disk and drum sander questions...

[David Rose]

First of all, do any of you have trouble getting the self adhesive disks to stick to stationary disk sanders? I bought the Delta 12" disk sander a while back and bought some Klingspor disks from Lee Valley. After I removed the factory disk with solvent and a scraper, I cleaned the disk plate with more solvent and dried it. After applying the new disk I used a dowel and rolled around on the disk to get it to stick. It seemed to for a couple of days, then started letting go. Now I have to press it in place over half way around each time that I use it. Was this a bad disk or did I do something wrong in attaching it? I figure Lee Valley will replace it, but I don't want to take advantage of their "good graces" without reason. The protective backing is falling off another disk that I bought at the same time.

I have used a Delta (there's that name again :) ) BOSS for some time on edges of material with no complaints. I clean it frequently with a cleaning block. Tonight I contoured the ends of some 1" oak dowels. I removed maybe 1/16". Wow! Burn all the way! Dowels were burned as was the drum. I flipped the drum and managed to burn a new spot. Scrapped that one and put on a new one. I suspect that I am using too fine a grit. I order these at the same time that I got the BOSS. I ordered a "medium" grit with the machine. I *am* cleaning these drums as I go, but a few seconds and I have a nasty burned build up that won't come off. Should I use a coarser grit? I would have just tried that but I don't have any on hand so I thought I would ask.

David

[Bruce Page]

David, I suspect that you got some bad disks. I have replaced several on my 12” Delta without any problems. I did have one that came loose a few places along the edge, but I don’t think I cleaned the metal disk well enough that time.


I think you answered your own question on the spindle sander. I had some fine grit sleeves that would burn oak in a heartbeat. I switched to a courser grit with no more burning.
The sleeves that I have are not marked but I would guess that the fine grit was in the 280/320 range and the courser grit is either 180/220.

[David Rose]

Bruce, Delta calls their 150 grit drums "fine". They don't mark the sleeves, but that is what the package says. I still think they are too fine for the job.

I guess I'll ask Lee Valley about the disks.

Thanks

David

[Bruce Page]

Bruce, Delta calls their 150 grit drums "fine". They don't mark the sleeves, but that is what the package says. I still think they are too fine for the job.

I guess I'll ask Lee Valley about the disks.

Thanks

David

David, I'll do a side by side comparison with some sand paper sheets tomorrow. My “fine” seems a lot finer than 150.

[David Rose]

Bruce are you using Delta sleeves? Another manufacturer might have totally different specs. Here is what Delta shows on their site.

80=coarse
120=medium
150=fine

I bought some extra "fine" sleeves when I bought the BOSS as that seemed sort of "medium" to me.

I agree that that is not what I have come to expect of those terms. Let me know what you find after you do your comparison.

David

[Kirk (KC) Constable]

I buy my 12" discs from Woodcraft. I never 'clean' the metal before putting a new one on unless some adhesive is balled up, in which case I scrape it off...no solvents. Occasionally, I'll have one that comes loose a bit at the edges, and sometimes one will will come loose like you described. I just push it back on and sand. I wonder if it's moisture related, since it doesn't happen all the time?

KC

[David Rose]

Kirk, the disk sander is fairly new. This is the first replacement disk for it. I do have a similar one at work which has not exhibited this problem but I had used a different disk on it. I run a window unit at low winter temp which keeps the humidity pretty stable. It acts like there was not enough adhesive. Maybe I should not have cleaned the thing so well. This paper was from Klingspor. I've had long lasting results with their abrasive papers so I hope it isn't just their adhesive.

David


I buy my 12" discs from Woodcraft. I never 'clean' the metal before putting a new one on unless some adhesive is balled up, in which case I scrape it off...no solvents. Occasionally, I'll have one that comes loose a bit at the edges, and sometimes one will will come loose like you described. I just push it back on and sand. I wonder if it's moisture related, since it doesn't happen all the time?

KC

[Bruce Page]

Bruce are you using Delta sleeves? Another manufacturer might have totally different specs. Here is what Delta shows on their site.

80=coarse
120=medium
150=fine

I bought some extra "fine" sleeves when I bought the BOSS as that seemed sort of "medium" to me.

I agree that that is not what I have come to expect of those terms. Let me know what you find after you do your comparison.

David
David, I finally got home from a long, unexpected day at work. :mad: I bought my sleeves 2 or 3 years ago from WW supply and don’t know who made them. I did a side by side with sheet sand paper and the best I can tell, the fine that was causing burning problems for me is pretty close to the 280 grit silicone carbide paper I have. The courser sleeves that work well for me are about 150 – 180 again using silicone carbide paper for the comparison.

[David Rose]

Bruce, thanks for spending the time comparing for me after a hard day. Comparing my sleeves to sheet paper of aluminum oxide stearate, I think the grit is around 220. It is kind of hard to compare. I think I will order some coarser sleeves and see how they work for this situation. The situation could be the same with hardwood end grain the same as the oak dowel ends.

David


David, I finally got home from a long, unexpected day at work. :mad: I bought my sleeves 2 or 3 years ago from WW supply and don’t know who made them. I did a side by side with sheet sand paper and the best I can tell, the fine that was causing burning problems for me is pretty close to the 280 grit silicone carbide paper I have. The courser sleeves that work well for me are about 150 – 180 again using silicone carbide paper for the comparison.