Thread: Norton Dry Ice ceramic power sanding discs.. first impression is

The ceramic grits are more aggressive than aluminum oxide and work best in the coarser grits and when used with light to moderate pressure. In fact, the lighter the pressure, the longer the ceramic disk will last.

We can take advantage of these properties when we use it to sand wood. To do this, we need to modify our sanding protocol.

It can be summed up in two words -- lighter, faster.

Basically, we need to lighten up on the pressure we put on the sanding pad. We all use too much pressure on our sanding grits, even for aluminum oxide.

I found this on the http://www.woodturnersamerica.com
site.

JM

Ern - you need to shorten your run-up......

Adopt a more philosophical approach......"be the sandpaper"......

Originally Posted by Mr Brush

Ern - you need to shorten your run-up......

...

Ern

You are now opening the bowling for Australia ah, tomorrow

Heheh ...

Thanks for the tips JM.

Will open for Australia today.

It's part of Cricket Australia's new "shock and awe" policy......England certainly won't be expecting THAT.

Seems a spin of 6000rpm or more is needed ....

As for 'be the sandpaper', I'm already blunt and crusty ;-}

Ern - have you tried that 3M Trizact stuff for sanding?? I think AIA sell it, among others.

Very aggressive and long lasting on metal, not sure about clogging on softer materials like wood. I think its designed for use on materials like Corian benchtops.

I used to have a strip of coarse Trizact on glass for plane sole flattening. One strip lasted about 12 months, and was still cutting pretty well. Of course, working with metal you could easily unclog it using the old "magnet in a plastic bag" trick....

Interesting point Mr B.

No I haven't. Have got some belts to play with on the 1" belt sander but for bevel polishing.

Hadn't thought about it for plane sole flattening. We're did get it from do you recall?

Coincidentally for the same purpose I was searching the web this morning for a supplier of 3M graded Alox microabrasive sheets but coarser than the 15 micron that the Sandpaperman sells. No luck. Did find belts on a US site IIRC.

Ern - funny story there.....

This was some years ago, when 3M Trizact was first introduced, and our friendly 3M rep (they still had such people then) dropped off a couple of lengths in different grits for us to try.

Unfortunately for him, the stuff was so good, and lasted so long, that we never actually needed to order any....

From what I remember it is supposed to have precisely formed ceramic 4-sided pyramid shapes, so 4 cutting edges per "grain". Similar principle to your Norton stuff, in that the cutting particles are not intended to break down and expose new edges as per conventional abrasive paper. Being a fairly open grain structure, it might not clog as badly as the Norton stuff you were talking about.

Could be.

From what little I know, wood abrasives may by stearate coated as well as open coated specifically to reduce clogging.

While I haven't opened the bowling yet, a feel of the Dry Ice suggests that while there's a deal of clogging that the rubber stick didn't remove there's also some scratch power left.

To be continued.

Of course, there is a lubricant developed especially for use with this paper....

LOL.

The trial pack of discs didn't come with any.

Prop explains the overheating.

Or maybe ....

OK, I strolled confidently to the crease.

Remounted the clogged disc (#180), full throttle and light touch. It kept cutting.

Then through the grits to #400.

Nice.

Fast, & good finish.

Still got some clogging to begin with and backed off on the pressure and then there was only dust.

So what must've been happening is that this stuff cuts aggressively, and my normal pressure was producing overheating, melting the gum in the wood and the glue bond between disc and fabric.

Source of discs: click

Thanks again for your research JM.

Bruce, if you've read this far, might be an idea to enclose instructions with the discs in future.

Originally Posted by rsser

Seems a spin of 6000rpm or more is needed ....

The challenge is going to be getting 6000rpm without going to air. Electric drills rarely go that high, and very unlikely in an angle drill. Angle grinders go higher, but only go in one direction and don't come with a quick release chuck.

Good article here from Woodturners America on these new abrasives for woodturning.

Just ordered the sample ceramic pack from Vince, along with some Blue Flex to see how they compare with the Dry Ice samples that Ern has kindly offered to send. Guess I might have to also get some Astra Dot to complete the comparisons.
.