2” and 3” inch circle punch recommendations for sandpaper discs

[Dennis Weiner]

I was thinking of making my own sanding discs from either ends, rolled or flat sheets. Has any one done this and wish to share?

In particular, Any source of supply and what style of circle punches work the best. I searched and found punches for leather and also craft circle punches but don’t know if they would hold up. There are also some you tubes demonstrating the process for sandpaper disk fabrication.
This may or not save some money but it will surely keep me from not overusing the discs that I buy.
Thoughts?

 

[Roger Wiegand]

I'm thinking a laser cutter would be an effective way to make them (easy to make a wavey edge if that appeals to you).

Big arch punches are pretty expensive, and I'd hate to pound one of my good leather punches into sandpaper. I'm guessing you could take a piece of steel pipe, mount it on the lathe, and sharpen the edge to create an inexpensive punch that would work, at least for a while.

 

[Lamar Wright]

I use a 2" round hole punch to make my small 2" round sandpaper disc's...... One sheet makes about 20 disc's.

 

[John Torchick]

IMHO, less trouble to buy them.

 

[stu senator]

<I'm guessing you could take a piece of steel pipe, mount it on the lathe, and sharpen the edge to create an inexpensive punch that would work, at least for a while.>

Use an old dull hole saw blade and grind the teeth off? May work

Stu

 

[Robert D Evans]

I just cut my sandpaper into squares a little larger than my sanding mandrel. The sandpaper edges bend over and the wood doesn't know the difference.

 

[robo hippy]

I used to punch out my own, but don't do that any more. I have heard of using hole saws like the ones for the drill press. The dies I used for my efforts were pieces of pipe, 1, 2, and 3 inch diameter. I sharpened steep bevel on the outside, and a smaller one on the inside, so double bevel. I would turn the abrasive side down onto some 1/2 inch thick plastic, put a 2 by 4 over the top of the abrasives and give it a good smack with a 10 pound sledge hammer. Two smacks would usually go through 5 layers of abrasive stock. I even had access to a small hydraulic clicker die press. Clicker dies are used in leather work for punching out smaller pieces for production. Made the process simple. While over all cost of the discs went down, I spent a considerable amount of time making them, sorting, and putting away. Gave that up many years ago. I buy the discs in bulk from Vince. I could buy sheet stock from him and make my own, but still, just extra work, and they come in handy 50 packs... You can cut squares without not too much effort. A utility knife will go through a lot of them before being totally wrecked. Guess I would try to whack the squares out after being cut into strips. Same method as above, thick plastic, 2 by 4, and a sledge.

robo hippy

 

[BobCoates]

I found that you can use tailpipe adapters to cut the disks. Place the sandpaper on a end grained block and hit around the other end. It is not one punch and done, but working around the edge works. Place the piece in the lathe to sharpen the edge. used the block to help support.
When I looked at the lathe set up, though that you could use the set up with a block in tail stock to power cut the disk on the lathe. May have to try that.

 

[jeff e. luedloff]

Industrial abrasives sells 1 yard by 1 yard sheets of hook and loop for $20.00 ( i believe its the white rino brand)- initial expense was high to buy each grit- but i found it improved my sanding because i didn't feel the need to overuse my sandpaper discs and i can cut whatever size i need at the moment-- i used a hole saw with the teeth ground off- in 2" and 3" sizes about $5.00 at menards-make sure you check inside or outside diameter- a 2" hole saw will get you a slightly smaller disc-i can't remember the size but my discs cut out at 2 3/8" which i like the oversize discs- i cut all the waste material into 1" discs using an iron pipe-the the hole saw is easy to sharpen- i put a short rod into the hole saw (there is a small setscrew in the ones i use) and using the wolverine system just roll the hole saw around-( similar to a SRG-if interested i can dig out and send pics-I tried to use the hole saw in a drill press but that didn't work very well- i ended up just using a hammer and punching out the discs using a piece of end grain maple-

with all that being said- i got tired of punching my own discs and when started getting low i now buy vinces blue discs- the over sized discs are the same size that i was punching out- i still have some of the grits in the sheets and when needed can punch out discs if i run low or need an odd size for a random orbital sander

 

[Michael Nathal]

+1 on using square shapes. They work for 95% of what you want to do. I have an old lever arm type paper cutter and it makes short work of either large sheets like from Industrial Abrasives, or even more convenient, 3" or 4" wide rolls that I get from Klingspor.

 

[stu senator]

An old itdea.

Mount a used hacksaw blade on washers on a board. Slide the sandpaper under the blade, grit side down, and holding the blade down pull the sandpaper over the teeth. Cut any size paper that will fit under the blade. Cheap and it works.

Mark the size on the board, slide the paper under the blade, pull, repeat or cut the strip in squares the same way.

Stu

 

[Raif Harik]

Awesome! I thought long and hard on this topic. It's much better than actually doing anything. I searched amazon high and low for a whole punch that seemed like it would be up to the task. I finally concluded (from reading reviews) that they just would not stand up. I use abrenet rolls and I felt like it would kill a paper punch.
All that thinkin and I never got around to 2" hole saw and a hammer. Now I'm reinspired!

 

[robo hippy]

Raif, use a piece of wood over the hole punch rather than metal on metal. It will make the hole punch last a lot longer. Also, if you are using wood for the cutting board, use end grain. I keep some thick pieces of the white plastic for a cutting board. Also, if you are doing your pounding on a bench, make sure to pound directly over one of the table legs, not in the mid span. Less flexing of the table top so it will cut better....

robo hippy

 

[bbergst]

I‘ve used hole saws for years. Buy it a /4” over size. Using the hole saw mandrel chuck it in a portable drill. holding the drill vertically against the grinding wheel. Grind off the teeth to produce a beveled cutting edge. Set the drill press on the slowest speed and place a board on the table. Cut a slight depression ring into the board. I buy Klingspoor bargin box of Clinton paper. I cut 5 from a strip and empty the hole saw. Here are the hole saws before and after hundreds of cuts you could punch them with a mallet if you don’t own a drill press.

 

[Tim Tucker]

For 2" and 3" , I buy the velcro backed rolls of sandpaper from Klingspor. ( I think they are 4 or 5" with...) and Lennox hole saw saws. The teeth are ground off, sharpened, etc... and then I install a bolt of the same thread size and pitch as the arbor for these. It is a common diameter and thread, as well as a nut - into the back of the hole saw - now punch. The nut is tightened against the holesaw, and the bolt protrudes approx. 2-3" in order to give some finger room. I have a high density rubber "pounding mat" that I use to hammer out the disks.
For storage of the rolls, I mounted a piece of conduit long enough to hold the rolls just below the bench top where I pound these out. So, it is always easy and quick to locate everything needed to punch out whatever grits I need for each job. A more industrious and organized turner would probably punch out some quantity each time........but then again - I am only speaking from my use of this stuff...