Stop Melting Your Hooks (why sanding discs fly off your sander)
Using a microscope, we'll see WHY random orbit sander pads wear out, and how you can stop it from happening in the future. If your sander won't hold sandpaper, this video is for you! Be sure to use the chapters feature below:
STUFF USED (affiliate links; help me help you)
Cheap (but awesome) USB microscope: amzn.to/3q6ZwJ2
Bosch Random Orbit Sander (great dust filtration): amzn.to/2MRM11p
Makita Random Orbit Sander (more powerful): amzn.to/3oIsv5i
CHAPTERS
0:00 Intro
1:30 Long Story Short: Here's Why
1:35 Velcro
1:52 Microscope Good
2:28 Melting Things
3:19 Microscope Bad
3:43 SandING Tips
5:05 Note about Instagram
5:34 SandER Addendum
6:19 Blooper
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Stop it! STOP IT RIGHT NOW! If you peel that velcro one more time, we're not going to McDonalds for supper!
😂😂😂😂
THIS is how more people should make 'shop' videos. Well done. Thank you Keith.
The 1st thing to say is: The quality of the sandpaper backing makes the biggest difference!! Even with new velcro, cheap pads fly off. But thanks for the sanding tips!
3mm is definitely the best but Diablo would be the better choice because of the price difference.I say this because 3mm doesn’t last longer but considering the price difference you’ll come out on top with Diablo cause you get a lot more and it last almost just as long.Im not good at explaining things but hopefully someone gets what I’m trying to say 😂…by the way the Bosch orbital sander is the best way to go.it lacks the power of the makita but smashed it in every other category and I’m speaking from experience on both.The Bosch will not let you down.Also I have never ever saw a dust collector on any sander that’s as good as the Bosch one 😏
Perfect, thanks for the heads up on proper use of this type of sander. Well done sir.
Thank you for your common sense and a well-planned and presented video.
I'm *really* enjoying your content Keith! You've got a fantastic balance of verbosity/brevity and redundancy, and I feel your selection of what footage to show and what to cut as well as what is worth giving a short 'why $x works/!works/happens' is right in the sweet spot. I'm also a developer by day and a garage woodworker & electronics/arduino fiddler by weekend, so I'd especially love to see more content on combining the skills. Like the bunk-bed bookshelf & reading light project you're still depriving us a part 2 of :P Hope you keep uploading more, I've chewed through all your available videos!
Thanks for the comment. The dev/fiddler combo is nice. About the part 2, I’m not positive if/when I’ll get to it, as I have videos in the works I think are better. I did write up an Instructable that covers that portion. www.instructables.com/Bunk-Bed-Reading-Light-Bookshelf-powered-by-USB-C/ though the video would probably be better.
I just got a Bosch Get75-6n and I have melted two pads in little less than 2 months . I thought it was the pads but now I will work on my technique. Thanks for the video.
Thanks so much for this video! I will be using a sander for the first time and this was very helpful!
Another common cause nowadays is sanding mesh (e.g. mirka abranet, 3m cubitron II, etc.). The velcro goes through the mesh a bit, and gets cut abraded. Only way to deal with it is to use a pad protector, which is really just double sided velcro.
Thank God for someone willing to discuss this. Embarrassing after going thru 3 sanders & a couple serious injuries to boot.
This was a total game changer for us. Thank you so much for a simple and rational solution to our problem!
I don't have a random orbit sander(yet) but I do use right angle die grinders with the sanding pads. It makes sense that the heat could do that, I haven't had this happen to me yet but it will be stuck in my head next time I use it. Thanks.
Makes PERFECT sense. I am so trying this. THANKS!
This was actually quite useful. Thank you.
Great video. Good to know why I went through a couple sander pads way too fast. Didn’t start doing DIY projects until post empty nest so I’m old and boring as well, and still guilty of all of those bad habits. Grateful for people like you who take the time to share your experience!
That is eye opening! Thank you!
Thanks from Scotland Keith this problem has been doing my head in for 3 pads now!
I was having the exact problem. Figured it was the hook side of the pad. Bought a brand new sander. Same problem in a matter of minutes.
Brilliant. Thanks mate. I am a bit heavy handed with the sander. It makes sense.
