Festool / Trend / Mirka / Cheap / Cheapest Sanding Discs Compared😀

#trend #mirka #festool
I've been looking forward to doing this video for a while. In it I will be comparing 7 different types of 150mm sanding discs from the cheapest in the UK to currently the most expensive. I've set up an experiment with the focus on two factors and I have to say I found the results really interesting and I hope they might be of some interest to you when choosing your next discs for your random orbit sander.
I hope you enjoy the video and please give it a thumbs up or consider subscribing to the channel. Best wishes, Leo
Other videos of possible interest:
Mirka Deros v Festool ETS-EC 150
• Mirka Deros 5650CV v F...
Find us on Facebook:
/ handicraft.handicraft....
You can follow us on Instagram:
/ l_and_p_hand_i_craft
You can contact us at: [e-mail]
Links to some stuff I use featured in the video. As an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases made through these links:
Festool ETS 150mm Random Orbital Sander:
amzn.to/2WuDR1L
Trend Stealth Facemask:
amzn.to/3j3IZ63
Trend Aluminium Oxide Sanding Discs:
amzn.to/39wtY9M
877Line Sanding Discs:
www.amicusuk.co/abrasives
Mirka Iridium Sanding Discs:
amzn.to/3omA6Hb
Trend Mesh Discs:
amzn.to/39AwOuG
Mirka Abranet Discs:
amzn.to/3j1ak94
Festool Granat Discs:
amzn.to/2MkhYzt
Amazon 'Cheapest' Discs:
amzn.to/3j2NM7M

[@johnfisher1868]

Hi Leo - what a great video idea and comparison. Very informative and fair. Your channel is one of my absolute favorites - please keep up the good work!

[@Hand-i-Craft]

Thank you John, that is so kind and genuinely appreciated. Hope you found it if some use, best wishes, Leo 👍👍

[@robmills4709]

Thanks Leo, again great video, what a laborious task, good info.

[@Hand-i-Craft]

Cheers Robert. Yes it did take a good while, but I thought I’d find it interesting to see what actually happens with the discs side by side. When you get some good tunes on in the headphones you kind of zone out, well I do anyway 😂

[@kevinsimpson7114]

Excellent review Leo and extremely worthwhile and informative. I will be definitely going down the mid-range route after your review, cheers.👍🏻

[@Hand-i-Craft]

I’ve said to a couple of folk, I think it’s worth a try Kevin. You can buy the ‘mid’ price ones in 5’s or 10’s. You’ll pay a bit more per disc but it’ll give you a good idea of the difference between an alternative product and the one you’re currently using😀👍

[@PhillWyattProjects]

A well thought out and very informative comparison. I like the look of those funky purple ones 👍

[@Hand-i-Craft]

Just been using the Trend discs today Phill on my latest project. Really impressed with them, they’re quite aggressive so you have to be careful but they also seem to have great longevity 👍👍

[@ericmann1781]

Just discovered your channel, I really like your testing methodology and your well thought out conclusions. In other words, you just got a new subscriber ;)

[@Hand-i-Craft]

Thanks Eric for the kind feedback, much appreciated 😀👍

[@stuartbryant8545]

Hi Leo, great video as usual. I have just bought the festool ETS EC 150/5, Ive not used it yet, I decided to get the festool discs (250 of them) £££ however after watching this I'm happy with my choice. thanks Leo have a great week.🙂

[@Hand-i-Craft]

Cheers Stuart, you’ve made a great choice with the ETS, it’s an incredible sander 😀👍. The granat discs are excellent and totally understand pairing up the company discs with the sander. You won’t be disappointed 😀😀

[@Rumouruk]

Hey Leo. Thanks for that great review. Another thing to mention is the velcro fastening. I bought some cheapie disks from Toolstation and had trouble trying to get them to stay on my Bosch random. But cured with the more expensive.

[@Hand-i-Craft]

Thanks Pete and it’s something I’d never even considered. A very good point though😀😀👍👍

[@sawdustandsurvival]

These tests are so handy. Thanks for taking the time to do them as it can help us all make an informed buying decision that we just wouldn't have otherwise.

[@Hand-i-Craft]

Thanks Andy. I actually found this interesting doing it so hope it’ll be of some use to someone 👍😀

[@sawdustandsurvival]

I found it useful. Because I only normally work with pine (unless I have a nice skip find) and don't intend to go beyond that I don't use much sanding because planed wood is almost adequate, so a quick blast is all I need. It made me recognise that when I'm out of my current sanding pads, I'll use some of those that remove material faster and leave a nice finish.

