Stationary belt & disc sander utilize abrasive cloth or reinforced paper to remove material from work pieces,. Typically, shops will designate what material can be used on a particular machine ( metals, plastic, and wood the most common designators. )

The belt & disc are the machining surfaces where the abrasive coated belt moves in downward direction towards the work table. Always note the direction of rotation of the abrasive disc as you only want to put work piece in contact with the disc on the downward motion side.

Both consist of a continuously rotating belt that spins on two vertically placed rollers, one fixed and the other with adjustable belt tension. Both types of vertical belt sanders are very handy for removing burrs and grinding small amounts of material off the edges of parts.