Joys of Snap on Sanding

Hello Orchidaians,(first time to post!) I love snap on sanding
discs.The different grits, ability to blend, polish and follow
contours makes them my most versatile and used flex shaft implement.
The other day,while sizing a stock wax, I thought would it not be
great to trim this excess wax with a sanding disc. Well, guess what?
I finally found an application not suited for my beloved sanding
discs.

Any thoughts on a modified disc to zing away wax without clogging?

Thousands used yearly,

Sananda Perrin

sanding discs and drums will work great on wax if run at a very low
rpm, the finer the grit, the slower the revolutions must be, very
easy on the pedal, or low on the speed control, or use them
together to set a low top speed for pedal use. But the scraping
action of a knife blade is my first choice for either fast removal
or ultra fine blending, and much more sensual and fun, with no wax
dust. dp

I too have a Thing for sanding discs. Here is a little trick I
learned, although it works best with the plastic ones. When the
edges get worn away or you just need a smaller disc. Place the
sanding side of the disc, while on a mandrel, against a wooden edge
such as the edge of the top of your work bench. I have a spot with a
small depression for the mandrel tip. Now with a sharp exacto blade
you can cut the disc down by spinning it and inserting the blade at
the required diameter. It will cut the disc cleanly and evenly. It
takes some practice but gives you a longer life to the disc and more
flexibility on the size… as for wax carving I haven’t tried that
yet with a disc but you can bet I will be doing a few experiments.
I’ll post any positive results. Frank Goss

Put on a NEW sanding disc, “sand” a piece of chalk, then work the
wax and recharge the disc with chalk often. The chalk will keep the
wax from filling the sanding media. Also, use harder wax. File a
wax is a VERY HARD, plastic filled wax that works very well with
almost any tool, powered or hand. Casting it directly is possible,
but special procedures for burnout are required.

John Dach

Frank, I have snap-on disk ‘thing’ too! Great trick suggestion for
trimming disk.

Have you tried the 1 1/2 inch disk? Perfect for getting a flat
surface on small and medium surfaces etc.Or even leveling shanks,
takes some practice. Although they are not snap on,but screw onto
mandrel, they are indispensable to me.

Only source I know of is A&A jewelry supply:

Their website is yet to open, but here’s their email & #:

aatool@aajewelry.com 212-627-8004 post them for a catalog. Item #
etc is: #72-515 1 1/2 " pinhole emery wheels coarse grit (they have
another…fine or med.) Qty 100

I stack two on a mandral, one side down, one up, for real control.
Thomas

I like the idea of back to back disks I’ll have to try it. Have you
tried the snap on felt disks for polishing yet. Same disk except the
surface is felt instead of sanding media. You apply whatever
polishing compound you desire. Great for those narrow hard to reach
places and the 90 degree corners. Frank Goss

For polishing I just use the back of a snap on disk. Remove some of
the hard glazed finish with another disk and apply compound. Dulling
the abrasive side helps minimize accidents.

Jeff Demand

I like the idea of back to back disks I’ll have to try it. Instead of
the snap-on discs I use discs that have a centered hole for mounting
with either a srew mandrel or better yet special mandrels that one
can just push on a built-in pin and the disc is held fast by
friction. Thee are two different styles that I am aware of.

I also mount two discs face to face on a mandrel and rotate the flex
shaft very slowly. Holding a wire in a pin vice I create a long
taper at the end of the wire by inserting the wire between the
facing discs as they rotate. This works better for me than filing a
tapered point for insertion in a drawplate. Try it, you’ll like it. Joe Dule

Could you give a little more info about what these are and where to
get them?

J. S. Ellington

Any supplier of jewelry tools should carry snap on disk. Rio or
Stuller The large pinhole ones are from A&A tools 213 627 8004

Thomas

I also mount two discs face to face on a mandrel and rotate the flex
shaft very slowly. Holding a wire in a pin vice I create a long taper
at the end of the wire by inserting the wire between the facing discs
as they rotate. This works better for me than filing a tapered point
for insertion in a drawplate. Try it, you’ll like it. Joe Dule This
is a great tip, and very timely, because it sounds as though, if you
rotate the wire, it would put a point on it-- like for a pin. I’ve
been looking for a quick, easy way to do this, instead of filing.
Any other great ways to sharpen a wire? Is there a special tool,
like a cup bur, that I haven’t come across? Thanks!

–No=EBl

I make my pin stems from stainless steel wire and for speed (also
using the pin vise) I’ve been shaping the taper on the side of my
cut-off wheel then de-burring and smoothing the pin stem on a single
snap-on sanding disk before finishing on rouge. Pretty fast,
especially when compared to the old file on the bench pin. :slight_smile: The
two facing disks might work well; I’ll have to try it.

Hello-

I am curious how folks are able to put 2 snap on discs onto one of
the mandrels? Mine are from Rio and the snap part of the mandrel
doesn’t seem long enough to get two discs on.

Thanks for the help!
Margaret

Noel,l I usually sharpen wire by holding it firmly in one hand and
using a sanding drum holding it parallel to the tip of the wire… I
let the wire sort of rotate with the friction of the drum and it
sands in a taper. I use the wrapped sanding drums not the ones that
go on a rubber arbor. Frank Goss