To expound and explain "Da Rat's" comments. Every sander who has sanded for a living has something similar laying around his shop. Primarily used for rails and multi-level contours such as channels and concaves. Take any older worn pad and razor or knife the canvas backer that you normally glue your paper to off. Then glue one or two inch upholstery foam onto the remaining foam on the pad. Re-glue the canvas pad onto the new foam. Trim it up with a pair of scissors. If you insist on perfect; Install your new pad on a sander and turn it upside down on a work bench. Fire up the grinder and hold a sanding block with 80 grit at an angle agianst the foam side of the pad until you have shaped it into the conical shape desired. Memory foam is the best if you can find a piece at your local upholstery shop. It shapes into the desired cone better and doesn't desinegrate as quickly at higher speeds. This kind of pad is meant for low RPM only. I have seen similar pads that were manufactured by companies who cater to auto body shops. 3M 77 is the best adhesive for re-attaching the various parts of such a pad.
…hello Mcding, yes, I did it that way, possibly 20 years ago or more; but that pad is about 4" thick and super perfect;
might be the problem when I did that, was with the foam used, but all the home made pads that I have been seeing are not that perfect.
-I use a very small Ferro pad and somewhat thick, so the diam/thick ratio is pretty good for the rails, channels; works with the weight of the angular sander; I mean, the cushioning effect.
Cut it out; then glue it on; then tune at a low rpm with 40 grit, and never exceed 1000 rpm’s or it will self-destruct. Also be extra careful around anything with an edge. With a super-low rpm setting you can really sand rails well; well at least I can.
This is a hook/loop 6" backing pad for automotive application made by 3M: http:/shop.autobritedirect.co.uk/3m-perfect-it-iii-rotary-backing-plate-125mm—various-sizes-516-p.asp
…thanks man, I know what you and Mcding say, Im not new to the sanding thing, I do this in daily basis.
What I use now, is the pad I mentioned in the other comment.
-I m still thinking that these are not homemade ones; and if they are, they are made with a machine, may be a lathe or like that.
By hand holding a pad with one hand and the grinder in the other is not possible to obtain such perfect conical pad.
At least, last time I tried, 20 years ago…but, I repeat, still do not see any homemade thick pad perfectly well done.
-Hello Petec,
I know those 3m s but they are only 1" and these are 4X thicker
thanks
I have one, it’s from ferro. It’s old maybe they don’t make it anymore. Don’t really like it, too soft, tears really easy. Maybe it has a part number on it. I’ll check.
…hello Vpravada…the strange thing, as previously mentioned, is that the people from Ferro told me that they do not make those…
Possibly a special order? please check the part number
thanks
I think petec nailed it for you. I have seen those pads on various auto body websites before. If you make your own use memory foam and turn the sander upside down on a bench. Shape the back with a sanding block and paper by just touching the block to the back of the pad at an angle. The one in pete's picture looks quite a bit thicker than one inch.
The thickest I found was 2". That was on three different auto body supply sites, Ferro, Power Pad, and Global Spec.
I guess this is one of those times where “you lead a horse to water”! I thought this was a place where people were crafty because they liked to make things, sometimes because they’re thrifty, or they can make it better. I gave you guys way to much credit, at least on this one. So easy to make, even a caveman can do it.
reverb, after its cut and glued you true it up on the sander with abrasives, while the pad is spinning; it acts like a lathe, but just don’t try to take too much off at once.
Yeah maybe I didn't state the "obvious". The sander has to be running. Other wise it might be a littlte difficult to true it up.
…Hey Ghettorat and Mc Ding, thanks both for your explanations, I understand perfectly well; but as previously mentioned, I did it that way years ago. We are talking the same.
I noticed in this particular pad that the conical shape of the foam is very perfect and smooth.
By hand, you cannot obtain the foam smoothness of a professional pad made with a mould, etc
Hey reverb its not hard to do at all, just go down in successive sanding grits. Don’t spin it too fast or it will chunk and tear. This is surfboard basics 101. For small areas you can use just the foam as a quick polishing bonnet, and it doesn’t burn rails or fins like a wooly one. Sureluster surfboard polishing compound #2, followed by Maguires #5. Adjust the thickness of the pad to what works best for the job. If you want to be like me, you can dig in the dumpster of the local fabric supply house, and you should find everything you need, except the “Super 77” to attach it. Yeah, its a glorious life, but one man’s trash is another’s treasure. I don’t like to spend money unnecessarily. Also by attaching another pad on top of the existing pad you stand less chance of ruining the pad through misuse.
How 'bout if you just go for the couch cushion and don't tell the 'Ol Lady??