Jet Tools Drum Sander operating instructions Abrasives, Abrasive Selection Guide

Abrasives

The abrasive material you choose will have a substantial effect on the performance of your sander. Variations in paper type, weight, coating and durability all contribute to achieving your desired finish.

JET Abrasives are available in Ready-To- WrapTM pre-cut lengths or in the convenient Ready-To-Cut pre-marked box. Your JET dealer can recommend the best choice for your application.

Selecting Drum Abrasives

It is important to select the proper grit of abrasive for the type of sanding being performed to achieve maximum results. As with any sanding operation, first begin sanding with a coarser grit, depending upon the roughness of the stock or the amount of stock to be removed. Then progressively work toward finer grits. The chart (Figure 29) shows the general uses for the various grits. JET offers abrasives in the ten different grits shown – consult the stock numbers on page 28 to order.

The amount of stock to be removed is a major consideration when choosing the grit grade with which to begin. Grits 24, 36, 50 and 60 are primarily designed for stock removal. Grits 24 and 36 will remove the most material in one pass, whether you are doing abrasive planing, cleaning up glued panels, or flattening stock. Grits from 100 through 220 are primarily finishing grits designed to remove the scratch pattern from the previous grit used. For best results, never skip more than one grit grade when progressing through a sanding sequence.

For fine work, such as furniture, try not to skip any grit grades during the sanding process.

In general, premium quality abrasives will produce a better finish with a less noticeable scratch pattern.

NOTE: Grits that are too fine can sometimes burnish the wood and leave a glossy surface which will not accept stains evenly. This will vary by type of wood. Oak, for example, is susceptible to burnishing because of its open pores.

Cleaning Abrasive Strips

Regularly clean the abrasive strips on the drums with commercially available cleaning sticks, following the manufacturer’s directions. When cleaning, also brush the stick crumbs from the drum while it is still rotating.

In some cases, build-ups resulting from burns can also be removed with Plexiglas held on edge over the rotating drum.

Always wear eye protection while performing sandpaper cleaning, and take all precautions to avoid any contact of hands or clothing with the rotating drum.

Cloth-backed abrasives can be cleaned by soaking in paint thinner or mineral spirits for 20 minutes to 1 hour, then using a brush to remove any build-up. Dry the abrasive strips completely before using. Any used solvents should be discarded in compliance with environmental regulations.

Increasing Abrasive Life

Abrasive life can be increased not only by cleaning, but by removing the abrasive strip from the drum and reversing it. To do this, remove the strip and use what was the trailing end as the starting end on the left (outboard) side of the drum. Reversing the strip will provide a fresh set of cutting edges on the abrasive.

	Abrasive Selection Guide
Grit	Common Application
24	Abrasive planing, surfacing rough-sawn boards, maximum stock removal, glue removal.
36	Abrasive planing, surfacing rough-sawn boards, maximum stock removal, glue removal.
50	Surfacing and dimensioning boards, trueing warped boards
60	Surfacing and dimensioning boards, trueing warped boards.
80	Light dimensioning, removal of planer ripples.
100	Light surfacing, removal of planer ripples.
120	Light surfacing, minimal stock removal.
150	Finish sanding, minimal stock removal.
180	Finish sanding only, not for stock removal.
220	Finish sanding only, not for stock removal.

Figure 29

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