The Woodturning Forum - Woodturner's Resource - Repairing 3" sanding attachments

Rick Caron

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Repairing 3" sanding attachments
Jun 9^th, 2017 at 7:26pm

I've been using the 3" sanding hook & loop sanding attachment that goes in a drill. The gray padded ones don't last to long. The gray foam comes apart after 3-4 bowls. Does any company make one with stronger foam. The white are so hard they don't conform to the inside of a bowl. Has anyone glued the foam back together? Maybe super glue?
Smiley

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robo_hippy

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Re: Repairing 3" sanding attachments
Reply #1 - Jun 9^th, 2017 at 8:20pm

Hmm, my first thought is that 3 or 4 bowls and they are coming apart is that either they are really bad pads, or you may be sanding at high speed and/or with very high pressure. My preference for pads are the ones from Vince Welch (VincesWoodNWonders not sure if this gets his web site or not). Firm pads with a 1/4 round profile on the edge rather than square for grits up to 180 or 220, then orange pads that are medium density for grits up to 400 or so. Soft pads only for the polishing grits. Slow lathe speeds, and slow (500 rpm or so) for the drill. With getting abrasives to cut, slower speeds and light pressure give far better 'traction' so they cut way better than high speeds which generate more heat. I get all of my abrasives from Vince as well. 120 grit on a firm pad cuts far faster than 80 grit on a soft pad.

robo hippy

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Mike Nathal

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Re: Repairing 3" sanding attachments
Reply #2 - Jun 11^th, 2017 at 6:09am

You can make your own or repair broken down pads. Craft stores sell adhesive backed velcro in 2 inch widths. There are many choices for foam, I have used mouse pads most frequently. To attach the foam to the mandrell, I have used 3M spray adhesive or Liquid Nails. All this being said, I prefer the commercially available pads, from Vince or Ken Rizza.

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Bert Delisle

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Re: Repairing 3" sanding attachments
Reply #3 - Jun 11^th, 2017 at 9:02am

Mike Nathal wrote on Jun 11^th, 2017 at 6:09am:

You can make your own or repair broken down pads.

Making your own is easy, I picked up adhesive backed 4" wide hook and loop from Pacana for very reasonable cost. That a few garden knee pads and some worn out 1/4" hex drive bits, result is sets of 2" and 3" sanding pads, one for each grit. Simple to make and very inexpensive. I used rubber cement to glue the foam to the wood base cones.

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Glenn Jacobs WR Addict Offline JC L&S Posts: 2,077 North DFW, Texas Texas USA Gender: Powermatic 3520C	Re: Repairing 3" sanding attachments Reply #4 - Jun 12^th, 2017 at 3:27pm ++! for Vince's pads. Also slow speeds and low pressure. Know it's hard to do. Glenn J.
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Don Stephan

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Re: Repairing 3" sanding attachments
Reply #5 - Jun 16^th, 2017 at 6:31pm

If the sanding disk feels hot after 30 seconds of use there is too much pressure and/or speed. Unfortunately sanding disks for bowls cannot be used like random orbit sanders on boards.

2" disks might last longer - there is much less surface area in contact with the wood creating drag and heat, both of which shorten the life of the foam and adhesive on the velcro.

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Bill Neff WR Addict Offline WR Rocks! Posts: 997 Barronett Wisconsin USA Gender: Jet 1642EVS	Re: Repairing 3" sanding attachments Reply #6 - Jun 17^th, 2017 at 9:03am Whenever I've torn the foam on a sanding pad, I've repaired it with Shoe Goo. I found out that after ripping a second one in half thru the foam, I'd been putting too much pressure on it and too high a speed.
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Alan Hollar

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Re: Repairing 3" sanding attachments
Reply #7 - Jun 21^st, 2017 at 8:15am

All that said, the soft gray pads are always going to be the most fragile of the backing choices, and catching the edge of the pad in a crack or void, or even intersecting a rim at the wrong angle for the rotation of the pad can rip the pad into pieces. The weakest part of an extra soft holder will always be the foam

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Rick Caron Senior Member Offline So many logs, so little time! Posts: 456 Greer South Carolina USA Gender:	Re: Repairing 3" sanding attachments Reply #8 - Jun 22^nd, 2017 at 12:53pm Thanks Robo for telling me about Vinces sanding pads. Question i don;t make over 10" bowls. I saw on his site the green flex starter kit. Should i buy the 2" or 3" kit. Using a HF angled drill?
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Glenn Jacobs WR Addict Offline JC L&S Posts: 2,077 North DFW, Texas Texas USA Gender: Powermatic 3520C	Re: Repairing 3" sanding attachments Reply #9 - Jun 22^nd, 2017 at 12:57pm Rick, all I use are the 2" Blue discs from Vince. Go from 36 to 400 grit. Glenn J.
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Don Stephan WR Addict Offline WR Rocks! Posts: 2,659 Cincinnati, Ohio Ohio USA Gender:	Re: Repairing 3" sanding attachments Reply #10 - Jun 22^nd, 2017 at 7:08pm I've made bowls up to 20" diameter and there aren't may areas where I could have benefitted from 3" discs. On bowls under 10" diameter it can be difficult to sand the transition with even 2", but I make do.
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Rick Caron Senior Member Offline So many logs, so little time! Posts: 456 Greer South Carolina USA Gender:	Re: Repairing 3" sanding attachments Reply #11 - Jun 23^rd, 2017 at 8:41am Thanks for all your advice. I can always count on you.
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