Recommendation? Who uses a disc grinder?

autogateman

autogateman

Rod Braud
Joined
Jan 6, 2017
Messages
180
I just bought a 12" disc sander to help with flattening stock and am having a couple issues. The paper is not wanting to lay perfectly flat at the edges of the disc and is rounding the corner of my blade, totally defeating its purpose. I tried just straight PSA discs, but peeling them off was horrible and it left lots of adhesive behind that made the next disc surface bumpy. I tried feathering adhesive but can't get it to hold the edges down tight. Should I've using non adhesive discs and feathering adhesive or PSA with no feathering ? Thanks for any tips you guys have.
Rod
 
A good way to go to avoid future problems with removal is to install a 1/16" or slightly thicker cork over lay if necessary. You can attach this with a non drying feathering disc cement and the same can be used if needed to attach the sand paper. Make sure you clean the disc before applying the cork. Frank
 
You can also try the 3m spray. Go with the lighter hold stuff, but you will still have to clean the disc occasionally with mineral spirits.
 
autogateman said:
I just bought a 12" disc sander to help with flattening stock and am having a couple issues. The paper is not wanting to lay perfectly flat at the edges of the disc and is rounding the corner of my blade, totally defeating its purpose. I tried just straight PSA discs, but peeling them off was horrible and it left lots of adhesive behind that made the next disc surface bumpy. I tried feathering adhesive but can't get it to hold the edges down tight. Should I've using non adhesive discs and feathering adhesive or PSA with no feathering ? Thanks for any tips you guys have.
Rod
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On my disks I use only 40-80 grit sandpaper . I use thin Double Sided Sticky Tape . I leave a small part on the edge of the disc /in one place , not around all disk / with no double sticky tape and I mark that spot with marker on disk. ... That way it's easier to change paper. Sometimes I successfully change 5-6 disk paper before contaminating and damaging tape .....But it is cheap and is easy to take of with some nitro solvent .............

 
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autogateman said:
I just bought a 12" disc sander to help with flattening stock and am having a couple issues. The paper is not wanting to lay perfectly flat at the edges of the disc and is rounding the corner of my blade, totally defeating its purpose. I tried just straight PSA discs, but peeling them off was horrible and it left lots of adhesive behind that made the next disc surface bumpy. I tried feathering adhesive but can't get it to hold the edges down tight. Should I've using non adhesive discs and feathering adhesive or PSA with no feathering ? Thanks for any tips you guys have.
Rod
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Here are a few pictures , they better speak English than me . . . :) It takes minute to change sandpaper ......... Look , I have three disk sander .Two on 2800 rpm and one 1400 rpm/min for working on wood . When on first disk sander /2800 rpm/min/ sandpaper start to heat blade I switch on second one with NEW 40 grit sandpaper .And first one I continue to use ONLY for shaping knive blank or other job .That way I use sandpaper to maksium ;) With one 40 grit AO sandpaper I manage to grind 3 blade in 1.5mm hardened steel ... Enough for half a dollar paper :thumbsup:
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And three minutes later ............
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Frank Niro said:
A good way to go to avoid future problems with removal is to install a 1/16" or slightly thicker cork over lay if necessary. You can attach this with a non drying feathering disc cement and the same can be used if needed to attach the sand paper. Make sure you clean the disc before applying the cork. Frank
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What do you think about rubber ? I'm thinking to try one on disk sander , 3-5 mm thick rubber ?
 
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I just bought some 1/16" rubber off of eBay. Not very expensive. I bought a 1/8" piece from k&g but it didn't work well for me, felt like it had too much give and wobbled like crazy. We'll see how the 1/16" does.

I like how you did that thin knife Natlek.
You inspired me to try a kitchen knife on there. I've cleaned up bevels on mine before, but never went to the disc at the beginning.

Nick Wheeler just did some videos on Instagram on grinding thin kitchen knives. Good stuff!
 
I will just give my opinion. Get a 1 hp motor with a variable speed controller like a KBAC vfd and wire it with a reverse switch and mate it to a 9 inch flat disc and you will start to use it and before you know it you will use it on every knife for some reason. Spen the money and make better knives is my opinion. Larry
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I use very thin cork on my disc. And it's easy to remove when needed using the feathering adhesive. It's great for finishing.
 
While I agree on spending money on certain things to increase efficiency and make my life easier, I certainly DO NOT agree that spending MORE MONEY on a variable speed, 2hp disk sander is going to have you make better knives!

I have never found a disk grinder/sander of much use. I have a 6", and it never gets used anymore. If I was given the "mostest-bestest" disk sander tomorrow, I can say without any doubt, it would not in any fashion make my knives "better"!

To those who like using a disk grinder/sander, awesome! Go with what makes YOUR life easier. But for me, there is a long list of other things I would like to buy and a disk grinder is not on the list.
 
The use of a tool depends on the habit of using it in the work process. From my point of view, the disk grinder makes life easier, much more depending on the kind of blade and process we are used to making. For sure there are more useful tools but cost a lot more than disk grinder. If you have a variable speed controller on the belt grinder, you can save money using the same on the disk grinder by placing a switch on the electrical circuit.
 
I use my disc sander on every single knife for flattening scales, cutting square edges or accurate angles for handle and bolster fitup, cleaning up certian profiles, ect
I've never used it on a bevel.
It really depends on what sort of work you do, and how you do it.
But either way some sort of disc sander is one of the most useful machines in a shop
 
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