I’m a novice upgrading from my 3/8" drill to a real honest to goodness variable-speed sander capable of holding an 8" disc.
My question is which pad or pads to buy? I’ve done a little research and found 3M, Norton, and PowerPad. They come in different hardness, or softness depending on how you look at it. Most often I find Medium and Soft.
Is there a recommended hardness? I figure I’d need Soft, or even softer if they make it, for sanding hot and gloss coats. Maybe Medium for more aggressive work.
What say yee?
I appeal to the brain-trust that is Swaylock’s for guidance.
I’d go with the Power Pad 8’ medium because you can take full advantage of your new power sander. The advantage with the medium (the soft won’t do this as well), is that you can sand out the flat areas of the bottom and deck really true. That is the majority of your board, right? Eventually, get the Ferro industries, 8" ultra soft pad and teach yourself to sand the rails by machine. If you can get your hands on a wrecked PowerPad then you can make a super softy using foam rubber. I sand a board entirely by machine. I will take it all the way out to 220 or 320 in about 20 minutes. So you know that it is possible. We also Rubout and Polish entirely by machine; I did an 8’6" the other day in about 45 minutes total time, just to give you an idea…
John, I use a pad similar to the photo but larger diameter. It is 4" thick x 7" diameter polyfoam. Harbor Freight sells small plastic arbors which can be bonded to the foam with contact cement. I use this on the rails with 100-500, and on flats after 220 on the regular disk. I also use a soft 6" power pad, and a medium 8" Ferro (to get evrything flat).