Hi thank you for helping a newbie on the do and donts of sanding, now i can tackle me stairs.
This video was almost perfection. I just got a little annoyed. There was too much time where you were NOT peeling velcro into the microphone. 3 or 4 more pulls would have been the sweet spot.
I'm about to buy the same random orbit sander as You have - thank You for the pro tip about hooks!
Can you please do a follow-up video for Multitool (or vibratory mouse) sanders that use a triangular shaped hooked backing pad. The triangular shape of the sanding pad is designed to get into corners, but using a Multitool (or vibratory mouse) sanding pad in this way again creates localised overheating of the backing pad, the hooks melt and the sand paper falls off!
My exact issue!
Great video Brother 👍. Nice work and just what I was looking for. Thanks for sharing
I needed this info. Guilty as charged! Thanks! Very helpful. I was on the edge of going to PSA.
Thanks Keith, great video
spot on; its almost like youve been watching me sanding stuff! Thanks.
I’m sub’d to a fair few channels but yours is possibly the only channel for whom I’ve made effort to click the bell. Keep up the good work 👍🏻
Many thanks for the tips just bought one of these and want it to last. Simply love your emphasising peel off disc 😁👍
Oh my!!! I messed mine up in less than a year!!! Thanks for the tip.
Thanks for the useful info.!
Awww man!! I don’t wanna be the problem....but I’m definitely the problem! I’m looking at replacing my 2nd pad soon....but thanks to this video shouldn’t be doing that again anytime soon. 👍🏼
excellent, just what I was after. New pad and then new technique time!
Great Video, perfectly informative, my new sander pad will last for ever now, thanks to you!! thanks for the chuckle with the velcro sounds too! haha
nice quirky work shop video keith. informative and factual... thanks 🍻
Great video! Well done!
Thank God/Keith I finally learnt this now at 70 with the whole of my life still ahead of me. Cheers Keith
Thanks for the tips. I will replace the head but when I stick paper on and pull off, like you demonstrated, my grip sounds the same and I couldn’t figure out what was up.
Thanks for your tips
Very informative thank you
Thanks for the video
The pad peeling had me laughing heartily over coffee! Thanks for the great content.
Really helpful. Cheers.
Great points.
You just prevented me from melting the pad on my new pex 400. Thank you sir... I have been throwing pads for no reason. So I will have some patience... maybe hand plane with a sharp blade so I don't need to spend 3 hours on the same join to get a level surface. I will go slower and not keep the setting at top speed constantly either. Thank you for this video.
LOL - those 3 things are literally what I was doing EVERY TIME I would sand! Thank you for this!
Hilarious. I finally know why I melt hooks! Love the fun info! Thank you.
Thanks for this explanation! I’ve watched so many discs fly away:/ I’m gonna try this right away!
THANK YOU 🙏!!
Very good information! Now I know why mine keep flying off.
Great video thank you
Just what I needed. That ASMR peeling was cool. The repetition- gloating. 😊 now I'll go order a new pad as i have done every single thing you mentioned wrong.
Thanks so much for sharing ! I just got GEX 125-1 AE BOSCH and from the very first moment the discs are flying of after about 10-15 minutes of work .Used them for sanding wood as well some concrete material .Any suggestions ? Is there any chance to be the discs quality issues ? Being cheap or smth ?Thank you in advance!
I had trouble with this in school. Teachers taught what I was doing wrong. Does not matter if have sticky sand paper version rushing causes work peice to be bad. And eats up your sand paper grit as well.
Arrrggghhh. So helpful, also so irritating. It’s how we learn I suppose. I just bought a new pad for my multi tool for this reason thinking it was faulty pad, happened again wishing 30 mins and couldn’t believe it. Thank you, you just saved me a lot of hassle!!!
Thank you, thank you, thank you. Very helpful!! You got me. I’m a new subscriber :-)
I have never seen this happen before I just clicked on this video bc it was recommended. But I don't work on wood, I work on composites on airplanes, my pads die when it smacks fastners. But this is still good to know ty sir.
Any tips for swapping velcro discs after they have been used but are not quite dead? I find mine lose their stickiness, but it's probably related to me doing all the wrong things in the video...
Thanks and greetings from Colombia, South America.
Explains to me why the sandpaper for a die grinder has a threaded backing. Great info tyvm.
