Abranet hand sanding kit

[marcros]

Has anybody got this kit http://www.restexpress.co.uk/acatalog/M ... 0x125.html

i have used the abranet 150mm disks on my ROS, and really like them. Was wondering about this system- it isnt cheap, but comes with 50 strips, which are about £17 themselves. The larger pad set is slightly cheaper, but i think that this one might be a bit more useful.

I would be interested in any reviews, good or bad.

 

[Glynne]

I bought all of these individually over a few years and would thoroughly recommend them.
I tend to use the double sided pad for "rougher" work and the palm sander for fine finishing. Slightly counter intuitively, you have to reduce the suction (by opening the hole on the hose attachment) as you work down the grits otherwise the downward pressure increases and your fine grit starts to act like a more coarser one.

 

[AndyT]

I have the same block but use it with some flexible hose I already had. Bought from Screwfix on a special offer then topped up with sheets from shows or eBay. Used with my workshop vac, it's brilliant. Controlled, dust free sanding. The sheets last a long time too.
The coarser grades are good for paint and plaster preparation and are much better than trying to catch dust on dustsheets, so you get mess-free diy as a bonus. Highly recommended.

 

[toysandboats]

Like Andy T, I got the hose and block from Screwfix and I buy the sheets from various eBay sites. Very fast removal and no mess - it's all inside the vacuum cleaner. Wouldn't think of using anything else

David

 

[chippy1970]

I borrowed the bigger yellow mirka hand sander the other week to rub down some easy fill at home. Connected to my midi vac it was almost dust free and very quick

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk

 

[Peter Sefton]

We love it in the workshop and use the small 125x70mm block most of the time for our small furniture work, I feel the 198x70mm is better suited to larger panel work or plaster work/decorating on site. Here is a short article I wrote for British Woodworking a couple of years ago (before we started selling it)
http://www.peterseftonfurnitureschool.c ... spart2.pdf
One bit of advice when using it you get a better finish if you sand with the block rotated by about 30 degrees rather than sanding with the block in straight lines, this is because the weft and warp pattern in the abrasive fabric can leave a small scratch pattern. Double check the prices sometime the sanding kits are more expensive than buying in separates.
Cheers Peter

 

[marcros]

Peter,

I may be misunderstanding the various parts to they system, and what I need.

Is the hand sanding block contained within the professional starter kit just another option to use, and not required to use the tool itself?

If so, I may as well just get the separate parts and do without that block.

 

[djwalsh]

I also bought the same kit in seperate parts.
Great in the workshop and on site.
The "hand sanding block" is an add on, can't comment on it's use as I don't have that bit.
The hose is a must though, as larger vac hoses seem heavy and cumbersome with the small sanding pad.
Cheers

 

[Peter Sefton]

Peter,

I may be misunderstanding the various parts to they system, and what I need.

Is the hand sanding block contained within the professional starter kit just another option to use, and not required to use the tool itself?

If so, I may as well just get the separate parts and do without that block.

Marcros I don't use double sided hand sanding block as although the Abranet will work perfectly well it will still be dusty as this part is not extracted, I also don't tend to use the hand interface pad, this is useful if you use the block to sand curves or bull noses. It looks like Glynne does use the double sided block so it may depend on how you intend to use it.
We break our abrasive sheets in to packs of ten as thats the way most of our customers buy it but can sell in 50's if required.
Cheers Peter

 

[Glynne]

Just to clarify, when I say I use the double sided block for "rougher" work I mean things like knocking off corners, cleaning up rough saw cuts. As Peter says, it does get dusty especially when you change grits as dust gets trapped in the weave. The block is very good for rubbing down paintwork although it would be better described as having a firm and firmer sides. The real benefit of the block for me is that my wife will use it whereas she hates using sandpaper and a cork block.
You might want to try a tester pack of Abranet (all the grits) as I'm not sure whether you would use 10 of the 80 grit - this is seriously abrasive and lasts forever. I tend to go for the finer grits 240 - 600 but it obviously depends on what you are making.

 

[marcros]

i got a mixed box of the 150mm disks when i first tried the abranet for just that reason. Then just restock with boxes of the ones that i use most often.

 

[Peter Sefton]

i got a mixed box of the 150mm disks when i first tried the abranet for just that reason. Then just restock with boxes of the ones that i use most often.

Sounds like a good plan