[@kstewart3657]

Really helpful video. I agree completely with you about the cheapies. Bought a bundle and quickly found out they were anything but cheap in use. Now I can make a balanced decision when buying more discs. Thank you. 👍

[@Hand-i-Craft]

Thanks Keith again for your very kind feedback. Some folk must think I’m mental to be sanding for hours, but tbh I found it really interesting to compare discs directly next to each other over a range of prices. It’s not like you get the chance to do that everyday so thought my findings might be useful. Take care, Leo 😀👍

[@frankslittleworkshop]

😁 Leo... that was perfect 👍. Thanks mate. Very well executed, clear, unbiased and just spot on. Great job. As you know I've been a "cheap as chips" fella for years... but you have convinced me to up my game..... just as soon as I've used the 200 Amazon discs I've just got..... so in about 10 minutes 🤣😂. Thanks mate apreceate your efforts.... now get outside and finish the fence 🤣😂👍

[@Hand-i-Craft]

Thanks Frank. Fence finished now and I’m really happy with it👍👍. I’d certainly consider upgrading when you next need to renew. Honestly pal even I was shocked at the difference between the finish, but more so the wear on the disc. Take care Frank 😀👍

[@hythewoodworkdesigns]

Great review Leo. Really got me thinking about why I keep going to Toolstation to pick up the cheap Toolpak discs. Time for a change me thinks. Thanks bud. Have a great weekend. G

[@Hand-i-Craft]

Thanks Gary. Been busy back out in the garden today. Got all the main feather boards on now (186 it was in the end😂) so just need to do the small gaps now between the concrete posts. Definitely recommend spending even a bit more for discs, those 877line discs are really good and a good price point between cheap and premium. Premium ones will last for ages with a great finish👍👍

[@Figure11_Home_and_Garden]

interesting review and test and a well thought out conclusion which I agree with completely

[@Hand-i-Craft]

Thank you Russel, so many ways you could compare them but I do think finish and longevity are the key factors for most folks when picking a disc👍😀

[@joshuabray37]

Thanks for the review! I’ve had a dewalt for about 10 years and usually get the Amazon Basics pads. Yeah, they last about 10 or 15 minutes and aren’t great… I just got a Festool sander and want better pads. So, this is very helpful.

[@Hand-i-Craft]

Thanks Joshua, very kind of you. Good luck with the Festool, fantastic piece of kit😀👍

[@johnfithian-franks8276]

Interesting results, I was thinking about giving the top end disks a try but I think I will be staying with oxide disks as I have quite a lot of these and I have found that they seem to last for a long time against the cheaper disks that I got from Lidle. You have my vote as anyone willing to spend that much time sanding for our education deserves our gratitude.

[@Hand-i-Craft]

Thank you John, very kind of you 😀. The likes of abranet have a very loyal following, I think just as much for their excellent dust collection as well as their sanding capabilities. As an all rounder the cheap to mid price discs excel just as much for their longevity as their quality of finish 👍👍

[@angus5041]

Great vid Leo i usually play it safe as a rule and go mid range . I was once told buy cheap buy twice .

[@Hand-i-Craft]

Very true Jim, totally agree👍👍

[@davidatkinson3336]

I personally like and use the Abranet discs. I find they last a long time and when done with are excellent for finer denibbing work. I sanded four walls with two 80s grit Abernet discs on a Dewalt orbital. Great video keep up the good work.

[@Hand-i-Craft]

Thanks David. I know the abranet discs have a loyal following. They give a great finish and the dust collection is exceptional👍👍

[@lowesjoinery3031]

Hello Leo i have known about your channel for a while and found out through our fellow KZbin Mr 10minutes lol gotta say what a great channel ypu have very clean and easy to watch I was brought here on your deros recommendation.. that I'm totally ignoring haha but seriously great channel iv subbed and liked and will be looking forward to upcoming vids .. staysafe arran

[@Hand-i-Craft]

Cheers Arran. Thank you for the very kind comments here. Take care, Leo 😀👍

[@TheWardagh]

Great stuff. Only ever used the cheapest ones but this has definitely made me reconsider. Thank you.

[@Hand-i-Craft]

Thanks Mark. Have a look at the 877line discs next time you’re buying. There is a link to the website. The guy’s name is Rob and he runs an independent shop in London. Top bloke and those discs are really good. Same guy I get the Heidelberg hard wax oil from👍

[@TheWardagh]

@@Hand-i-Craft will have a look, much appreciated.

