The new G2 sanding disks from Shopsmith never seem to wear out. That’s good news if you’re using them; not so good if you’re testing them. Thanks to my earlier evaluation of 5-in. sanding disks (FWW #222), I was the obvious (most gullible) candidate to repeat the tests on Shopsmith’s newest offering. The disks come in eight grits ranging from 40 to 320. All feature a wear-resistant, plastic film backing with an aluminum-oxide abrasive and an anti-clog coating. Compared to the eight types I tested earlier, the G2 disks lasted longer and removed more material (for example, the 80-grit disk outlasted the previous test average by a factor of six!). Surface quality was uniformly good. But there’s a downside: the disks are pricey and they cut slowly. When matched against the cost-effectiveness and speed ratings of the competition, the G2 disks were middle-of-the-pack performers.

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