How do you know when to replace the sandpaper on an orbital sander?

Otoe

"Otoe" wrote in message
...
How do you know when to replace the sandpaper on an orbital sander?

Otoe

After about 6-10 minutes tops.

"Leon" wrote in message
...

After about 6-10 minutes tops.


Would that be Norton 3X, Leon?

--
Dave in Houston

"Otoe" wrote
How do you know when to replace the sandpaper on an orbital sander?

42 ... and 1/2


--
www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 12/14/07
KarlC@ (the obvious)

"Otoe" wrote in message
...
How do you know when to replace the sandpaper on an orbital sander?

Otoe
When it stops sanding! I tend to be cheap so I leave mine on until it no
longer cuts the way I want it to or the "sand" is rubbed off the paper which
ever comes first.

"Dave in Houston" wrote in message
...

"Leon" wrote in message
...

After about 6-10 minutes tops.


Would that be Norton 3X, Leon?


No, he did mention any particular sand paper. I have yet to use the 3X
stuff, I'd like to find it in PSA.

Otoe wrote:
How do you know when to replace the sandpaper on an orbital sander?

Otoe

Depends. And everyone has their own ways to decide when to change it.
Some will only last ten minutes or so, some longer, some less. Brand,
material, backing all make a difference. Best to use a search engine
and do some research.
If it's in good shape I'll often keep a few used sheets or each
grit. A used 100 for instance can sub for a 150 in a pinch, a 60 for an
80, and so on. Never skimp on the final sanding grit though.

Subject

If you have to ask, "practices extreme frugality" is a phrase that comes to
mind to describe you.

Lew

"Twayne" wrote in message
news:nX5ij.1947$Ue3.1281@trnddc07...
Otoe wrote:
How do you know when to replace the sandpaper on an orbital sander?

Otoe

Depends. And everyone has their own ways to decide when to change it.
Some will only last ten minutes or so, some longer, some less. Brand,
material, backing all make a difference. Best to use a search engine
and do some research.
If it's in good shape I'll often keep a few used sheets or each
grit. A used 100 for instance can sub for a 150 in a pinch, a 60 for an
80, and so on. Never skimp on the final sanding grit though.

---

I do the same thing.
Use it until it just stops working.
Sometimes it will wear down so that it will work nearly as if it were the
next smaller grit.

Like Twayne, I never scrimp on the final sanding grit though.

Kate

On Fri, 11 Jan 2008 23:51:34 -0500, "Garage_Woodworks" .@. wrote:



"Otoe" wrote in message
.. .
How do you know when to replace the sandpaper on an orbital sander?

Otoe

Only AFTER you turn it off. I made that mistake once. -ouch.

The operative word is "when?" Not how, I figured that out after
using up all the bandaids.

Otoe

On Fri, 11 Jan 2008 22:29:01 -0600, "Leon"
wrote:


"Otoe" wrote in message
.. .
How do you know when to replace the sandpaper on an orbital sander?

Otoe

After about 6-10 minutes tops.


Right now, the sandpaper is changed only when the hook and loop
doesn't hold anymore. But seems to me that the paper wore out
long before that. I haven't gotten to the point where is catches
fire yet which is a sure hint.

Otoe

On Sat, 12 Jan 2008 16:31:15 GMT, "Twayne"
wrote:

Depends. And everyone has their own ways to decide when to change it.
Some will only last ten minutes or so, some longer, some less. Brand,
material, backing all make a difference. Best to use a search engine
and do some research.
If it's in good shape I'll often keep a few used sheets or each
grit. A used 100 for instance can sub for a 150 in a pinch, a 60 for an
80, and so on. Never skimp on the final sanding grit though.


Thanks for the advice on the final sanding.

"Kate" wrote in
:

*snip*


I do the same thing.
Use it until it just stops working.
Sometimes it will wear down so that it will work nearly as if it were
the next smaller grit.

Like Twayne, I never scrimp on the final sanding grit though.

Kate


I tend to use sand paper for a long time... So I guess that's why I never
need to go 120 - 180 - 220, the paper just wears down gradually for me!
(Well, I also use primarily pine...)

Puckdropper
--
Marching to the beat of a different drum is great... unless you're in
marching band.

To email me directly, send a message to puckdropper (at) fastmail.fm

Is this a trick question?
Roger
"Otoe" wrote in message
...
How do you know when to replace the sandpaper on an orbital sander?

Otoe

Otoe wrote:
How do you know when to replace the sandpaper on an orbital sander?

Otoe

When the sanding action becomes too slow for me to put up with, which
rarely takes more than 5-10 minutes of use.

"Otoe" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 11 Jan 2008 22:29:01 -0600, "Leon"
wrote:


"Otoe" wrote in message
. ..
How do you know when to replace the sandpaper on an orbital sander?

Otoe

After about 6-10 minutes tops.


Right now, the sandpaper is changed only when the hook and loop
doesn't hold anymore. But seems to me that the paper wore out
long before that. I haven't gotten to the point where is catches
fire yet which is a sure hint.

Otoe

Sand paper will generally work for pretty long periods however after a point
it looses its aggressiveness and begins to take much longer to accomplish
the same thing. IMHO paper is cheap compared to my time. The more often I
change it, the faster the job gets done.

Lew Hodgett wrote:
Subject

If you have to ask, "practices extreme frugality" is a phrase that
comes to mind to describe you.

Lew

I don't recall anyone asking for a description; if you go OT, then say
so in order that others may more easily ignore you until you at least
recall your own origins.

"Twayne" wrote in message
news:j7bij.198$UX2.194@trnddc08...
Lew Hodgett wrote:
Subject

If you have to ask, "practices extreme frugality" is a phrase that
comes to mind to describe you.

