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How to use a linisher

Updated: October 2026

The box is open and the machine is on your bench. You flick the switch, and within seconds the belt creeps towards the edge of the drum while the whole thing shuffles sideways. This guide on how to use a linisher covers the first hour in order. Fix the machine down, fit and track the belt by hand, and use the disc on the side that pushes the work into the table. It applies to the belt-and-disc machines in the [linisher comparison](/hub/sanders/linisher). If you are still choosing, read the [belt and disc sander buying guide](/hub/sanders/linisher/sub/linisher-buying-guide) first. This is not a lab test. A qualifying purchase through our links can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

The box is open and the machine is on your bench. You flick the switch, and within seconds the belt creeps towards the edge of the drum while the whole thing shuffles sideways.

Our top picks

Clarke Clarke CS4-6E belt and disc sander

Best overall

Clarke Clarke CS4-6E belt and disc sander
9.0/10about £136.48
View offer
Bucktool Bucktool MM493C 25 mm belt and disc sander

Rank 2

Bucktool Bucktool MM493C 25 mm belt and disc sander
8.8/10about £85.99
View offer
Einhell Einhell TC-US 380 belt and disc sander

Rank 3

Einhell Einhell TC-US 380 belt and disc sander
8.0/10about £121
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.Before you switch on
  2. 2.Fit and track the belt
  3. 3.Use the disc without launching the work
  4. 4.Change the belt and the disc
  5. 5.Dust, noise and when to stop

Before you switch on

UK mains run at a nominal 230 V, and the machine should have a correctly fitted BS 1363 plug. If the plug is cracked, loose or looks converted, do not use it. Keep the machine unplugged while you set it up, change belts or adjust the table. These machines weigh roughly 9–20 kg. UK owners of the Einhell TC-US 380 and the Clarke CS4-6E say they walk unless screwed down or blocked in. Bolt through the base holes, or screw the machine to a board you can clamp. Fit the belt finger guard, the disc guard and any belt cover. Do not run with a guard removed to make room for a big piece.

Fit and track the belt

Fit the belt so the arrow on the back points in the direction of travel. A belt fitted backwards can open at the joint. Release the tension, centre the belt by eye, then tension it again. Before you plug in, roll the belt by hand. If it drifts, adjust the tracking control a little and roll again until it stays in the middle. Axminster's manual for a similar 370 W machine uses the same method. The knob does not turn the same way on every machine, so follow your own manual. Then jog the motor for a second. If the belt still walks, unplug and adjust again. One Einhell owner could not get the belt to track, and one Clarke owner found the tension bar seized. If it will not settle, treat that as a fault.
Clarke Clarke CS4-6E belt and disc sander

Testsieger

Clarke Clarke CS4-6E belt and disc sander
9.0/10about £136.48
View offer

Use the disc without launching the work

HSE guidance on sanders says to place the work so the disc's rotation pushes it down onto the table. If the disc turns clockwise as you face it, that is the right-hand side. The other side lifts the piece and can throw it. Set the table as close as it will go without touching, and use a light moving pressure. Clarke owners say the table slips unless the clamp is tight, and they call the mitre gauge inaccurate. Check with a square, and use a push stick for small pieces. One Clarke reviewer describes sanding their own fingertips.

Change the belt and the disc

Unplug first. Every new belt needs tracking, even at the same size. Clarke owners say the guard under the belt makes grit changes awkward. The Bucktool MM493C has a quick-release cover, and owners call the change easy. The Einhell and the MM491GV list hook-and-loop discs. The small Bucktool takes adhesive discs, which is slower. Clean a plate that still has factory adhesive, because a lump makes the disc run out of true.

Dust, noise and when to stop

The Clarke and the MM491GV list a 60 mm port. Clarke owners say the built-in fan moves little dust, and the Clarke manual still says to wear a mask with extraction connected. HSE notes that a moving belt can blow dust past a weak hood. The same manual prints 91.1 dB(A), the maker's figure, not ours. That is above the 85 dB(A) level at which UK employers must provide hearing protection, so wear ear defenders at home as well. Stop if the motor only hums, smells hot or trips the circuit, or if the plug is damaged. Never fit a wheel the machine was not built for. Steel, and why sparks and wood dust must not share a hood, is the linisher for metal guide. Who each machine suits is on the best linisher page.

Common questions

Do I have to bolt a linisher to the bench?
In practice, yes. Bench linishers weigh roughly 9–20 kg, and UK owners of the Einhell TC-US 380 and the Clarke CS4-6E say they vibrate or walk unless screwed down or blocked in. A fixed machine is safer and keeps the disc table square for longer.
How do I stop the sanding belt walking off the drum?
Unplug the machine, roll the belt by hand and adjust the tracking control in small steps until the belt stays centred. Then jog the motor briefly to confirm. The knob's direction varies between machines, so follow your own manual. If the belt will not settle, treat it as a fault.
Which side of the disc sander should I use?
Use the side where the disc's rotation pushes the work down onto the table. HSE gives the example that on a disc turning clockwise, that is the right-hand side. The other side lifts the work and can throw it. Keep your hands clear of the abrasive.
Do I still need a mask if the extractor is connected?
Yes. The Clarke CS4-6E manual tells you to wear a mask even with extraction connected, and HSE notes that a moving belt can push dust past a weak hood. A dust port carries a hose. It does not guarantee clean air.
When should I stop using the machine and send it back?
Stop if the motor hums without turning, smells hot, trips the circuit, or if the plug or cable is damaged. Do the same if the belt will not track after careful adjustment. Those are faults for a return or a competent repair, not something to work around.

Related pages

Why the sanding belt keeps coming off

Linisher

Best linisher UK by the job, not by one star rating

Belt and disc sander buying guide for UK workshops

Linisher for metal: steel, brass and aluminium jobs

Linisher vs belt grinder: 4×36 bench sander or 2×72

Sources

Public UK sources and manufacturer pages used for this comparison, last checked on 16 October 2026.

  1. HSE: Wood dust (retrieved 16 October 2026)
  2. HSE: WD12 dust extraction (retrieved 16 October 2026)
  3. HSE: Sanders (retrieved 16 October 2026)
  4. HSE: PUWER overview (retrieved 16 October 2026)
  5. Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005, regulation 4 (retrieved 16 October 2026)
  6. Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 2008 (retrieved 16 October 2026)
  7. Clarke CS4-6E manual (retrieved 16 October 2026)
  8. GOV.UK product safety report 2408-0132 (retrieved 16 October 2026)