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School me on- 4.5" hook n loop angle grinder options

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tarbellb

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Hi, looking for some general info on where to source and when to use 4.5" angle grinder hook and loop pads.

I do a lot of finish work in metal, mostly standard carbon steel. Right now I use my dry cut miter saw, weld, then finish off in 40-120 grit flap disc.

I can get a pretty good finish with a well worn 120grit flap, but would still like to get a cleaner finish on my miter joints. I can often see slight surface marks through the powder coat.

School me on:
_ Where to buy a good, affordable conversion pad (3/8" thread)
_ Where to buy the different pads, prefer long lasting
_ Proper uses and technics (if any different then flap?)

Thanks!

Pics for clicks.
2n1g688.jpg


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sample of the work I do

2mebbsz.jpg
 
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Mohawk Dave

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That's what's commonly referred to as a Roloc Pad. (Albeit they make a million different rolocs)

Once you start using them you'll never go back to outdated tech.

I haven't used a 4.5" YET...but that's only b/c I have not come across a box full of them for 10 bucks yet.

Start searching ROLOC threads...mainly used on die grinders, but an angle grinder will spin that mother just fine.

Deburring, any grit of abrasion and sanding, polishing, sky's the limit with rolocs.
 
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Ign

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Last edited:
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Ign

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Oh go w good ol' Minnesota Mining & Manufacturing for best abrasive life. They may also make a "durable edge" version in 4.5, I don't recall.

As for techniques you just can't use the edge as much as you would a grinding or flapper wheel. Keep them closer to flat when using.

When you first stick the woven abrasive on there it'll rarely be centered - easy to tell by firing up the grinder & seeing how much vibration you have. If its not good peel the pad off and try again. It'll save your forearms and help your consumables last a little longer.

Personally I mostly use the maroon pads. Brown is coarser but can leave more visible swirl/scratch marks. They all clog up fast w paint, so for the first few seconds you'll think it's the best paint remover ever, then the honeymoon is over.
 
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tarbellb

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Thanks guys, two members I was hoping might chime in.

Mohawk- I am somewhat familiar with Roloc, but being that my shop is without a good air source I havent invested in Roloc or the like. I do however have a array of 4.5" grinders. Any info on where to locate a good Roloc attachement for my grinder? verbiage that I should use for searching? Ebay? Amazon?

Ign- you are correct, im looking for the 5/8" for my 4.5". I have used a 5" orbital sander in the past with mixed, mostly bad, results. So I am somewhat familiar with the life span and techniques of the hook and loop pad.

So are there a lot of variations of grit/surface types that I can choose from?

Ha, I never knew that 3M was aka Minnesota Mining & Manufacturing. Learn something new everyday.
 
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Ign

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I don't know about all the grits in these....I go with K.I.S.S. and just stay with fine (never used it), medium and coarse; these are the three that are most likely to be featured in the MSC sale catalogs when they do. Best times are when 3M is a "featured supplier" they'll have several pages of all kinds of 3M products. But poking thru the Big Book may reveal more grits -- I know in the basic hand pads there are a lot of options, extra fine, stuff like that.

bp460's on a good track too with fiber discs but I can't tell from the pics if those backing pads are the stiff plastic. You want the heavy, thick rubber ones. Still, more of a substitute for flappers than ScotchBrite.
 
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Bobioz1

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In the beginning there was hook and loop scotchbrite. They would fly off all the time. Then came the roloc and they work great. Can't imagine hook and loop staying on a 4.5" angle grinder.
 
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chrisbowles

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Mohawk Dave said:
That's what's commonly referred to as a Roloc Pad. (Albeit they make a million different rolocs)

Once you start using them you'll never go back to outdated tech.

I haven't used a 4.5" YET...but that's only b/c I have not come across a box full of them for 10 bucks yet.

Start searching ROLOC threads...mainly used on die grinders, but an angle grinder will spin that mother just fine.

Deburring, any grit of abrasion and sanding, polishing, sky's the limit with rolocs.
Click to expand...

Where do you get a box of for 10 bucks?? The last I bought cost over 1.00 each . I felt raped
 
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Ign

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Bobioz1 said:
In the beginning there was hook and loop scotchbrite. They would fly off all the time. Then came the roloc and they work great. Can't imagine hook and loop staying on a 4.5" angle grinder.
Click to expand...

Then your imagination is lacking. Never had one fly off. I was first introduced to these in a sheetmetal shop, we did a lot of stainless for food service. Used all the time by many people in the shop. The fiber-backed discs are the bigger problem, tear a disc or catch the rubber backing pad and they bite back if you're the least bit complacent.
 
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tarbellb

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I havent seen a fiber disk yet that looks like the grit I want. And yes, Ign has it correctly, they are a bit scary with the rpms and disc ripping situation.

I will start looking around for the basic grits, I think ive found a good source for the backing pad.

RSterwart- Thanks, it has some sweet action too with those casters.
 
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CGT80

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metal1313 said:
i use http://www.lehighvalleyabrasives.com/servlet/StoreFront

ive had good luck with their products, i feel 3m may be better but as a rare user i cant justify the extra cost. more often than not the disc gets something nasty on it long before it would wear out
Click to expand...

x2

I use an older Milwaukee 5" variable speed angle grinder with a 5" hook and loop backer and the three different grades of surfacing discs.

http://www.lehighvalleyabrasives.com/servlet/the-Surface-Conditioning/Categories

It is easy to wear the hooks off the edge of the backing pad, and it is better to keep the pad more flat on the work. I had bought a CGW brand surfacing disk that looked like a flap wheel but with surfacing flaps instead of sandpaper. It was almost 10 bucks at the steel shop, but it worked great. LV has those (much cheaper) so I bought a couple as well, but haven't used them yet. The hook and loop style isn't as fast as the flap style, but they are cheaper.

The hook and loop backer is 12 bucks and the surfacing disks are $1.55 each.

LV flap discs work well also. I prefer CGW, but as a home user, it seems the LV is better bang for the buck. LV discs don't seem to last as long, but they are much cheaper. The 3" roll lock flap wheels are a 5th of the price of the local supplier.
 
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