Ahhhh I never made that connection. The Roloc discs…. Those are awesome. BTW stay tuned. Tonight I’m actually recording a video about using a die grinder for sanding, but using a different attachment technique. I’ll mention your comment!
Great video
Contrary to what some people think extra pressure is not always the best thing. The way that I see it the extra pressure just causes you to have to do the work the sander was intended for. That also creates more friction (heat) and the pads on many sanders just can't take that heat for long. It is frustrating when a pad won't stay attached to the sander or you can't lift the sander without it whirling to a really high speed and throwing the sand paper across the room. I am very sure anyone who ever did it knows exactly what I mean, the paper becomes a frizbee and can go an amazingly long distance. I know a lot of sanders have some sort of brake that keeps them from whirling out of control but the ones that don't can give you a really wicked paper cut if you are not careful!!!
That helps cheers
Very cool and yep I learnt the pressure fault day one of using my sander. The Instagram thing sorry not starting another platform if it isn't here it isn't seen.
Nice one. Whats your opinion about orbital sander (square type) vs round type orbital sander for grinding cut glass bottle edges? Which one is better or what would be the best way to smooth glass edges at home (except manually).
A Dremel with a drum sander bit 👍
Tell me Keith, I Have a hook and loop sanding pad on my sander, is there a sanding pad that will hold the stick on sand pads?
How to choose backing pads and disc sizes?? We have 5.5” & 7.5” pads at the local mart but they have 5” & 6” discs
Yeah I have had crap melt onto the Sanding Disk. Disk was in good shape but due to Melted materials in circles on the disk, It was trashed.
U are a life (velcro) saver!
Ahahaha that peel loop was trippy 😆
I've spent past half an hour trying to find the perfect sanding disc for my orbital sander and I wonder if this is the reason why I find so many negative comments about the back of the cotton of the sanding disc not being enough to stay on place. Excuse my bad English as is not my main language in case I wrote something weird.
Interesting video I'd imagine your going to get into how its easy to put wieght on the sander. However sometimes its the sand papper. I bought a off brand sand papper on a new sander & it lased 2 mins before it would no longer stick. It was just the quality or type way they made their Velcro. I hate the velcrow anyway they are cheap & cost more while giving you less, Its just harder to find a real sander anymore. Most of them are made as a one n done type solution unless your paying for the extra brank names like milwaky.
I got this sander too...not bad....dunno if there is one that's quieter.
Thank you for "why it happens" and even more so for "how to avoid it".
Thanks, my papers are flying off all the time. So frustrating, but then i know that there is nothing wrong with my orbit.
Useful but mine is quite new.. Little use. Pad seems to stick on really well ... until I use it then after a few mins or even seconds it's disc frisbee time!
What do I do if the screws keep melting though the new pad?
Hey Keith! Do you think there would be a bigger problem if you're working with a vertical piece instead of horizontally like your pannel? I feel like it keeps happening even though I do my best to do those 3 tips you gave and I just replaced the pad. Couldn't get 2 discs to last more than 10 minutes...
I do not think so - maybe there's a bigger issue involving the pad or the discs. A few weeks ago someone sent me a message on IG w/ a similar issue, and I'll paste my response below: May be worth testing a few things if you really want to nail it down. Listen to it as you detach it. Apply and remove the sandpaper (a new piece) a dozen or two times without using the sander. If the sound remains the same, then the sandpaper is probably fine. If the sound sounds less grabby, the sandpaper is probably the culprit - and the soft side will start to look a little fuzzier compared w/ a new piece of the same sandpaper. If the fuzzy side seems to be holding up, then you can be fairly certain it’s sander pad or technique related. So, when sanding - every few minutes, immediately after sanding, feel the warmth of the sandpaper w/ your hand. This will give you a feel for how hot the pad is getting. It should be a little warm but not really warm. Maybe you can identify something with technique there. Also, detach the sandpaper every few minutes during sanding and if the paper gets easier to remove each time, you have likely verified it’s either you or the pad (though we still don't know which....but it's safe to make a guess based on how warm the sandpaper feels from the paragraph above) Side note: Vacuums majorly help w/ cooling by 1) providing airflow under the sandpaper, and 2) de-clogging the dust from under the sandpaper which allows air (containing heat) to clear out from under there.
