Best Type of Sandpaper

[jur]

A trick for the newcomers - make it flexible by pulling it across an edge first (the back that is).

Why does sandpaper need to be flexible??

I have also heard or read somewhere pulling the paper back over an edge will tend to retard clogging. Why/how?

[rsser]

Flexible means it conforms better to your piece.

[vsquizz]

Following discussion here I looked around for a local Hermes supplier and found none. I guess I'll have to order some in. Went to the hardware and bought up some Nortons for a kitchen reno where I'd be doing a range of jobs like sanding old paint, new plaster, hardwood skirting boards, Kapour french doors, jarrah window frames etc etc. I got 60 grit (green) 120 grit (yellow) and 180, 240 & 320 (white).

As Soundman said the performance varied with the grit. Whilst all claimed to be Al Oxide the 60 grit was crap when used on a float. The 120 was excellent for both timber and paint, lasted for ages on the float or the palm sander. The white stuff in the 180 pre-cut sheets for the gyprock float was good but the 240 and 320 where no good for timber (fell apart) and I went and got some...other brand (I can't remember) that was better but clogged fairly easily.

In future I'll pay more attention to what I'm getting as the performance seems to vary heaps and some of it is like chucking $5.00 bills in the bin.

Cheers & Thanks

[outback]

Note to self:

Send a self addressed bin to squizz.

[JDarvall]

Danp,, I'd like to get some of that hermes paper you talked about. Who is Jim Carroll ? prefer to get it from him if cheaper than carpa-tec .......... thanks

[silentC]

Flexible means it conforms better to your piece.

... which is good if you are turning but you don't necessarily want that if you are sanding something flat.

I take what I can get down here. Couldn't even tell you what brand it is but it's about $2-$3 a metre if you buy it in a 20m roll. It's the white no-fill stuff.

[ubeaut]

Have a look at our Exclusive Selection Sanding Disks for the rotary sander and all 75mm velcro backed sanders and power heads. We are also about to launch 50mm disks as well.


I have used many abrasive brands over the years and up until finding these ones I would always have recommended Hermes, SIA and Norton as the best brands.

However modern technology has produced a couple of new and totally amazing abrasives. Astra (single dot 80 to 180 grit and double dot 240 to 400 gits abrasives) are made by Noretake Coated Abrasives whilst our Champaign selection 500 to 1200 grit is made by Norton but not readily available at regular outlets.


In tests with the Rotary Sander we have found that the Single Dot Astra lasts up to 20 times longer than its nearest competitor, whilst the finer grit Double Dot conservatively lasts up to 10 times longer. I have had some of the 400 grit gut better and for longer than 120 grit Hermes (not knocking the Hermes it's great stuff, just amazed at the double dot)

The Norton Magnum in the fine grits is amazing again all grits well and truly outlasted all others tested. We did 15 demo's with one 1200 grit disk, normal 1200 would have been pretty well useless after one or maybe two demo's.


It is a little more expensive for the initial purchase than the ordinary stuff but it's lasting qualities make it probably the cheapest abrasive around by a good country mile.

At the moment it is only available from Jim Carroll and directly from U-Beuat Polishes, this may change later on in the year but we'll see. It is also possible that we may look at supplying bigger disks for Festo ROS etc. But then again, we might not.


OK sales mode off.... as you were.


Cheers - Neil

[JackoH]

I heartily endorse and support Neils comments above. I have used the rotary sander for almost 7 years, ( It's still going strong even with almost constant use.)ever since I did a course with it's inventor Vic Wood. I use it exclusively for bowls etc and often on spindle turnings as well. The Astra Champaign selection of discs together with the rotary tool is the best thing for sanding I have ever used.