Why Industrial Abrasive Products Work Better
For those of us who enjoy home do-it-yourself projects and hobbies such as model making and metal refinishing, abrasive products are sometimes necessary. Sanding, grinding, polishing and removing tiny burrs can all be a part of completing a project.
Maybe you work with plastic models. They often have tiny burrs on the pieces that must be removed. The same problem can happen with small metal figurines and pieces, and you need to use abrasive tools to remove the burrs carefully.
If you are an antique collector and have pieces that you must gently remove tarnish from, you will use an abrasive. In your home, you might be refinishing a delicate piece of furniture. You will use abrasive tools for that project as well.
Some people opt to use industrial grade abrasive products for their projects. This is a great idea, especially if you are keenly interested in having the finished product look very clean and professionally done.
For collectors, this is important, especially if you intend to show your collection pieces or sell them. Industrial grade abrasives are better because they are made for professional use. These products are used in industry to produce precision parts and tools that must be made to exact specifications. There is no room for error. Using industrial grade abrasive products will give you the same advantage of precision with your hobby and home projects.
Maybe you work with plastic models. They often have tiny burrs on the pieces that must be removed. The same problem can happen with small metal figurines and pieces, and you need to use abrasive tools to remove the burrs carefully.
If you are an antique collector and have pieces that you must gently remove tarnish from, you will use an abrasive. In your home, you might be refinishing a delicate piece of furniture. You will use abrasive tools for that project as well.
Some people opt to use industrial grade abrasive products for their projects. This is a great idea, especially if you are keenly interested in having the finished product look very clean and professionally done.
For collectors, this is important, especially if you intend to show your collection pieces or sell them. Industrial grade abrasives are better because they are made for professional use. These products are used in industry to produce precision parts and tools that must be made to exact specifications. There is no room for error. Using industrial grade abrasive products will give you the same advantage of precision with your hobby and home projects.
Industrial Abrasive Products for Polishing and Grinding
Merit Abrasives 3x1x1/4-20 Sh 120 Grit Abrasive Products
Amazon Price: (as of 01/05/2010)
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Release Date: 12/31/1969
Avg. Customer Rating: 
The Many Types of Available Industrial Abrasive Products
If you are interested in using industrial abrasive products for your projects, it's good to know what is available and what each tool can be used for. Let's look at the most common industrial abrasives you might use.The Dremel or similar rotary tool - Dremel is actually a brand name, but often, similar rotary tools get called Dremel by default. These tools rotate a bit at a very high speed. Depending on the bit used, you can grind, clean, polish, sand, drill, engrave or cut. Hobby enthusiasts usually use them with abrasive sheets for plastics, wood or metal. Small rotary tools can reach into small areas and are good for buffing and deburring.
Disk sanders are used to smooth surfaces such as wood and plastic. They can also be used for removing bits of dirt or waste materials. The disk sander uses a disk shaped sandpaper wheel on a stationary machine. The material to be smoothed is held gently against the turning wheel.
A grinding wheel is used to grind down a surface. The wheel itself is expendable and covered with an abrasive. This is not used for fine detailing as much as it is used to smooth rough spots like edges and grooves.
Belt sanders can be used to remove large amounts of wood or other materials to create a roughly sanded shape. They are also useful for removing old finishes on wood. These can be stationary or hand held.
Some manufacturers offer hand-size industrial-grade abrasive products. These include abrasive sheets, rounded square sheets, and small buffers.
Industrial Abrasive Product Toolkit
Dynabrade Dynaflie Abrasive Kit Dynabrade Pneumatic Tools
Amazon Price: (as of 01/05/2010)
List Price:
Release Date: 12/31/1969
Avg. Customer Rating:
Tips on Using Industrial Abrasive Products the Safe and Smart Way
You may be using industrial abrasive products on a small scale for your home projects and hobbies, but that does not mean that you should compromise on safety. Any abrasive product, industrial or otherwise, has the potential for causing serious injury if care is not used. Here are some tips on keeping yourself safe when using these powerful tools.1.) When using any mechanized grinder or sander, even a small rotary tool, you should wear goggles to shield your eyes. Debris will fly up and away from the area being grinded or sanded and could hit your eyes causing irritation or even permanent injury.
2.) Always make sure that all equipment guards are in place and working properly when grinding or sanding.
3.) Keep your skin away from sanding wheels and belts, grinders and rotating tools with abrasives. They can cause serious scraps and skin burns.
4.) When using small hand-size industrial abrasive sheets and tools, remember that they can be abrasive to your skin as well.
5.) Consider using a mask to keep from breathing dust particles that may float up from the site that is being sanded or grinded.
6.) When using a grinding wheel keep in mind that only the left side of the wheel should be used. This is because the wheel rotates counter-clockwise and that rotation holds the material you are working on down. If you use the right side, you may loose control of your work and it could fly up and hit you, causing injury.
Whenever you are working with any sort of abrasive equipment you should exercise caution. Even on small projects, be aware of possible safety hazards and take proper measures to avoid injury.
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