I think one reason these melt off is people take the pad off and go look for a new one. They get sidetracked and come back and start "sanding". By the time they figure out there isn't a sanding pad on the sander, the hooks are melted completely down. I have several of these since my wife does the most sanding. Replacing the entire sanding pad gets pricey. If the sander has any age on it, you might as well buy a new one. This does not seem to help her remember to check to see if there is a pad on the sander. I do have to recommend the Menard's store brand sander. They have a 3 year warranty, a 12' cord, and tons of power.
I glued my sandpaper to the old velcro. I peeled that thing off he is talking about and yes there is a nice velcro on it but my sandpaper will not stay on, and it is the brand of sandpaper that works with my sander (a black and decker) and I need this project done today. So, glue it is. Lol
My hooks are alright. A new sanding pad sticks perfectly. It's the loops becoming loose for some reason. I can see some felt missing after I used the pad for a while. Definitely not melting the hooks, they are all in a great shape.
Used to work for a cabinetmaker with 40yrs experience, I always sanded how you're explaining, they'd always get mad because it looked like I wasn't working my butt off. Not with them anymore, I'll keep sanding how I want. The fumes bothered me more than anything else, their paint booth was open to the shop and they made their own doors. I'd be on a install day not in the shop much 30 min at the start 15 min at the end of the day, and those in those 15 minutes at the end of the day I'd end up smelling like I came out of a finish room. They had a big 4' fan with a filter cubical, I don't know why it was so toxic in there.
That was funny as shit, AND educational - thanks for the fabulous Velcro soundtracks!!
Sometimes we just have to look in the mirror and feel shame for our failures!!! 😅 It was all my fault!! Thank you -so helpful!!!
So how do I strategically gouge sand? I am sanding a boat and I have to gouge sand in many areas because it is the only way to access them.
Okay, so I've melted off the hooks on one corner of the sander (I have a triangle sander), can I replace the spongey hook part? I really want to avoid replacing the sander because it was not cheap. I've been trying to find out if I can but I'm a complete novice so I don't even know what the spongey hook part is even called. Someone please help.
What about the dust extraction holes?
Kwith, Thanks! Ok, I melted the hooks. How can I fix It?
Thanks man. Now I just need to buy a sander😃
What do I do now that the hooks are melted? What part do I order?
Keith: I appreciate this tip, but I still have the problem, and maybe you can suggest a better solution. Here's the situation: I also thought I might be melting the hooks, because the Diablo pads would fly right off of my Ryobi orbital sander. So, I replaced the sander pad, and the first disk flew off within maybe 5 mins. However, subsequent disks stuck to the pad just fine. Also, the used disk would not stick to a totally unused, fresh sander pad anymore, but fresh disks of course would. Is it possible that the loop side melts before the hook side in this case? The hook side on the disks that fly off does look slightly different from a fresh disk. Thanks!
Yeah that sounds like a junky loop side!
Question: I got the random orbital sander made by craftsman out of the case and it looked odd. Hadn’t been used in many years. Pad looks like it disintegrated. On closer look the pad is melted onto the metal. It’s sticky like tar. What’s the best way to clean this up?
Replace
I just buy the Bosch one..after a few minutes using it,that thing going hot..I think it's overheating..try claiming warranty,but they said it doing fine..kinda disappointed that this happen to me..😢 don't know what to do..
Question: the collection cup on my Bosch...when I take it apart to clean, I can't get it to snap back and stay put.
On the port, look for a rubber o ring. That seems likely to pop out of the groove and go missing.
What if your disk flys off because the dust your sanding gets in the middle of your Velcro? My hooks don’t look melted at all. Tho I did buy the cheapest disk orbital hand sander.
Omg I laughed so hard!!! Thank you for making my day… lol
Wow! Thanks, it's been driving me #@!, if I hadn't watched this vid I would have melted 3 more pads, big help!
First time watching here, Man, you are the Peter McKinnon of workshop stuff.
Peeling that paper! Show off! Lol. Okay, okay, I get it. Just ordered a new pad and will be kinder to this one. Thanks for the info. Makes sense.
Love the videos. Can't do any other social media. Rot for the brain in my opinion.