[@luvwud]

Nice one Leo very difficult topic but well layed out test. As hobbyist we all look for value for money, but I've found buy the the best you can afford, then you only buy once .

[@Hand-i-Craft]

Spot on Geoff. This test if anything for me highlighted what poor value for money the cheapest ones are. Best value is probably the 877line. But when you get to the premium brands they really do show their class👍

[@JamesManCave]

Nice test that Leo, I wanted to do something similar my self, but wasn't sure how to put it all together, but this worked well.

[@Hand-i-Craft]

Thanks James. So many different ways to do these types of comparisons but I didn’t want to over complicate it, so kept it simple with finish and wear 👍

[@DeafMaker]

Thanks so much for this video, totally agree with you regarding the cheap ones. Bought a bunch on eBay, but they do working after a short time. Defo false economy not too mention the environmental foot print with wasted sand paper. You've saved me a lot of research being a total noob when it comes to sandpaper. At the moment I am leaning toward the trend based on your video. Hopefully better quality and paper will land to a more enjoyable sanding experience... Can you enjoy sanding? 😃😃😃 Thanks again for a brilliant video. Been considering looking at other

[@Hand-i-Craft]

Cheers Dafydd, I found those cheap ones a bit of a waste tbh. Best value in the test are probably the 877line, really interesting to compare them all side by side and see the subtle differences between them 👍👍

[@eldoradocraftsman3733]

Very good 👏🏾👏🏾. I’ve Just bought a Makita and haven’t used it yet. I think the Trend discs may be the way to go for me. 👍🏾

[@Hand-i-Craft]

Definitely give them a try Ashley. I’d try the aluminium oxide discs, you can buy them in packs of 10 (if you click on the link in my description I’ll get a couple of pence commission😀), you pay a bit more when buying in smaller quantities but at least you can try them out and see if you like them or not👍👍. Cheers, Leo 😀

[@taylo256]

Good review Leo used cheep ones now thinking next purchase pay the little bit more and then change less and less thrown away when knackered.

[@Hand-i-Craft]

Thanks James. I went into this experiment with a very open mind and didn’t know what to expect, but I was surprised in the difference between how poorly the cheapest discs lasted in comparison to the 877line just above them. There was a huge gap in terms of the effect the sanding had on them.

[@katabrontes]

Hi Leo First may I thank you for the work you put in to this video. Hours of sanding in the freezing cold - as they say in USA AWSOME!! I have a lot of Festool discs including the mesh ones which I bought when I got my ETS 150/3 and RO90. I find that on the RO90 the edges of the discs get shredded very quickly and the abrasive wears off quite fast as well. Using it to take the proud edge off MDF skirting above a softwood batten I used two or three discs to do about 4-5M of skirting. Of course the RO is much more aggressive that the ETS and my technique might be very good as I haven't used these sanders a lot yet. It is harder to keep the RO90 flat on the surface so the edges do get more punishment. I found the mesh discs on the ETS tended to tear at the edges quite easily as well and didn't seem to last very long. Maybe with more practice I might get better results. Time will tell. However given my experience with the Granat discs I suspect I would shred the cheapies in seconds! Keep well and safe Mike

[@Hand-i-Craft]

Cheers Mike. I too have had issues with the mesh discs and I briefly referenced it in the video. When I’ve used abranet discs in the past I’ve found them quite ‘fragile’ and they rip easily around the edges so I’m more inclined to the robust likes of the granat / iridium / oxide discs. As someone explained to me the mesh discs are better suited to sheet goods like MDF panels as they are great at dust extraction but not much demands on the robustness of them🤷‍♂️. I’m not sure pal but seems like a logical explanation

[@creepycrawlything]

As a user of Screwfix/Toolstation cheapest discs. Use multi-stage multi-grit sanding: so 60/80/120/150 progression as needed. Give your discs a quick clean after sanding use (Titan Sanding Cleaner); gives a seemingly done disc, new life; time and time again. These considerations arguing for cheap discs, the moreso when softwood and man-made materials are most used. When we take the cost of high end sanders into consideration, the value argument gets stronger. Certainly for DIY users likely to get as "good" (good enough) a "finish" from cheaper sanders and discs as from higher-end sanders and discs. Opinion setters who involve themselves in the commercial system almost inevitably draw us into spending way more money than is justified. Even the argument for professional users using high-end, isn't always as justified as imagined.

