Looking for quality sanding rolls-what is the best you have used?

[Roger Chandler]

I have been using the color backed sanding rolls from CSUSA and do like them, but always thought they were a bit pricey for the amount of abrasive you get in each roll.

Last year I got some shop rolls from Industrial Abrasives.....basically all the grits in 50 ft rolls, and even made a dispenser box out of plywood with a dowel and a cut off blade...........I have been very disappointed in the quality of those shop rolls.

I looked this morning at the Klingspor gold rolls. I was wondering if others have used them and what your experience has been with them?

Basically, I am looking for something that cut really good, and lasts [does not clog real easy or can be blown off with compressed air a couple of times, and still cut fairly well. I am looking for perhaps 1.5" wide or 2" wide rolls.

Any ideas? Your help is much appreciated!

[Robert Delhommer Sr]

I get all my abrasives from Klingspor's, have not tried their gold just the cheaper stuff but like it. If the gold is better then it must be great. :)

[Doug Herzberg]

Roger, I have a box that sounds a lot like yours. I built it for the HF 1" rolls I love. HF has discontinued these and I've been looking for an affordable alternative. I've tried these in 80 and 120 grit and have been satisfied: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005UUQMRK/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1. I don't spend a lot of time trying to reuse abrasives. I noticed the Amazon price has gone up quite a bit, so I may have to consider a more economical approach.

[John Beaver]

I use the Klingspor shop rolls - I think they're the best value. From your statement I would recommend the Klingspor Gold Rolls. They're about as good as it gets.

[Reed Gray]

I used to use the Klingspoor rolls, but stopped. Part of that was because I switched to power sanding, and the other part is the Norton 3X sheet abrasives. They cut as well as anything I have ever used, and I buy them in 'jobber's' packs of 50 sheets in a box. Any abrasive will go dull, or get clogged. I don't know about blowing them off to clean them. To me, that just puts a lot more dust into the air. When dull, or no longer cutting, toss them. I don't know if Vince Welch sells his abrasives in strips or not, but the blue stuff is the best cutting abrasive I have used, and at about the best price. There is the purple 'cubitron' stuff from 3M which is supposed to be the best out there. Difficult to find and very expensive. The Abranet type abrasive is very popular. I have tried a bit of it, and the coarser grits are very slow to cut, but the polishing grits (220 and above) seem to cut as well as standard abrasives. You just shake them out or slap them on the edge of a table and they are supposed to be good to go.

robo hippy

[Thom Sturgill]

Like Reed, I like the Norton 3x. and prefer them for hand sanding. I use a combination of the Norton 'Dry Ice' disks and Vince's disks for power sanding. HD and Lowes both stopped carrying the 3x in favor of a 3M product that I do not like. I bought the large packs from The Sanding Glove (thesandingglove.com). The only rolls they list are the SIASOFT rolls. Vince carries the SIASOFT rolls also.

[Roger Chandler]

I already use Vince's blue discs and his green flex discs with the mylar backing........super nice for power sanding. I just like having rolls for hand work.......I did a little more reading on the gold rolls from Klingspor, and they say they are the "woodturners dream" in sanding work, and do not load up, so I am hoping they last longer than the ones I got from Industrial Abrasives.

I got the 3 inch by 10 meter rolls........in 80, 120, 220, 320 and 400 grit this morning.

[Bob Bergstrom]

Here's a fairly new flexable 15x sanding material. Really pliable and it comes in sheets and rolls. They keep adding grits as they go.

http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3M/en_US/GovernmentSolutions/Home/ProductInformation/ProductCatalog/~/3M-Pro-Grade-Precision-Ultra-Flexible-Sanding-Sheets-28220PGP-UF4-7-in-x-4-5-in-220-grit-Fine-4-pk?N=3293390684&rt=d

[John K Jordan]

Klingspor Gold for me. I like the stiffness of the backing and the quality of the abrasive. Hand sanding here, often with the lathe off. Power sanding is unnecessary and bad for health. IMHO

JKJ

[Marvin Hasenak]

I only use Klingspor and I use it like someone else is paying for it. Spending time sanding with cheap or worn out sandpaper is not for me, the little extra money goes along way in getting a good sanding finish.

The Industrial Abrasives brand is good for metal work, but not worth a flip for woodworking.

[Thom Sturgill]

Here's a fairly new flexable 15x sanding material. Really pliable and it comes in sheets and rolls. They keep adding grits as they go.

http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3M/en_US/GovernmentSolutions/Home/ProductInformation/ProductCatalog/~/3M-Pro-Grade-Precision-Ultra-Flexible-Sanding-Sheets-28220PGP-UF4-7-in-x-4-5-in-220-grit-Fine-4-pk?N=3293390684&rt=d

Tried those and the backing falls apart if I wet sand with either oil or mineral spirits. thats what Lowes and Home Depot replaced Norton with.

[Michelle Rich]

I go with klingspor too and get the large boxes with various grits ..off cuts.. I even get big enough pieces to put on a 12" disc sander, etc. I'm very frugal, but the stuff has never disappointed me. Ususally the 20 lb box has grits from 80 to 400 or so. Each box different.