Periodically the woodworking supply houses run promotions on premium ROS sanding pads. They are said to last longer, work faster, and produce a better finish. They are more expensive than the kind of big box sanding pads that I use.
As a hobbyist woodworker I am not in a production environment like others on this forum so “last longer” or “work faster” is less important to me. I am making boxes, so sanding is not the task that it would be for furniture makers. But better outcome might justify the higher price of these premium pads.
I would be interested to the know the experiences and advice of those who use these higher end sanding pads.
Thanks,
Russ
Replies
I can only say that the first time I used a quality abrasive I realized what I had been missing. Norton 3X and the like are better than store brands but when you step up to something like Kilingspor or Industrial Abrasives it is a lot like your first upper tier machine cutters experience.
These abrasives last longer, give a better result and are more consistent than their big box competitors. Overall I notice a cost savings, not a premium price. JMHO.
I just bought some Abranet pads for the first time. My first impression is that they are very much better. They don't seem to clog like Bosch paper does and the advantage of not needing to line up the holes (as the whole thing is full of holes) is really nice. They adhere well to the pad and are a little oversize rather than under, which is also good.
So far I've only done a few jobs - about 30 minutes of sanding - but I've been quite impressed. They stood up well to being used to ease sharp edges, a job which requires care with paper to avoid puckering or tearing. The two pads I used still look and feel new.
I could not say if the sanding was faster or slower than with paper, so it's probably not significant, at least from the amateur perspective.
I paid NZD 31 for 10 pads, compared with NZD 10 for 5 Bosch disks - about 50% more then for a much nicer experience. Even if they don't last longer, I'll not readily be going back to cheaper options.
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