[@Hand-i-Craft]

Thanks Colin for your comments and I welcome all feedback. I think in the hands of a skilled craftsman they can use cheap materials to achieve an excellent standard of work. I’m not sure if you are saying cheap discs are better on softwoods or sheet goods, apologies I’m not quite sure what you meant there. I’ll have to disagree with you on the ‘opinion setters’ comment though. You’ve watched plenty of my channel and I thought I’d have enough collateral to be open and honest in whatever I do. Did Trend and Mirka gift me these discs? Yes they did. Am I under any ‘conditions’ to offer favourable comments about them? Absolutely not. If that would have been a condition I simply would not have taken them as it jeopardises the integrity of my channel. I’ve been offered sponsorship deals with conditions on what I said and I gave them a simple flat no. I’m sorry if you think being gifted these products has altered my approach and honesty, but I can assure you it hasn’t. The facts of the experiment back this up. On this piece of oak the cheapest discs were destroyed, seriously it messed them up big time. The difference between them and the next up 877line (both of which I paid with my own money) was massive. In terms of value for money throughout the whole experiment, I’d lean towards the 877line.

[@creepycrawlything]

@@Hand-i-Craft I'm more considering the holistic aspect of usage, and simply defending the cheap options against details of what you had to say. A complexity in that was your starting point of "finish"; albeit you branched into considerations of efficiency. What emerges from a holistic consideration of what tools and consumables are better for users, across the whole spectrum of those users; is that what is best is relative to users and usage. So rating becomes very complex. Regards the idea that there is something about KZbin videos that sees them allying with producers/sellers; that takes us back to the idea of "finish" as a primary criteria. There should be a relation between cost and incremental improvements on any particular criteria of evaluation; but the prevailing focus on those incremental improvements is seeing KZbin videos drawing users into increasing expenditure. This isn't a dynamic of anything individually questionable, rather its simply a flow-effect of the circumstance into which these videos are playing. In the case of this video of yours, I judge that tendency ends with a less than fair evaluation of cheap discs (as those might be sourced from reliable suppliers such as Screwfix and Toolstation and others). Regards your technical point about softwood and manmade materials; it is possible that they might be well suited to those two materials: albeit that wasn't the point I was making; rather I was saying that as a good proportion of DIYers use those two materials which are readily available and suitable to their skill level, that cheap discs (used properly) are more than good enough relative to that usage. I also think that the matter of cleaning discs is something to always mention; where some of the more expensive discs might or might not be suitable for such cleaning.. So bottom line, things are much more relative to usage-factors (your reference to the subjective bears on that) that any linear rating allows for.

[@creepycrawlything]

@@Hand-i-Craft Another point about cheap discs, is that when they come off the sander, their use life is only beginning. They are stiffer than sheet sandpaper, so very useful for hand sanding, very useful for getting into narrow grooves. Where even at this stage of their use life, cleaning clogging off the disc is crucial. None of that might be relevant if "finish" and on hardwood is the criteria for value.

[@driftslipandslide]

Great review Leo, I'm very impressed by the discs that still look brand new. I might look at getting some better discs 😁

[@Hand-i-Craft]

Cheers Chilli Man. Next time you’re due for fresh supplies, try one of the mid priced brands. You can buy them in packs of 5 or 10 to try out and see what you think 🤷‍♂️😀👍

[@driftslipandslide]

@@Hand-i-Craft thanks Leo, I definitely will. The 120grit and 1000, 1500 and 2000 grits I use are great. They last a long time. The 240, 320 and 400 grits I use usually only last 1 job 😁😁😁 keep up the great work mate.

[@TheStrongwomans]

Awesome video great info 👍👍👍

[@Hand-i-Craft]

Cheers Shadowvaper, much appreciated 😀👍

[@steveg3802]

Was looking to purchase the M3 Cubitron II Abrasive Discs. So would have been nice to see them. After seeing the trend ones opted for those as they sell them in packs of 10 so brought 5 pack with different grits. Great video as like others I have only been using the cheaper pads so looking forward to trying out the better ones now.

[@Hand-i-Craft]

Thanks Steve, haven’t seen the discs you mentioned. Let me know how you get on with the Trend discs, be interesting to hear other people’s opinions👍👍

[@BensWorkshop]

Very informative Leo. Many thanks. I think you are right about the cheapie cheap disks.

