Delta 31-460 Type 2 Drive Belt

I received a Delta belt sander a couple of years ago as a gift from my children. It was purcheased at the local Lowes store. As a boat builder, I use the thing on a daily basis.

A couple of months ago my 6' 3", 210 lb. son came by to use it for a home project he was doing and, being the brute he is, put too much pressure on the thing and broke the drive belt. Not a problem, it came from Lowes, right? So I immediately went to the Lowes store for a replacement but was told they didn't sell them but they could order one for me. But they suggested I go online and contact the Delta website as that is all they would do and I could probably do it quicker.

I agreed and went back home to try it. However when I got the Delta website it rerouted me to another website that included spare parts for a variety of different brands of tools. But before I could use this website I had to establish an account with them. After I finally got that squared away it was time to order a belt. After all that it asked for a serial number, not of the sander, but of the belt itself. The belt, through months of wear, had no serial number left on it.

So I went back to the Lowes store and they said they could order one for me but without the serial number on the belt, even though I had all the other pertinent information, it would be difficult. After about a month and checking with the store daily about the status of this order, I finally found the manager of the store who has been a good friend of mine for many years. I asked the manager if he could tell me what the status of this order was and what the problem may be as I really needed this sander back on line now. After some checking within his system he discovered the belt had never been ordered at all. He suggested I try a local hardware store, which I did.

Even though the hardware store had several style belts for Delta sanders in stock they didn't have the one I needed. But of course, they said they could order it for me and would call as soon as it arrived. After a couple of weeks I went back to the harware store to inquire about the status of the order and the young man told he could not get that one and had meant to call me but had forgotten.

I went back home and went online to try to remedy this problem myself as I should have done in the first place. I typed into yahoo! search 'delta belt sander 31-460 type 2 parts'. A web site called toolbarn popped up. I went to the site and found the appropriate belt within seconds. Within a few more seconds I ordered it and four days later (today) it showed up in my mail box.

As a boatbuilder I use a lot of power and hand tools and break stuff on occasion. I will never go anywhere else again for a part for any tool without going to y'all first. Your selection, ease in ordering and, most of all, turnaround time is just too good to be true. Thank you very much for your help. You have a new customer for life.

- Bill Hamblin, Tullahoma TN