Teach me about mesh sanding discs

[Clifford McGuire]

I was watching a YT video comparing different brands of sanding discs. I was surprised to see that the premium brand I've been using didn't fare that well. The tester really favored the 'mesh' discs over paper. Both in amount of material removed over time and cost per gram removed.

I admit that I didn't know that mesh sanding discs existed. For those that use them, would you ever go back to paper? Is there still a use for paper sanding disks?

Is there a different sanding pad I need to get? Or just use them over my current sanding pad?

[George Yetka]

The Cubitron air won that I believe. I think they hold up so well because on a vacuum they cool so efficiently, and the mesh material is very strong. I had been using festool granat until I switched Mirka abranet. The abranet lasted longer. From what i noticed the festool broke up at the edges and started leaving scratches on my work. Im not sure if the pad was completely bad at that point grit wise but was useless.

I dont remember how the mirka fared against the cubitron on strait removal vs cost per gram. But I wont be buying granat anymore

[Erik Loza]

I'm no expert on this stuff but Abranet seems to be "the brand" for mesh discs among my customers. The standard discs are more common, though. Probably due to cost.

Erik

[Derek Cohen]

I was watching a YT video comparing different brands of sanding discs. I was surprised to see that the premium brand I've been using didn't fare that well. The tester really favored the 'mesh' discs over paper. Both in amount of material removed over time and cost per gram removed.

I admit that I didn't know that mesh sanding discs existed. For those that use them, would you ever go back to paper? Is there still a use for paper sanding disks?

Is there a different sanding pad I need to get? Or just use them over my current sanding pad?

Hi Clifford

I use Abranet exclusively. My sanders are an old Festo ROS, and a more modern Mirka Ceros. Both are fine sanders, but their performance is enhanced greatly by Abranet.

Sanding performance is not just about the power and endurance of grit. Abranet is superior in this department, however it is that the mesh also allows for maximum dust extraction, reducing the maximum amount of loose dust on the surface. Loose dust could end up creating swirls and scratches, as well as slowing the sanding process.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Rick Potter]

Just a hobbyist, but I have been using Mirka Abranet for maybe 4 years, with great results. They last longer than the regular discs, and they sand smoother than the same grit regulars, so you may need to adjust your sanding schedule a bit.

One caveat though. They are thinner than regular discs and the velcro pad on your sander will heat up and wear out faster than normal. Easily fixed by using an 'interference' pad between the Abranet and the sander's pad. These pads usually come with a package of mesh discs, or you can order them on Amazon.

In my experience, dust collection using the mesh discs, even with the extra padding added, works much better than regular discs, and any hole pattern will work with mesh discs, so multiple sanders are no longer a problem.

I bought some Diablo mesh discs at HD last Christmas, on sale for a good price, but have not used them yet. My experience is entirely Mirka, and I got a heap of them at a sidewalk sale at Woodcraft several years back.

I was in Phoenix a couple weeks ago, and picked up some 2.5 X 14" Mirka sanding belts made of mesh that fit my baby PC belt sander. Half price closeout. Haven't tried them out yet, so no report.

Hope this helps

[Eric Arnsdorff]

I have been using and have a supply of Abranet which I've liked much better than traditional "holy" paper. The dust collection is great on my 6" Bosch ROS. They don't last that long though and I end up spending a lot of extra time because I have this unfounded feeling changing the discs costs too much.
I saw the same video and immediately ordered several packs of the 3M Xtract Cubitron. I can't report on it yet as I just received it yesterday and haven't used it. But the video indicates it is far superior to my Abranet and all other discs. I'm hoping I can tell a difference. The good news is it is less costly than the Abranet.

[Doug Garson]

Just a hobby woodworker, picked up some Diablo 120 grit 5" discs for my Bosch ROS, first impression is positive and they are supposed to last longer. I'll know better in a few months but so far, I'll be buying more when I need different grits.

[Rich Engelhardt]

Teach me about mesh sanding discsPeople that sand drywall mud have been enjoying mesh for decades. It's about time the concept filtered down.

