Mirka from Finland, makes, IMHO, the best sandpaper on the planet. (I
fabricate solid surface countertops as a source of income. My sanding
requirements are somewhat different than most, but this stuff works
great om wood too!!)
The stuff is called Abranet and the abrasive particles are adhered to a
screen. It doesn't load, and the suction of a good sander keeps it nice
and clean. And the stuff lasts and lasts.
The Ridgid has a basic 6" 6-hole velcro pad and Abranet works fine with
that, but Mirka has a pad with way more holes (about 20) which adapts to
a standars six-hole machine.
I did the mod to my Ridgid. ( A pic is posted on ABPW) and the result
is, in one word, pretty damned good.
Now, the Mirka pad that I bought ( 906 GV) has a stud (5/16-24) and
that's fine for a PC, but the Ridgid (Metabo) takes a bolt. So I drilled
the sunnavabitch out and made'r work that way. I had to use a 35mm flat
bottom hinge boring bit to make room for the spindle, but with some
dicking, I have the result I'm after.
Metabo now offers a pad like that which will fit your Ridgid so you can
use Abranet. It's a 14 hole deal. (item
102-111_plate-_orbit_disc-_orbital-_belt-_sanders.pdf) which you can
find he http://www.metabo.ca/Download.5740.0.html

Not as much fun as mounting a Stax tone arm on a Lin Sondek. but...




So a guy takes his wife to a fancy restaurant and orders a thick
porterhouse steak...rare.
The waiter asks: "What about the mad cow?"
The guy replies: "She'll have the salmon."

0¿0

Rob