[@Hand-i-Craft]

Thanks Benedict. I see the appeal of the cheap discs, but the reality is they are a false economy. It’s well worth even spending just a bit more and it is so much better value for money😀👍

[@BensWorkshop]

@@Hand-i-Craft Yes, the 26p a disc one is much better value than the 17p discs.

[@Hand-i-Craft]

Agreed👍😀

[@whomadethatsaltysoup]

Great comparison! Like other 'cave people' I spend an awful lot of time sanding. That's why my sander, like yours, costs considerably more than my table saw. I couldn't justify the Festool, but went ahead and bought the Bosch with the anti vibration - very comfortable to use for long periods. Not sure if it compares with the Festool, as I have no experience with that eye-wateringly expensive puppy. I've not used the mesh jobbies yet, but might give it a go, as I've heard the dust collection is superior to the cheapo Tacklife and Screwfix discs. Again, thanks for sharing your well thought out review!

[@Hand-i-Craft]

Thanks again for the feedback👍. Certainly would recommend trying out some of the ‘mid price’ brands like Trend as the discs last for ages! Do think they give a nicer finish in a much shorter time as well. You can buy them in packs of 5 now I think so maybe worth a try. Or have a go at my 4K subs giveaway and good luck as you might win some!😀😀😀

[@sumosprojects]

Very nice review Leo, I’ve been using Abranet for years mate & love them but good old James from Fixitfingers in Sydney spent weeks doing a review similar to yours that you might find interesting. Be safe & stay strong Cobber 🍻🍻👍👍👍👍

[@Hand-i-Craft]

Thanks Sumo, I’ll have a butchers at the other video. I’m back outside this morning fitting the fencing but I’m just waiting for the feather boards to thaw out as they’re current frozen together 😳😳😂😂

[@adrianskelton9910]

Great review, has definitely made me think about investing in some higher quality discs as opposed to just grabbing the cheap ones.

[@Hand-i-Craft]

It was really interesting to make a direct comparison right next to each other Adrian. I think the best advice I could give is buy a pack of 5 of the better ones and see what you think🤷‍♂️😀

[@adrianskelton9910]

@@Hand-i-Craft yea, i think that's what I'll end up doing, i used to work for toolstation and so their cheap ones have always been my default, but now i think I'll have to do a bit of experimenting.

[@SujMenon]

Thats a really good comparison, Leo. I agree the sentiment on the cheapest sandpapers.They are cheap, but wears out quicker, especially if you are trying to say, smooth out edges. I think I worn out my bosch sander pad with those discs.. 😁

[@Hand-i-Craft]

Cheers Suj and thank you for the comment. I thought before starting it that the cheapest discs would struggle against the others, but honestly pal they were destroyed after 15mins of sanding each! If you factor in damaging your sanding pad then it really is a false economy when buying cheap. What are you using now? 😀

[@SujMenon]

@@Hand-i-Craft haha..I am still running through the cheap amazon pack that I bought 2 years ago. Got a few more (maybe 20 papers more) to go, before replacing them with higher quality ones.

[@idlersdream826]

Good review Leo, I've used the Mirka Abranet for years now, find them very good 👍.

[@Hand-i-Craft]

Cheers Idler😀. Can I just ask please what is your primary use for the abranet discs? Is it sheet goods like MDF or soft or hard woods? It’s just out of interest. Cheers , Leo 😀

[@idlersdream826]

@@Hand-i-Craft Actually, it’s the Mirka sheets for my Festool RTS400 and now that I’m semiretired I use it for any projects in the workshop, so, sheet materials & any wood I can get hold of. I originally bought it for use with my Festool vac when carrying out decorating jobs as part of my handyman business, the Mirka sheets being recommended, but I’m cutting back on those types of big jobs, too knackering 😂. Really enjoy your channel Leo, very inspiring, hope the new workshop is progressing well. Cheers, Bill.

[@GrumpysWorkshop4]

Interesting video. I've only ever used the cheapest discs as I'm a skinflint lol

[@Hand-i-Craft]

😂👍The cheap discs are hugely popular pal and Amazon must sell tonnes of them. I’m sure they’ll probably perform better on softwoods like pine and would last longer, but the oak absolutely destroyed them!

[@darrenbrignell8482]

great video mate well put together. I'm choosing paper for my new festoon ETS 3 150 so this was very helpful I would like to ask how you get on with sanding in the colder months with damp getting into the paper as I've experienced problems with that myself so keep all my paper in a ziplock bag which helps but try and keep my workshop projects for the warmer seasons. Thanks again.

