Sanding discs ?

[sed9888]

Hi I have noticed a lot of people that I have seen using the aforementioned are using what looks like either a material sanding disc or a cushioned one can anyone shed any light on this< what do you use on your random orbital sander

 

[Doug71]

You might mean the Abranet type discs which are like a mesh rather than traditional sandpaper, they last longer and are better for dust extraction.

https://www.axminstertools.com/mirka-abranet-abrasive-discs-150mm-ax851133
The down side is when using them the velcro on your sander can wear quickly so they recommend you use a pad saver to stop this, maybe this is the cushion you have seen?

https://www.axminstertools.com/mirka-pad-saver-150mm-67-hole-each-953278

 

[peter-harrison]

I think you are talking about Abranet and similar. It's very good stuff- lasts longer than normal sandpaper, and it extracts well because it's permeable all over. It has two drawbacks- it's a bit fragile so if you are sanding things with edges and corners, it tends to tear quite easily- and it kills the velcro on your sander so you need to use backing pads.