Power palm sanders and random orbit sanders are true genius. I am unable to even begin to calculate how many hours of hand sanding my random orbit sander has saved me. If I could point to a weakness with these great tools, it would be the actual sandpaper. It seems no matter what I am sanding, the discs wear out too quickly. Thankfully, Microplane, the same company that makes those cool cheese graters for you, has a solution: the Microplane sanding disc. These stainless steel discs can be used on 5″ random orbit or 1/4 sheet palm sanders with or without vented hole patterns for dust collection. They are meant for use on hard or soft wood only and little or no pressure is needed to get results. Microplane claims the discs are at least 30 times more effective than regular sanding discs. They’re available for about $10 for a two pack at Rockler.
Do these “load up” and, if so, can they be cleaned to extend their useful life? They sound great. Would painted or otherwise coated surfaces present a problem to their use?
Hey Dan. Thanks for the questions. I took a quick peak at the links in this post (it’s pretty old), and neither Rockler nor the manufacturer seem to carry the product anymore. If you happen to find them again somewhere, let us know. Otherwise, it’s looking like they’re no longer an option. : (
Have you tried these discs? They are soo awesome and save a lot of time. Do you know how long they will last? Thanks!