I use snap-on, sanding discs with my flex shaft and frequently break
the sand paper part off leaving the center brass disc behind. Is
there a “trick” to get those brass discs off the mandrel? (I
currently use a pliers)
Mitch Adams
I use snap-on, sanding discs with my flex shaft and frequently break the sand paper part off leaving the center brass disc behind. Is there a "trick" to get those brass discs off the mandrel? (I currently use a pliers)
Ahhhh use pliers!! or , don’t “remove” 
the ALL of paper
before you want to change the discs!!!
Also, are you using the nickel plated brass mandrels or the stainless
steel mandrels? I have found the SS units are more than worth the few
extra pennies they cost, and they seem (to me) easier to get the
centers off.
John Dach
I use snap-on, sanding discs with my flex shaft and frequently break the sand paper part off leaving the center brass disc behind. Is there a "trick" to get those brass discs off the mandrel? (I currently use a pliers)
I find the jaws of an old side cutter get under the brass a bit
easier than pliers. But the pliers are quicker if you first have to
rotate the stuck brass part to align with the square part of the
mandrel before you get it off. Other than that, one other trick is to
switch to the plastic backed disks, or adalox, if you’re using
wet/dry. The adalox is thicker and lasts longer than the wet/dry, and
the plastic versions (made with the 3M high tech sanding films),
simply don’t break off. They’ll get dull, but won’t break away from
the center. Only downside to em, aside from higher price, is that
they’re tough, so harder to trim to a true concentric outer edge if
you’re in the habit of doing that…
Peter
Mitch Adams…Yes, I have the same irritating problem…:>(
When I use my “fine-nosed” pliers, I grab the brass insert itself
and gently and angrily remove the disk. Another way, is to slightly
close the two jaws on the mandrel before inserting the disk. This
way allowing a little more “freedom” or less pressure as the disk is
turning. Then you can easily, with your fingers, remove the whole
disk…but when it IS tight. you will have a finely turning sanding
wheel. The choice is yours…But what’s a little time lost when you
have a whole day ahead of you…:>)…Gerry!
Hi Mitch,
I use snap-on, sanding discs with my flex shaft and frequently break the sand paper part off leaving the center brass disc behind. Is there a "trick" to get those brass discs off the mandrel? (I currently use a pliers)
You may still have to use a pliers, but I’ve found that holding the
mounting & turning the disc backwards just a little makes the disc
come off much easier. Since the hole in the disc is usually square &
the tip of the mounting is also square, a little wear occurs at the
corners. This causes the the mounting to 'hold ’ the disc on. By
turning it backward a little, the disc is turned to the same
position it was in when it was installed.
Dave
I use snap-on, sanding discs with my flex shaft and frequently break the sand paper part off leaving the center brass disc behind. Is there a "trick" to get those brass discs off the mandrel? (I currently use a pliers)
I grab the very edge of it with my side cutters. Works much better.
M’lou Brubaker, Jeweler
Goodland, MN
www.craftswomen.com
Your problem may be the mandrel and not the Disc.
Snap on Disc Mandrels are made by many manufacturers. Some come from
Asia.
Make sure you get one that is made in US or Germany.
Very difficult to identify as no markings on any of them.
Our customers in the store can see tooling marks and identify them.
Usually they test them before accepting.
Kenneth Singh