[@Hand-i-Craft]

Cheers Darren. I’m really lucky now as I’ve got my new workshop which fortunately means no damp environment to worry about. Like you said I use to pack them in some kind of freezer bag 👍👍. Worth looking at the mid priced discs as I think they are the best value 👍👍

[@vierkleursalwapper9592]

I use the Mirka Abranet strips in finishing big table tops. I haven't found anything that can keep up with it. I use P80 to get it level, P120 and P220 to finish. I won't trade it for any other product. And they don't dull easily. PS: I sand by hand.

[@Hand-i-Craft]

It’s great stuff Vierkleur. Do you use the original or the Ace version? 😀

[@vierkleursalwapper9592]

@@Hand-i-Craft, the original version

[@TheErador]

Most things that are absolutely bottom priced, are a false economy, always best to save a little more and get something midrange. Lasts longer and generally nicer to use. Not saying there aren't exceptions, but it's a good starting point! Cheap sand paper is just that, low quality adhesive holding adequate abrasive to low quality paper, leading to more waste and ultimately probably the same cost as the more expensive ones in terms of sheets used.

[@Hand-i-Craft]

Totally agree Niall. I’d say the 877line discs would easily last 10 times longer than the cheapest for 9p a disc more so the cheapest ones really are a false economy. Then the premium brands honestly do take it to another level again with longevity and quality of finish.

[@richardkeith2778]

Thanks for doing this so I dont have to !! I have an Erbauer 150mm ROS, and performance is markedly better with Abranet than the Entry Level and mid-priced discs I have tried. My main requirement for a sander is dust extraction, followed by how much I have to use it, and the Abranet allows the £80 Erbauer to punch well above its weight in both those categories. I figure the money I saved on buying cheap allows me to get the more expensive Abranet. I appreciate that ergonomics might have greater emphasis for you I'm guessing that a similar test on entry level tools would make for a much bigger contrast across disc brands

[@Hand-i-Craft]

Thanks Richard, sorry I missed this message originally and good to hear your positive experiences with Abranet👍

[@myfaceback100]

I found the same with sanding disks i used 6 sheets of Festool and did a full house of trim and skirting one for each grit, i have found you don't save by getting cheep sandpaper as you have to buy nearly 10 to 1 Interesting video would love to see more videos like this

[@Hand-i-Craft]

Nice one, cheers for the kind feedback, much appreciated and totally agree about buying better in regards to the discs!

[@rasmo243]

Interesting results definitely food for thought 94P per disc does it do the housework as well lol will consider trying some of them when i have to restock thanks Leo.

[@Hand-i-Craft]

I know Rasmo. At 94p I’d expect just to switch it on and come back in 30mins and it’s all beautifully sanded😂😂. They are very good, but I’m sorry they are nowhere near twice as good as the Festool Granat / Mirka Iridium discs. On the flip side the 877line 26p disc are head and shoulders better than the 17p cheap discs. They’ll last a long time whereas the cheapies were pretty destroyed in this experiment

[@aapoapina7390]

Was surprised that some of the discs didnt have much holes in them. The holes are more than for just dust exctraction. For example the festool ones have much of holes because the sander itself also push a littlebit of air out to cool the disc itself and remove the dust out of the sanded surface better. That makes the disc last longer and increases the dust exctraction. Ofcourse the mesh ones doesnt have this problem, but if you block the sanders holes with "non-hole-papers" it may cause problems.

[@Hand-i-Craft]

I was interested to see it too Aapo but they seemed to work fine. I wasn’t prepared to do two hours on each disc to see what happened😂😂. I think 15mins each grit was enough😀👍. Cheers for the comment, much appreciated 👍👍😀

[@wilbearworks]

Thanks for that Leo. I find that most of my sanding is on cabinets and as such, I smash the edges of the discs sanding into corners, to a point I can't use the discs anymore so throw them away. You know what the next test could be? Sanding a center panel of, say a cabinet door to see how they fair trying to sand up to a frame? Good thought-provoking video.

[@Hand-i-Craft]

Good point and I agree with you Wil. That’s why I was never a big fan of Abranet discs as they shred pretty easily on the edges, but as someone pointed out to me and I referenced it in the video, they aren’t really designed for that kind of use. Could be worth investigating what discs are more suited to that style of sanding🤔🤔😀👍

[@wilbearworks]

@@Hand-i-Craft I love a volunteer.