Lew

I don't recall anyone asking for a description; if you go OT, then say so
in order that others may more easily ignore you until you at least recall
your own origins.

Tight shorts?

On Sat, 12 Jan 2008 12:25:30 -0500, Otoe wrote:

On Fri, 11 Jan 2008 22:29:01 -0600, "Leon"
wrote:


"Otoe" wrote in message
. ..
How do you know when to replace the sandpaper on an orbital sander?

Otoe

After about 6-10 minutes tops.


Right now, the sandpaper is changed only when the hook and loop
doesn't hold anymore. But seems to me that the paper wore out
long before that. I haven't gotten to the point where is catches
fire yet which is a sure hint.

Otoe

When it gets that hot, either change it or turn it over, you're probably not
using the side with sand on it..

(No, I'm not really feeding a troll)


mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

On Sat, 12 Jan 2008 11:17:41 -0800, "Roger Woehl" wrote:

Is this a trick question?
Roger

Was that a trick answer?
Damn, I hate tests...


"Otoe" wrote in message
.. .
How do you know when to replace the sandpaper on an orbital sander?

Otoe



mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

On 12 Jan, 04:25, Otoe wrote:
How do you know when to replace the sandpaper on an orbital sander?

About twice as often as ypou probably do already.

Top quality sandpaper, replaced when necessary, is a very cost-
effective expense when sanding. Costs a bit more, works a great deal
better.


On some sanders (esp. belt sanders) you can clean the sandpaper with a
rubber stick, rather than needing to rerplace it. This is less
necessary on ROs though.

"Edwin Pawlowski" wrote in message
et...

"Twayne" wrote in message
news:j7bij.198$UX2.194@trnddc08...
Lew Hodgett wrote:
Subject

If you have to ask, "practices extreme frugality" is a phrase that
comes to mind to describe you.

Lew

I don't recall anyone asking for a description; if you go OT, then say
so in order that others may more easily ignore you until you at least
recall your own origins.

Tight shorts?

lmfao! Just what I was thinking.

"Otoe" wrote in message
...
How do you know when to replace the sandpaper on an orbital sander?

Otoe

This thread reminds me of a conversation/disagreement that my Dad and I
always have. He 'downgrades' sandpaper as it gets more use. 120 becomes
180, 180 becomes 220, etc.... My point is that you shouldn't do that,
especially when final sanding (addressed elsewhere in this thread) because
dull big rocks don't cut/sand the same as sharp small rocks. I *always* use
a fresh sheet (disk) when final sanding, and change it often (about 10
minutes of use). My thought on lower grits is if you're spending a *lot* of
time final sanding, you're probably not changing the paper on the lower
grits often enough.

ymwv (probably)

Joe

"Andy Dingley" wrote

On some sanders (esp. belt sanders) you can clean the sandpaper with a
rubber stick, rather than needing to rerplace it.

Really just hitching onto Andy's posting, I wonder what actually happens
when a coated abrasive paper apparently wears?

Some grits get detached.

The spaces between grits are filled with dust, thereby preventing the grits
from working.

What is puzzling me is that I was taught that when grinding metals,
abrasives work because the grits fracture in use, thereby presenting new
sharp edges to the material. If they don't fracture the wheel doesn't cut
and the job overheats.

Now wood generally seems relatively soft stuff - is it usually hard enough
to fracture the abrasive grains? Perhaps mostly not, hence is most wear due
to the two points above?

Jeff

--
Jeff Gorman, West Yorkshire, UK
email : Username is amgron
ISP is clara.co.uk
www.amgron.clara.net

"Jeff Gorman" wrote in message
...

"Andy Dingley" wrote

On some sanders (esp. belt sanders) you can clean the sandpaper with a
rubber stick, rather than needing to rerplace it.

Really just hitching onto Andy's posting, I wonder what actually happens
when a coated abrasive paper apparently wears?

Some grits get detached.

The spaces between grits are filled with dust, thereby preventing the
grits from working.

What is puzzling me is that I was taught that when grinding metals,
abrasives work because the grits fracture in use, thereby presenting new
sharp edges to the material. If they don't fracture the wheel doesn't cut
and the job overheats.

Now wood generally seems relatively soft stuff - is it usually hard enough
to fracture the abrasive grains? Perhaps mostly not, hence is most wear
due to the two points above?

With the old sand papers, "flint, IIRC " the fracturing was especially true.
with Aluminum Oxide particles, the typical wood sand paper, the particles
simply dull and become less effective.

On Mon, 14 Jan 2008 08:08:08 -0600, "Leon"
wrote:


"Jeff Gorman" wrote in message
. ..

"Andy Dingley" wrote

On some sanders (esp. belt sanders) you can clean the sandpaper with a
rubber stick, rather than needing to rerplace it.

Really just hitching onto Andy's posting, I wonder what actually happens
when a coated abrasive paper apparently wears?

Some grits get detached.

The spaces between grits are filled with dust, thereby preventing the
grits from working.

What is puzzling me is that I was taught that when grinding metals,
abrasives work because the grits fracture in use, thereby presenting new
sharp edges to the material. If they don't fracture the wheel doesn't cut
and the job overheats.

Now wood generally seems relatively soft stuff - is it usually hard enough
to fracture the abrasive grains? Perhaps mostly not, hence is most wear
due to the two points above?

With the old sand papers, "flint, IIRC " the fracturing was especially true.
with Aluminum Oxide particles, the typical wood sand paper, the particles
simply dull and become less effective.


Thank you for the post. I learned something from it. You too Andy!

Otoe