Coated abrasive belt and methods of making and using the same

A method of making a coated abrasive belt, the method comprising:

• disposing a curable make layer precursor on a major surface of a belt backing;
• embedding abrasive elements into the curable make layer precursor,
• wherein at least some of the abrasive elements are disposed adjacent to contiguous intersections of horizontal lines and vertical lines of a rectangular grid pattern, wherein at least 70 percent of the intersections have one of the abrasive elements disposed thereat,
• wherein each of the abrasive elements has at least two triangular abrasive platelets, wherein each of the triangular abrasive platelets has respective top and bottom surfaces connected to each other, and separated by, three sidewalls, wherein, on a respective basis, one sidewall of at least 90 percent of the triangular abrasive platelets is disposed facing and proximate to the belt backing,
• wherein the abrasive elements are arranged in first rows and second rows, wherein all the triangular abrasive platelets in the first rows having one sidewall disposed facing and proximate to the belt backing are disposed lengthwise aligned within 10 degrees of the vertical lines, wherein all the triangular abrasive platelets in the second rows having one sidewall disposed facing and proximate to the belt backing are disposed lengthwise aligned within 10 degrees of the horizontal lines, and
• wherein the first and second rows repeatedly alternate along the vertical lines, such that any two adjacent first rows are separated only by one of the second rows and any two adjacent second rows are separated only by one of the first rows, and wherein spacing of the vertical lines and spacing of the horizontal lines are the same;
• at least partially curing the curable make layer precursor to provide an at least partially cured make layer;
• disposing a curable size layer precursor over the at least partially cured make layer and the abrasive elements;
• and
• at least partially curing the curable size layer precursor to provide a size layer.