Keeping sanding paper on 5" orbital sanders?

[softdown]

Is the solution as simple as replacing the sanding pad very frequently? These costs about $25-$30 or so. Or is there a way to rejuvenate the velcro on the sanding pad?

My sanding papers are only staying attached for a minute or so....after several hours of using the sander. Sander in use is a Makita BO5010.

Perhaps I have inferior velcro on my sanding paper? These machines use a hook and loop attachment system.

[capt jgw]

The pads do wear out, and when the paper flies off and you dont lift the sander immediately, they wear really fast. The only fix is to replace the pad. Btw, you can get a whole new sander at Harbor Freight for less than the replacement pad for your Makita. And the pad on that one might even fit. I've had a few of the HF ones (Menards sells the same one with a different name) and while the motor will burn out eventually, the pads seem to be as good as the high end ones.

[softdown]

Thanks JGW.

Couple new findings: Cleaning the pad velcro with a nylon brush helps some. You will also find how much of your pad is just gone. I have completely lost over 5% of my pads loops, probably due to "sanding" after the paper flew off. It is upside down much of the time......

Also need to turn sander off before lifting it. Otherwise the paper flies off and additional attachments are always much weaker than the first.

With these points in mind, I can get about 5 minutes from a 5" sanding disc...guessing. I am also a pretty bad guesser at time. Keep burning my eggs.

[TeddyDiver]

Don't press your sanders... Just a light touch to keep it going where you want it to go. Pressing hard will burn the pad (and paper)..

[hellosailor]

All hook-n-loop isn't velcro. Some is better, some worse.

Look at some 3M discs. If the pad that came with your Makita is also a brand name, stick with it. If not...switch over to 3M and I'm sure you'll get more than a minute out of it.

Cheap sanding stuff often is just that: "Bought cheap, paid deary". 3M, Norton, Bosch, Makita...any brand name should be competitive. If there's an auto body shop supplier around, they're often the cheapest source of the good stuff. (Or that web site who keeps threatening drone deliveries.(G)

[Lepke]

Most brands are really made for hobby users. You get what you pay for. I have a Mirka, and everybody I know has one or the equivalent. Mine runs on air, but they come air or electric. I have an 80' wood boat that I stripped to bare wood and sanded many times between paint coats. I do a lot of sanding and still have the original pad from 2011. The Mirka has an intermediate pad and I am on my 2nd. I buy boxes of 50-100 sanding disks and probably have gone thru 500 disks.
The sander also (connected to vacuum) draws sanding dust thru a grid that keeps it from piling and ruining the sanding disk so they last much longer. I can sand over the water w/o debris going into the water. Depending on what I am sanding, a disk can last a couple hours and come in grits of 40 to 3000.

[Reefmagnet]

After too many years of using Ra sanders, I can offer some pretty simple advice: Don't buy cheap rubbish even if a brand name. I've used top of the range makita, Bosch and aeg and never had a problem throwing disks unless the pad is well and truly worn out. On the other hand, I've had a Ryobi cheapie that worked like a clay pigeon launcher more than a sander. I've tried other cheapies and whilst the disk stayed in place, the vibration would rattle out your fillings and the sanding speed wasn't that great anyway.

Here's some tips I would offer:

-Sand flat. If you need to sand angle grinder style, use a grinder or rotary sander.
-Don't overuse the disk and if the edges get frayed, replace it
-Avoid reuse of a disk once removed from the pad. They never seem to stick as well a second time.

[Three Sisters]

Originally Posted by softdown

Is the solution as simple as replacing the sanding pad very frequently? These costs about $25-$30 or so. Or is there a way to rejuvenate the velcro on the sanding pad?

My sanding papers are only staying attached for a minute or so....after several hours of using the sander. Sander in use is a Makita BO5010.

Perhaps I have inferior velcro on my sanding paper? These machines use a hook and loop attachment system.

They get clogged over with dust is one cause.

For heavy grits, say below 80, the best results have been with the stick-on pad. It's a little worn now on the edges after 15 years of leaning on it hard but has been a solid performer and easily cleaned.

[jamhass]

If the velcro is really shot try this trick.

Get a can of the spray-on adhesive used for plastic round drywall corners. Home Depot etc has it. It is lots less expensive than sanding disk adhesive and works really well. It will, however, render the velcro useless.

[jamhass]

ps: If the velcro pad is OK but cheaper disks don't stick to it, put a clean finer grade good disk on, and use it as a sacrificial surface for the adhesive. When changing disks, only use a wee bit of adhesive and try to leave the good disk on the sander.

[JOHNMARDALL]

I've been using the same 7" Makita variable speed sander for more than twenty years and they can't be beat. Cheap Chinese versions won't last a day of the work that a Makita will do, day after day, year after year. Your problem is the backing pad - it's worn out and needs to be replaced. Nothing lasts forever, and the pads, disks, brushes, rollers, spreaders, etc used in fiberglass work have very short life spans compared with great grandfather's beautiful wood chisels, planes, etc,. which will be fine for your great grandson if kept sharp and clean.

Good luck

John Mardall
Vetus Maxwell Group

[softdown]

I consider the Makita 5" to be ideal due to its high speed and very light weight. The humming sound is fine and the vibration is fine.

Interesting to see people push everything from the cheapest to the most expensive. I needed better technique....such as clean the velcro on the sander and turn off the sander before lifting if from the surface. Ordered a disc because these things do wear out. Sanding blisters and very old paint is a very big job.

The vibration and sound of very cheap sanders is nauseating.

[parado]

Just find a good hook 5" replacement sheet, and glue that directly on your worn out pad with contact cement. You will have to punch out the dust holes. Often the pad is fine, the hook fibers are crushed flat and spits off the sheets. 3 dollar fix.

[rognvald]

My Porter-Cable is 28 years old and I am replacing my second pad now. It is not the velcro but the old style with a plain surface that uses the glue-backed self-adhesive pads--5". When I'm finished with my sander, I use an air gun to spray/blow all of the opening vents for accumulated dust and also spray/blow the face of the pad. I agree with another poster to buy the best tools and you'll never be disappointed with your purchase. Good luck and safe sailing.

[Sailorbob8599]

I suffer severe Arthritis in my back, legs, feet and hands. Tool vibration is something I cannot tolerate. I had to find a new Random Orbit Sander with minimum or zero vibration because, using a cheap model sander I found the pain was far too much to bear.
Luckily for me there was a Tool Show on locally with every manufacturer displaying their wares, with the added bonus of being able to actually "test-operate" the product on real wood under real work conditions.
I spent over 3 hours trying just about every make and model on display. I finally settled on a Bosch Model 3725 DVS as the one with zero vibration, and I do mean ZERO!
I finished building my boat over the next few years and never once had a problem with arthritic pain, losing pads or discs. I used it for quite a few years and it still works well.
As others have said: Sand only FLAT, DO NOT press too hard, if anything, I tend to use not much more than just the weight of the sander for downward pressure. If you feel a need to press much harder, simply change the sanding disc.
Use compressed air to blow out all dust from vents after you've finished a job and from in-between the pad base and the body of the sander. In other words, clean it well after every job.
I have only ever used top quality discs recommended by Bosch, because I'm firmly in the camp of those who believe "you get only what you pay for".