is totally flat and is undetectable in use(no cyclical bumping like you get with lap jointed belts)
These belts stay sharp for longer and produce far more consistent results on metal and wood than any ally oxide belts I have ever used and I would highly recommend them to anyone considering making a purchase.
We will also be testing some ceramic grain abrasive belts in the near future and I'll let you all know what the verdict is when we've finished that trial.
One thing to be aware of is the cost of carriage is significantly cheaper on Abtec's ebay shop than ordering the product directly from them.......OZ.
Links to BND Abrasives and Abtec Abrasives ebay shop below:
http://www.bndabrasives.co.uk/?gclid=CNmEhYmm_LwCFWT4wgod3jwALQhttp://stores.ebay.co.uk/abtecabrasives/