All sandpaper is created equally, right?

[Dave Gaul]

WRONG!!
I bought a craftman ROS about 5 years ago (before I knew better!:rolleyes:), with H&L pad. When I bought it, I also bought craftsman sanding discs, thinking sandpaper is sandpaper. Well, over the last 5 years I've sanded many things, and sometimes the paper would just fly off the pad... I just thought the H&L on the disc wore out from removing and re-using so much, then, new discs started flying off! So then I thought maybe my pad wore out. Also, I seemed to have to sand for long periods of time to get good results... then I heard about Zirc paper, thought I'd give it a try. Ordered a set of Zirc discs from supergrit...

OMG!!!! I can not believe the difference! Not only do these discs stick like glue to the pad, but they sanded the hard maple super quickly! And when I took the disc off the pad, it didn't even look like I used it!!!:D:D

The Zirc paper seems to be worth the extra cost, and I'll never go back to cheap discs again!

[Jon van der Linden]

Even a good sandpaper disc only lasts a few minutes. Wear from removing and reapplying shouldn't really be an issue unless it's to the hook pad on the sander itself.

As far as the sandpaper, there are many many varieties with different purposes and characteristics. You've just touched the tip of an iceberg.

[Michael MacDonald]

one of the mags I get has a good article on sandpaper this month... perhaps it is woodsmith? overall, I don't think much of the rest of the issue, but I thought this article was informative... there is more to sandpaper than I thought.

[glenn bradley]

Welcome to the world of a more specialized approach to your work. The same Eureka! moment happens to some of us when we first use a task specific tablesaw blade over the "do-it-all" blade, a proper bandsaw blade over the "general purpose" blade that came with our machine or a good woodworking rasp over the old file that dad gave us years ago.

One of those moments for me was when I first tried my Bosch 1591 jigsaw that replaced my 20 year old B&D. Another one was the comparison of bargain router bits versus my now favored names. Some things are just expensive and some things are a better value in the long run. The game is in knowing the difference.

[Dave Gaul]

Jon, the craftsman paper I had was very flimsy and had a thin H&L layer... after a while the grit would litterally fall of in spots!

Mike, I'll have to look at that. I read about Zirc paper in WOOD IIRC, and they suggested that the extra cost was well worth it since it lasts so much longer...

Glenn, boy did you hit the nail on the head! I am working on a night stand for my daugther, based on a FWWing design, and I have learned SOOOOOOOOO much it is unreal! I plan to do a nice write-up about my experience and lessons learned, in hopes to help others who are at my stage of ww'ing experience (which is still pretty green!)

[Ben Hatcher]

Dave, welcome to the end of your disposable income. Once you get a taste, you're hooked. Just ask all of the festoolians on here.

[Larry Fox]

Do yourself (and your bank account a favor) and never try Festool sanders and paper. Takes it to another level - it just so happens that level is as expensive as it is enjoyable and durable.

HA - I was creating this post when Ben's came in.

[Dave Gaul]

Yeah I've opted to stay far away from festool for a while! My poison lately has been quality router bits, over the HF set I've been using for over 5 years... I have a small army of Whiteside bits from the sales that Hartville tool had the past several months!!

[Ben Hatcher]

Do yourself (and your bank account a favor) and never try Festool sanders and paper...

Funny you should mention their sanders as the 6" rotex is exactly what I'm saving up for. Odd this economy. I don't think that I've said that I'm "saving up for something" in a really long time.

[Tony Bilello]

The old addage is still pretty much true - "You get what you pay for."

The thing that protects us from totally being screwed pricewise by a manufacturer is the competition.
There is nothing that protects us from totally being screwed on bargain basement items.

[Jon van der Linden]

Do yourself (and your bank account a favor) and never try Festool sanders and paper. Takes it to another level - it just so happens that level is as expensive as it is enjoyable and durable.

HA - I was creating this post when Ben's came in.

On the random orbit this is what I use most. It's really not very expensive. The main cost of any sander is in consumables. I've had to replace the pad, but mine is holding up well. Cheap paper gives bad results, worn or clogged paper has similar problems.

