Disc sander PSA removal

[Bob Rufener]

It's been quite a while since I changed my 9 inch disc. I peeled off the old disc and started to try to clean up the adhesive. It seems like there is a very thin plastic over the adhesive which is a royal pita to remove. I have tried mineral spirits, and lacquer thinner and nothing seems to touch the adhesive. It seems like the only way I am having success is to try to roll it off with my thumb. SLOW GOING and my thumb is about ready to fall off!! Has anyone else experienced this? If so, what is a solvent for this miserable adhesive? Is there another way to remove this stuff? Frustrated!!!! Thanks for any help

[Jeff Singleton]

Bob, I have a Master 24" disc sander and I have used PSA disc in the past. Sometimes they can be a bear to remove and a real finger buster. If you have a heat gun it will speed up the removal a bunch. I prefer to use the glue on disc, takes longer and is a little messy but they hold up better. Nothing worst then getting a bubble in a disc from the plastic sheet separating. Freeman Supply & Kindt-Collins both sell disc cement. Brush it on the disc and paper, let dry and attach the two together.

Jeff Singleton:rolleyes:
Singleton's Woodworking & Pattern Works

[Bob Huddleston]

I have tried this on many things and it seems to work really well. I especially have found it good on removing sticker glue and duct tape glue. Red Green would be proud.

Bob

[Bart Leetch]

Sometimes on PSA disks you can take a scrap of wood & run the sander & sand the scrap of wood & get the disk warm & the sand paper will come off easier.

[Bob Rufener]

Jeff and others,

I don't have a heat gun but used our hair dryer. It helped a lot as it seemed to soften the adhesive and I was able to clean it up with some lacquer thinner and elbow grease. Thanks for the tip and I'll remember what you said about the other adhesive method.

[Dave Falkenstein]

All this time I thought PSA was a blood test for a male health problem???

[Basil Rathbone]

Good old WD40

[Dev Emch]

I am sorry to hear about your missery here. Some old patternamakers told me that this could happen with PSA discs not to mention that PSA discs are massively more expensive. They are quite the PITA on a number of points.

Once you get this disc cleaned up, I might suggest you go to the glue on discs. I have a Kindt Collins Master 30 inch disc sander and I use Kindt Collins own version of disc cement. Its a bit messy to install a disc compared to PSA but I have not had any issues capable of raising my blood pressure. Its a solution that works for me.

Good Luck...

[Michael Stafford]

I have had good success with pure old turpentine when discs get stuck like that. As Bart said sometimes it helps to get the disc warm by using scrap to rub against it while running.

[Chris Damm]

As an old retired patternmaker, I remember those apprenticeship days when I got to change discs on our 4 Master 30 inch sanders. Some bright manager thought we would save time with the PSA discs. It took twice as long to clean as the plain ones that we used with rubber cement. The rubber cement almost always came off with the old disc. They would buy in large quanitys and the PSAs would not stick very good when they got a few years old. Of course that was back in the early '70's and they may have improved some!