Changing Sanding Discs

Rick Granick

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Changing the sandpaper discs on the ITW-AMP miter sander (and presumably on the United model) can be a pain sometimes because removing the old one leaves a sheet (or patches) of adhesive on the wheel's surface.
Here's my trick for getting it clean:
Step 1- Working in sections, saturate the surface with lighter fluid. This will turn the adhesive to a gel-like consistency that can be scraped off with a razor blade held at a shallow angle. Dividing the surface area of the wheel into about six sections seems to be a pretty good pace. Step2- Remove the film of residue from step 1. For this I use Goof-Off fluid and paper towels. The result is a nice clean surface ready for the new sanding disc.
:cool: Rick
 
Thanks for the tips. I just bought one of these doodads (ITW brand) and it should be here Monday. What is the typical life of the disk? Any other setup/use tips not found in the manual? Seems pretty simple but...
John
 
I don't have one of these but doesn't it use a velcro attachment like my random orbital sander?

Could one be retrofitted to work?

Seems to me that tools that take too long to maintain or set up don't get used as often as they should.
 
Bob, I don't think the Velcro would work on this application. The sandpaper needs a rigid backing to make a clean flat cut. The relative softness of the Velcro underbody would tend to ease the edges of the miter.

JohnR, There are other sources for the sand paper and other grits are available. I did a Google search a while back and found some good sources. I also found a small variety at the local Harbor Freight location.
 
I wish I had the problem of the old pad just leaving adhesive. Over the last several changes, the old sanding pad has ripped a layer of metal off the disk. It's very thin, almost a foil, but a little bit more comes off every time I change it. I don't know why that's the case, but if it should happen to you, be very careful. This "foil" layer is very sharp. Cut a finger bad just brushing some flakes of this foil off. Otherwise, it doesn't affect its use.
 
What diameter are these discs? The reason I ask is when I was in the autobody trade, we used sanding discs every day on all sorts of specialized sanders to do shaping and smoothing of vehicle bodies. Earlier on we used plain unglued discs and sprayed on the adhesive, later on we had self adhesive discs that came in rolls. You had to let the spray on glue dry to tacky first but it held the disc in place until such time that you removed it and then it peeled off cleanly. Actually, in each case they peeled off cleanly and left very little residue on the sander face.

I don't own a miter sander so I am trying to compare something sight unseen with something that I have used for over 30 years. Occasionally we would take some laquer thinner and clean the excess glue buildup off the sander face but that wasn't that often.

(Well, I DID watch Ron carry one out to the parking lot at the Decor show one year but he wouldn't let me inspect it very closely.)

Maybe these are set up all completely different than anything I used in the bodyshop.

Framerguy
 
Originally posted by AndyPan, CPF:
I wish I had the problem of the old pad just leaving adhesive. Over the last several changes, the old sanding pad has ripped a layer of metal off the disk. It's very thin, almost a foil, but a little bit more comes off every time I change it. I don't know why that's the case, but if it should happen to you, be very careful. This "foil" layer is very sharp. Cut a finger bad just brushing some flakes of this foil off. Otherwise, it doesn't affect its use.
Andy,

That sounds very dangerous and also sounds like a manufacturing flaw in the sanding wheel. I would be very suspicious of pieces/layers peeling off of the metal portion of the sander. That just isn't supposed to happen.

Have you contacted the mfgr's about it yet? I would get on the horn immediately and report the problem to them. Most likely they will replace the sanding wheel for you before you really hurt yourself and sue the britches off of them!!

FGII
 
Tom, these are pretty close to a 12" diameter disc. They come with adhesive on them for our "convenience".
I thought the story went that you carried both Ron and Mark's sanders back to the misplaced van.

Andy, What Tom said. It sounds like the plating is coming off the face of the sander. That shouldn't happen.
 
Originally posted by wpfay:

I thought the story went that you carried both Ron and Mark's sanders back to the misplaced van.

Well, Wally, I volunteered but they, being the really cool guys that they are, would have none of that!! Something to do with respect for your elders mixed in with a bit of "It can't be THAT far, I can handle it."

And the van wasn't "misplaced", it happened to be the only free lot anywhere near the convention center! Heck, it couldn't have been more than a mile or so to the show if you took the shortcut through the mud and construction and ducked through the tear in the chain link fence at the rear of the loading/unloading docks.

FGII
 
For the record, here, in order, are the three greatest physical challenges I've ever faced:

</font>
  1. Carrying a canoe on a ten-mile portage.</font>
  2. Carrying a miter sander on the scenic tour of Atlanta looking for my van (that Framerguy had parked somewhere.) And the very worst part of that was going down an escalator with it.</font>
  3. Hiking out of the Grand Canyon in July.</font>
I suppose, before I die, I should carry a miter sander (or a canoe) out of the Grand Canyon in July, just to say I did, but I think I'll pass.

BTW, replacing the sanding disc would probably be #4 on my list.
 
Quote from Ron:

I suppose, before I die, I should carry a miter sander (or a canoe) out of the Grand Canyon in July, .......

Ron, you would be a guaranteed shoe-in for the Guiness Book of World Records!!

How many other framers would have the kahunas to even suggest such a venture??

Let me know when you want to make the trip, eh, I am ready for some adventure and there has to be alot of Cracker Barrels out West.

Should I bring the video camera along??

FGII
 
The plating has been coming off of mine too, I've had it about 1 1/2 years, so I don't know if they will replace it or not
shrug.gif


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