[Cassius Nielsen]

I tried out some 220 grit Diablo's, went back and bought the 60 packs of different grits for 30$ each from HD. Pretty sure I have a life time of mesh sanding discs with my hobby level pace. The paper ones cut better for the first minute or two but after that they are about the same. The mesh lasts much longer in my opinion. I think I used one of each 120>180>220 per side for the last table I did. I usually wear a respirator when sanding instead of running a vac/DC and the mesh stays much cleaner with only the exhaust of the ROS pulling the dust. A quick puff of compressed air and anything there is cleaned out of the mesh. Once the mesh discs are worn out I find they are more flexible than paper and work very well for sanding details with little rubber points/rounds. One thing thats hard for me to judge is when exactly the mesh discs are worn out. Paper discs its easy to tell with a swipe of the finger but the difference in a new mesh disc and one thats been used for 20 or 30 min seems kinda negligible to me when going by feel.

[Tom M King]

To take full advantage of mesh disks, you need a sander that has Really good dust collection through the pad. I don't remember the last time I bought a box of disks that weren't mesh.

https://www.amazon.com/Pack-Mirka-Abranet-Faced-Protector/dp/B01LXHJIB0/ref=sr_1_6?crid=77PPKBAPI2LC&dchild=1&keywords=mirka+backing+pad+5&qid=1631709566&sr=8-6

[Keegan Shields]

I've use both the film backed 3M Cubitron and Mirka Abranet. I like both. I have found that the Abranet sanding disc edges are more fragile than the film backed paper when sanding items with sharp edges. The mesh seems to fray and tear more quickly than the film stuff. But in normal finish sanding of flat panels, this might not be an issue.

If its the same JKM video I saw on YT, I thought it was done very well. For me, the only piece that was missing was the durability I mentioned before. I've found on some projects that the sandpaper outer edge shreds before the grit wears out, negating the long term gain. I'm using a Bosch 6" dual mode sander and the Abranet discs hang over the edge by 1/4" all around. That probably doesn't help with durability.

[Jim Tobias]

Long time Abranet user.....much better dust collection and durabiity. Also a big fan of Abralon pads for higher grits...they conform very nicely to curved surfaces.

Jim

[Bernie Kopfer]

I’ve been using Abranet discs for years as a hobbiest. They can be purchased in large boxes from Amazon. Plus Mirka makes Abranet in ~2x rolls that are wonderful for lathe sanding

[Tony Joyce]

picked up some 2.5 X 14" Mirka sanding belts made of mesh that fit my baby PC belt sander. Half price closeout. Haven't tried them out yet, so no report.

Hope this helps

I've also had good performance with the Arbanet discs and sheets. The belts not so much, bad seams. Short life.
May be the reason they were closeout.

Tony

[Rick Potter]

Thanks Tony, I have had a problem with the regular belt seams breaking anyway. I got several assortments, maybe too many, as I read that they get weak with age, so that is probably why.

Time will tell. It is a very short belt, and I imagine they get hotter than most also.

[Dave Sabo]

For those that use them, would you ever go back to paper? Is there still a use for paper sanding disks?


I like mesh discs, but i still keep paper/film backed regular discs on hand. The mesh discs just aren't as tough so in certain situation a paper or film disc is better. Flooring for example, or anywhere else you might encounter a nail, ect... Mesh isn't good for wet sanding a cast iron top either - for me anyway.



Is there a different sanding pad I need to get? Or just use them over my current sanding pad?

DO NOT put mesh discs directly onto your sander's backer pad. It can be done, and it will work. But you'll quickly ruin the sander's pad and they are pretty expensive to replace. You'll need an "interface" pad that attaches to the sander's pad ; and the mesh discs attach to that. Sometimes the interfaces come with abrasives - like with Diablo's. But more often it's a separate sku from the abrasive co. Sometimes you'll need to get it from the sander co. like with Festool.

FWIW the Diablo mesh catapults almost all the way to the top of the value chart if you can catch a 60 pack on sale at the Depot for 40ish cents a disc.

[Bill Dufour]

Can I assume any of the mesh disks will fit any ros pad regardless of hole pattern? Is it just hook and loop or is a special pad needed that has to be bought and installed on the sander.
Bill D

[Doug Garson]

Can I assume any of the mesh disks will fit any ros pad regardless of hole pattern? Is it just hook and loop or is a special pad needed that has to be bought and installed on the sander.
Bill D
Did you read Dave's post right before yours? I think he clearly answers your question.

