Hook and Loop Pad Wears out on Random Orbital??

I snagged the offer at Amazon for a free ROS in part because a friend says that he keeps three or four !! ROSs loaded with a different grit paper mainly because the Hook and Loop facing on the sanding pad will "rip off" or "wear out". The fewer changes, the better the life.

Can someone confirm this or share your experience with changing the hook and loop material if it does wear out? Does it vary by manufacturer or is it a common problem with all ROSs?

Thanks.

It do wear out. And you can replace it. I too use a couple of different ROS but not to prevent wearing out, just because it is handier than "peel-off/put-on" repeatedly through out a sanding deal. Often when you sand larger projects you miss a piece or you miss a spot or something and have to step back to previous grit, PITA to have to repeat the "peel-off/put-on" process again... so, just keep a second (or third) in the loop. Your pal uses the same technique as I but defends his quest for more tools by justifying as Trifty and Preventive... I just admit I need tools-a-plenty and am basicly lazy.

Ken

They do wear out. The worst enemy is excessive pressure rather than "on/off" use. For whatever reason, I have a specific problem with pads on a festool and to be honest have decided that when this one dies I will discontinue use of that sander and replace it with another metabo. I use 2 metabos and a festool at different workstations. Festool hook pads last me only a few months. Metabos have been going strong for 2 years+ - and I get through a lot of disks.

Yup. Mine got to where it wouldn't stay one. Couldn't find a replacement either except for buying the whole stinking pad at $30+. So, I had to hunt but I found sheets of Velcro from ..... Woodworkers Supply I think? Just cut my own, glued it on the old pad. 2 sheets cost me less than $15 I think it was. Should get 6 replacements out of it.

Yes, excessive pressure is a problem with hook and loop type pads. I like Jeff's suggestion about making your own.

OK, thanks for the information. Lotsa learning here on FW.

Ken

most of industry uses psa not h&l, 3-m makes psa pads in several different densities for most common sanders. the biggest plus i find is that i can run cloth backed silicon carbide discs....these give me more than double the life of any other discs i`ve used.

I had one run of cheap-o discs that would not stay on but this was just bad product. I agree that leaning into an H&L sander will kill the pad more rapidly. Let the weight of the sander do the work. If you need more power (insert Tim Allen grunt here) go to PSA with a heavy clth backing as Tod refers to.

As to how fast they wear out, I have a 2 year old C-man that was like $30. He gets all the ugly work I won't use the better sanders on but I don't abuse him. Hooks still hang on fine.