Belt Sanding for carburetor surface planing

[Gerard F.]

Getting into my Holley 3810 restoration project. I have this 6" belt sander on a stand, with a nice flat plane metal surface under the belt, which I use for woodworking.

I was thinking about getting some larger drive pulleys to slow it down, and a finer grit metal sanding belt, and use it to plane the metering surfaces and base of my carb body, and the base plate.

Has anyone out there done this with success? I remember a thread way back where someone had done this.

Would this be a good way to plane the surfaces, or could I be doing more damage than what it is worth?

[Joe L.]

Re: Belt Sanding for carburetor surface planing

Getting into my Holley 3810 restoration project. I have this 6" belt sander on a stand, with a nice flat plane metal surface under the belt, which I use for woodworking.

I was thinking about getting some larger drive pulleys to slow it down, and a finer grit metal sanding belt, and use it to plane the metering surfaces and base of my carb body, and the base plate.

Has anyone out there done this with success? I remember a thread way back where someone had done this.

Would this be a good way to plane the surfaces, or could I be doing more damage than what it is worth?

Jerry-----

Personally, I would not recommend it. I have a belt sander similar to yours in size, but I would not even consider using it to surface grind a carb throttle body. You may be able to get the surface flat using it, but I think you'd inevitably end up with an "angled" surface.

By the way, if you use a belt sander for both woodwork and metal work, you have to be sure that it's completely cleaned of wood dust before doing any metal work. If you don't, the hot metal sanding "chips" can ignite the wood dust causing a fire. I learned this the hard way. In fact, my belt sander is in need of repairs right now because of this. After repair, I'll not be using this belt sander for any wood working, at all. I don't do much of that, anyway.

[Steven S.]

Re: Belt Sanding for carburetor surface planing

I'm with Joe, it would end badly. You would be better off with a good flat surface (band saw table, small surface plate, etc.) lay a piece of fine sandpaper down on it and with the metering block in your hand and work it back and forth across the paper. Even then if you are not careful you could sand unevenly. That carburetor metal won't take much effort to remove.

Steve

[Dick W.]

Re: Belt Sanding for carburetor surface planing

A sheet of plate glass, laying on a flat surface, with a sheet of 600 grit wet or dry sandpaper works very good to flatten surfaces. Move the plate in an orbital motion over the sandpaper.

I have done many Holley and Rochester plates and bodies this way over the years and have had good success.

[George J.]

Re: Belt Sanding for carburetor surface planing

Use a surface plate. I think they are around $30. Then there is no question as to the results.

George

[Clem Z.]

Re: Belt Sanding for carburetor surface planing

you can get good results using a flat bastard file,a "german shaper" as they are called in the machinist trade. you HAVE to replace the dichromated surfaces as the gasoline will attack the unplated surfaces

[Randy R.]

Re: Belt Sanding for carburetor surface planing

I had a machine shop mill mine. The charge was reasonable.

Randy

[Wayne B.]

Re: Belt Sanding for carburetor surface planing

Take Randy's advice, I think your chances of messing it up trying to do it yourself are pretty high.

[Timothy B.]

Re: Belt Sanding for carburetor surface planing

Jerry,

I used a piece of 3 15/16" wide plate glass with 220 wet sandpaper. Works great because it fits the main body bottom and easy to use just protect your hands. Take a good look at the metering block not only for the obvious warp but the warp on the flat by the idle down well I described in my email to you.

Tomorrow, I will take a pic of this metering block and post so everyone can see where it's warped. I am waiting for the holley replacement block to arrive. The new HP holley metering blocks have a webbing to prevent the type of warp mine has.

[Terry M.]

Re: Belt Sanding for carburetor surface planing

How about a picture of the new metering block when it arrives? I would like to see that webbing.

[Clem Z.]

Re: Belt Sanding for carburetor surface planing

How about a picture of the new metering block when it arrives? I would like to see that webbing.

here you go. click on the picture for a better view. http://74.125.113.132/search?q=cache...&ct=clnk&gl=us

[Terry M.]

Re: Belt Sanding for carburetor surface planing

Thanks Clem.