[@Hand-i-Craft]

😂😂

[@alasdairmackenzie515]

Interesting stuff, Leo. For myself, I do rather like the Abranet and I use them with the intermediate pad on the ETS. I also like the Bosch - more or less identical - and I'm waiting to try some SIANET... Came across them during a search and they look interesting. A mesh and relatively cheap - figure they might be worth a punt... PS Has that book arrived...? Best aye.

[@Hand-i-Craft]

Thanks Alasdair and no book yet. I have some SIA discs that I bought from Rob at Amicus. They are the 800, 1500 and 3000 grit discs for when I’m doing resin work. The 800 / 1500 ones aren’t mesh though and the 3000 is a glorified polishing pad. Great for finishing work before polishing 😀

[@alasdairmackenzie515]

@@Hand-i-Craft HI Leo, What do you reckon to the 80, 120, 180 grit etc, if you've tried them...? Didn't realise SIA were from Amicus...! Best aye.

[@Hand-i-Craft]

I think you can get SIA discs in various outlets Alasdair. I’m guessing Rob stocks them as the 877line only go up to a certain grit? I’m only guessing mind. In regards to the 877line I haven’t seen them anywhere else and they are great value for money and the quality is really good

[@davidroth7586]

Hi leo grate review im, a kitchen fitter specialising in polma work tops takes a lot of sanding and polishing, been using the fistool disks on my dewalt for as long as i can remember but the dust collection is terrible. Going to giv the trend a go. Do you think the mesh are worth the extra cash. Cheers dave

[@Hand-i-Craft]

Thanks for the message Dave. You can buy the mesh discs in 5’s or 10’s so it might be worth giving them a try. Same for the Trend aluminium oxide discs. Personally I think it’s hard to justify the cost of the mesh discs over the mid priced products but might be worth investigating on a small scale😀

[@Pistol_Knight]

The advantage the cheap one have is you now have a 240g & 300g! what's not to like :)

[@Hand-i-Craft]

The ones I used were a polishing pad by the end of this experiment Pistol😂😂😂

[@johnwatson8192]

Another very informative video. A couple of questions if I may: 1) would you normally sand a piece like that for 30mins? 2) Is the wear rate of the pads related to the force of the extraction i.e. the higher the extraction rate the greater the downward force the higher the wear rate?

[@Hand-i-Craft]

Thanks John for the message. I’ve been wanting to do something like this for a while and I wanted it to be a fair a test as possible in terms of controlling the variables. When deciding what I thought folk would be most interested in, I concluded it would be what the disc does to the wood (the finish) but also what the wood does to the disc (wear). I then looked around to see what wood I had to conduct it and the oak sleeper seemed the best option as it meant all discs would be used on the same piece of wood, albeit a 30cm portion. I then decided to use the same sander and extractor so the application would be the same and the force of extraction would also be the same, this doesn’t account for hole patterns but that is down to the designers of the discs. You obviously wouldn’t sand a piece that size for that period of time, but I didn’t have anything larger wood wise that was cut from the same piece so it could have skewed the results had I used different species of wood for different discs. Plus I thought 30mins in total, 15mins on each disc, was long enough to gauge a finish / wear comparison. Any shorter wouldn’t give much of a comparison and any longer I would have lost the will to live😂. I hope I’ve answered your questions here John. Cheers , Leo

[@johnwatson8192]

@@Hand-i-Craft Thanks Leo, I should have engaged my brain regarding the time as you can hardly judge if the pad is worn after wafting the disc across for a couple of minutes. I must admit that it is not so long ago that I read or saw something about not using maximum extraction rate so that the abrasive can cut more effectively, it seemed to me that you would want the maximum extraction rate unless it was pulling nails out or plaster off the walls but thinking about it I can understand the rationale behind the argument "set the extraction rate so that little or no dust is left on the surface and no higher".

[@Hand-i-Craft]

Interesting that John. I’ve only got off / on for my extractor as it doesn’t have an adjustable speed, but yes I thought in terms of finish quality and longevity it would be better for as much dust to be removed so it isn’t ‘digging’ in to the wood 🤷‍♂️

[@Comeonthehoops]

Great video Leo. I am a fan of Trend brand & have never been disappointed with their products. I own Trend routers, router bits, pocket hole jig & measuring tools, & have never been let down. I will now try the Trend sanding discs. I am in the market for a quality dust mask & would like to ask you about the Trend stealth you are wearing. Like you I were glasses & steaming up can be an issue. How do you find the Trend mask as far a fogging up goes?