Even with the Festool papers, they're only going to last a few minutes. Once they start to clog or lose sharpness they need to be tossed.

I also use a lot of the Mirka products which are quite good.

[Rick Fisher]

Good quality sand paper is like anything else.. Costs more because its worth it..

Apparently, there are about 25 grades of aluminum oxide.. The cheapest is "blast grade " .

Aluminium Oxide fractures as its being used.. so its constantly re-sharpening itself.. Cheap Oxide pulverizes and gives a very short lifespan.

The sandpaper used for Steel lasts the longest, mainly because it does not fracture well unless its being used on a very hard surface, like Iron.. So while it looks like new, the edges of the Oxide go round.. it goes dull when used on wood..

So the best paper is usually more money, because the ingredients are worth a lot more.. Its not just a matter of getting a paper that lasts a long time.. its a matter of getting a paper for wood that lasts a long time, and is sharp most of its lifespan.

3M, SIA, Klingspor, Norton, (Festool), Mirka... there is a huge selection..

I buy SIA for my WBS and Festool for my sanders.. however, I have stopped buying the lower grits of Festool paper.. Switching to Klingspor. I will stay Festool on 180 and above..

[Erik Christensen]

A few here have opined that sandpaper only lasts a few minutes and I have to say that is not my experience. From what I have read sandpaper loses its effectiveness if it sheds abrasive, the abrasive dulls or the paper loads up with sawdust. I have sanders with the best possible dust collection which also prevents sawdust from loading the abrasive and buy H&L premium discs.

When assembling cabinet cases I prefer to sand whole sheets of baltic ply before breaking them down - it seems faster and easier to me and I do not have to worry about rounding edges (plus I use a track saw for this step so I do not have to worry about dinging up the parts when cutting to size). A single disc of 100 grit & 180 grit will easily do a dozen sheets of 4x8 ply both sides and have plenty of use left. About the only time I discard discs < 200 grit is when I ding up the edges on inside corners or by tilting the pad to spot sand a defect.

[Jon van der Linden]

A few here have opined that sandpaper only lasts a few minutes and I have to say that is not my experience. From what I have read sandpaper loses its effectiveness if it sheds abrasive, the abrasive dulls or the paper loads up with sawdust. I have sanders with the best possible dust collection which also prevents sawdust from loading the abrasive and buy H&L premium discs.

When assembling cabinet cases I prefer to sand whole sheets of baltic ply before breaking them down - it seems faster and easier to me and I do not have to worry about rounding edges (plus I use a track saw for this step so I do not have to worry about dinging up the parts when cutting to size). A single disc of 100 grit & 180 grit will easily do a dozen sheets of 4x8 ply both sides and have plenty of use left. About the only time I discard discs < 200 grit is when I ding up the edges on inside corners or by tilting the pad to spot sand a defect.

Eric, all you're doing is removing fuzz. I'm sure if that's what I was doing my sandpaper would last as long as it is for you. Removing enough material to create a new surface will wear the paper significantly faster, and even if it's not wearing out it becomes less effective fairly quickly. Each users situation will be different.

My sandpapers almost never lose abrasive, and it's not a good idea to use them to that point. If abrasives are getting lost in your wood then you may end up with finishing problems.

[Karl Brogger]

3M 300D cloth backed discs are the best I've used for wood. Actually the purple ones are the best, but the cost difference isn't worth it to me.

[glenn bradley]

I plan to do a nice write-up about my experience and lessons learned, in hopes to help others who are at my stage of ww'ing experience (which is still pretty green!)

Dave, I am still figuring this stuff out too. I try to do something new each time and share my experiences here as you plan to do for just this reason. Kudos to you for taking the time to share. I think we all benefit from this sort of thing regardless of experience level ;).

[glenn bradley]

Do yourself (and your bank account a favor) and never try Festool sanders and paper.

Stay away from lathes too :D:D:D Sorry I couldn't resist.

[John Thompson]

Klingspor.. 3M purple.. Mikra.. Norton has served me well. And I won't hesitate to change sheets. Trying to save a few cents making it go beyond what it is capable of is a mistake IMO.