[Bill Dufour]

Did you read Dave's post right before yours? I think he clearly answers your question.


Thanks for the heads up. I had only read the first half. Does the adapter pad last as long as the hook pad on a ros does?

[Rick Potter]

Bill, the interface pad last's quite a while, but you are asking the wrong question.

It should be...will my sander's pad last very long without the interface pad? The answer is NO, as Dave and I mentioned in earlier posts.

The hooks on the sander pad will wear because the mesh is so thin, and the friction ruins them.

NEWS FLASH:
Yesterday, at HD, I bought a new Diablo interface pad for $5, and it is different from the ones I currently use The Diablo has holes for any 5 or 8 hole sander. I assume this will collect the dust even better than my old ones which have a pattern for (I assume) Mirka sanders. It would also be easy to punch a center hole for Festool sanders.

[Larry Edgerton]

Stay away from any edges that need to remain perfectly square because with the adapter pad abrainet is prone to round the edge. You can do the center area, but the edges are best done by hand or with a firm pad. Ither than that one thing I like it and use it often.

[Mark Bolton]

I run all 9 hole pads on 5" and 6 hole on 6" sanders (two ceros, two air vantage, a 6" PC right angle, bosch dual mode right angle, and a small cheapy dewalt 5" RO). All on cyclone vac's with good pickup. Tried abranet for a while and to me at least it was junk. Agree fully with the interface pads for the abranet because #1 the abrasive is on all sides so it eats your pad and #2 the aluminum screen gets hot and melts the hooks off the pad. The ceros sanders and the air vantage have the million hole backer pads on them and the dust pickup is fine with 9 hole hook and loop. Ive tried USA Abrasives, Klingspor, Abranet, home center (diablo) in a pinch, and by far Rhyno is by far the best, and longest lasting, paper Ive ever had in the shop.

We too keep PSA pads and some PSA paper on hand and swap out the pads and run the PSA when we need something super flat. Like Larry said, hook and loop in general is poor at flattening and if you add an interface pad its even worse. If you need to keep things really flat PSA and peel n stick is the only way to go. Uber flat and your into films but we never get there.

[johnny means]

DO NOT put mesh discs directly onto your sander's backer pad. It can be done, and it will work. But you'll quickly ruin the sander's pad and they are pretty expensive to replace. You'll need an "interface" pad that attaches to the sander's pad ; and the mesh discs attach to that. Sometimes the interfaces come with abrasives - like with Diablo's. But more often it's a separate sku from the abrasive co. Sometimes you'll need to get it from the sander co. like with Festool.

I go through thousands of sanding discs in a year and have never encountered that problem. Even with the occasional wet sanding.

[Mike Kees]

Question, do the mesh disks have abrasive on both sides ? So essentially 2x the working life of paper or film backed disks ?

[Eric Arnsdorff]

Question, do the mesh disks have abrasive on both sides ? So essentially 2x the working life of paper or film backed disks ?

Nope. The Abranet (and now 3M Xtract) that I have is hook & loop one side and sanding grit the other just like the typical solid/holey discs.

The mesh disks are an upgrade to the standard discs at least in terms of dust extraction. I've used my new 3M Xtract but just a little so far but I'm hoping it has some noticeable difference in life. My first use of it was very positive. So hopefully, it is also and upgrade.

Interestingly, I even used the mesh discs in a sanding block (purchased sanding block made for disks). It's even an upgrade for manual sanding. I just pull it off and the dust falls out. It simply doesn't stay loaded up like typical solid sandpaper.

I'd recommend buying some mesh disks if you haven't used any. They are certainly no worse than typical sanding disks and you may that you prefer them.

[Dave Sabo]

I go through thousands of sanding discs in a year and have never encountered that problem. Even with the occasional wet sanding.
What are you talking about ?



Question, do the mesh disks have abrasive on both sides ? So essentially 2x the working life of paper or film backed disks ?

No, you can only sand with one side of the disc.

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Everyone knows Abranet, Mirka also make Autonet which uses a stiffer backing pad and is usually cheaper. I'm currently burning through my first order of it and no complaints, I think the stiffer backing helps resist roundover a little.