[@Hand-i-Craft]

Hello Dave, cheers for the message and yes I fully agree with you about Trend gear. I’ve bought plenty of their stuff so when they got in touch about trying out some of their products I was happy to do so. I don’t have any issues with my glasses steaming up with the stealth mask as long as you get the fitting of it right. It’s the only mask I’ve used that doesn’t steam up my glasses👍. They are sending me a new mask they’ve made that is basically the stealth but with goggles that go over glasses as an all in one. Really looking forward to trying that out as I often neglect the PPE aspect of eyewear

[@Comeonthehoops]

@@Hand-i-Craft great stuff. Will you do a review of that please mate?

[@Hand-i-Craft]

@@Comeonthehoops When it arrives and I’ve put it through it’s paces then definitely, will do Dave👍👍😀😀

[@mrb4408]

Great vid sir, I’ve been using the cheapest for ages, and as you mentioned I’ve spent many hours sanding as they take little off. I’m wanting to step up to better stuff and have looked at mesh, is it much better, as in long life??

[@Hand-i-Craft]

Sorry I missed this message originally B Dog, catching up on some bits and pieces whilst I am laid up! What discs did you end up trying in the end? If you are after longevity and a quality finish, try Iridium or Novastar discs from Mirka, last much longer as they don’t rip compared to the Abranet👍

[@andymarriott8150]

Great video Leo and I totally agree with your false economy point you made I've also discovered with the cheaper discs there's not so much attention to the quality control aspects of the disks with some performing really well others not so well and others a total failure whilst all being of the same grade eg 180 grit from the same packet - so in the case of sanding disks you really do get what you pay for

[@Hand-i-Craft]

Thanks Andy and I totally agree with you on the cheapest discs. I was shocked tbh how easily the oak tore through the abrasive. There was hardly anything left at all. 877line are really good discs and not too much more. Mid priced ones are excellent and in my opinion don’t really justify opting for the premium priced discs😀👍

[@TheLegend-nx3mm]

Hi Hand I Craft, thanks for your excellent video I'm a new subscriber....As a hobby I make verneer boxes and small tables. I have always sanded by hand ....probably why my shoulders are hanging off..🙂....I'm now looking to buy an orbital sander any suggestions on which one to purchase? I was looking at the Milwaukee m18v cordless...? However I see in your video your using festool finishing sander ? The disc comparison is great....I have just started using the sheet aliminium oxide and agree with you there good value...but I now want to go orbital would appreciate your advise. Kind regards Danny uk

[@Hand-i-Craft]

Hello Danny, cheers for your very kind message and it is much appreciated. I don’t have an extensive bank of experience in relation to sanders. I have done a comparison between the Mirka Deros and the Festool ETS EC which you might want to have a look at, plus a video just about the Mirka Deros which you also may consider giving a look. I can’t comment on the Milwaukee cordless as I’ve never tried it, but personally I’ve avoided cordless sanders for two reasons. Firstly more often than not the sander will need attaching to dust extraction which in my book makes the cordless battery aspect a little bit pointless, plus not sure the power of them is up to its corded counterparts yet🤷‍♂️. I know Milwaukee make great tools and if you currently have some of their products it would probably be a good idea to continue with them. The Festool is a fabulous sander but it right at the top end price wise. Let me know how you get on, best wishes, Leo 😀👍

[@mrvincefox]

Any thoughts on 3M xtract?

[@Hand-i-Craft]

I can’t comment Vince unfortunately as I’ve never tried them. Seem to be getting good reviews though 🤷‍♂️

[@mrb4408]

Great vid sir, I’ve been using the cheapest for ages, and as you mentioned I’ve spent many hours sanding as they take little off. I’m wanting to step up to better stuff and have looked at mesh, is it much better, as in long life??

[@Hand-i-Craft]

Thanks Mr B. If you’re looking at longevity as well as quality of finish then stay away from the mesh discs pal. I have experience of the abranet and they aren’t the most ‘robust’ shall we say. They performed great in this experiment, but I’ve used them quite a bit and they do rip on the edges quite easily on anything apart from flat / sheet good type materials. Stepping up I’d try the mid priced ones and see how you get on with them. You can buy them in 5’s or 10’s so it’s worth buying a small number and see how it goes 👍😀

[@mrb4408]

@@Hand-i-Craft .. Thanks for the advise bud, I’ll have a look at the trend ones.