A disc sander is a power tool that can be used for woodworking, metalworking, and home improvement project. Disc sanders are often used in the finishing process to flatten and smooth an object’s surface. As you use your disc sander, you will notice that the sandpaper is quickly wearing down, creating ragged edges and textures on your work surface. You will need to replace the disc sander’s sandpaper as it wears down over time.
Now, in this article we have discussed steps on how to replace sandpaper on a disc sander.
Table of Contents
What is Sandpaper?
Sandpaper is a piece of rough material used to file down surfaces on objects. Sandpaper comes in different varieties, each of which can be used for different purposes. There are various grades of sandpaper, including “fine” and “coarse” sandpapers. The finer grades are used for smoothing out surfaces, whereas the coarser grades are used for rougher work such as woodworking or metalworking.
Sandpaper comes in a variety of forms, including sheets and rolls. The sheets are often used for smoothing surfaces by rubbing them over the object. The rolls are often used for abrasive polishing and shaping.
How to Replace Sandpaper on a Disc Sander
Some people think that sandpaper replacing process is very difficult. However, you can simply learn how to replace the disc sander’s sandpaper and save yourself a lot of time and money in the long run. When replacing your disc sander’s sandpaper, keep the following steps in mind:
Tools Needed for the Job
Before you begin, get the tools that you need for the job. Here we ‘ll list the tools that you will need for the job:
- New Sandpaper Disk
- Heat gun
- Clean shop rags
- Denatured solvent alcohol
- Plastic Scraper and some wood pieces
Now when you have all the necessary tools then you follow the steps that we will go over in the next section.
Step 1: Remove Old Sandpaper
To remove the old sandpaper on your disc sander, simply unplug your machine and open up the cover protecting its components. An air compressor can be used to blow out any dust or debris that is inside or clogging up your machine. Then you use the heat gun to heat up the old sandpaper sheets to make them easier to remove.
To heat up the sandpaper, hold the heat gun about 16 inches away from the paper and move it back and forth to evenly warm it up. Now you can remove the sandpaper sheets with a plastic scraper, but try to avoid touching the metal pieces of your disc sander.
Step 2: Cleaning the Disc
Then, the first things that you need to do is first use a plastic scraper to remove any remaining paper or adhesive from the surface of your work area. Take your plastic scraper, place it on the disc sander and roll the sander slowly between your hand and the plastic scraper.
Before replacing the sandpaper in the disc sander, you need to clean it better. For that you use distorted alcohol and wipe the disc sander.
Step 3: Attaching New Sandpaper
Now when you are done removing the old sandpaper and cleaning off the disc sander, it is time to attach the new sandpaper. First of all, place some wood pieces on the table where you will be working and then take a sheet of sandpaper from your package. Place the sandpaper sheet on top of the wood pieces and then smooth out any wrinkles or creases in the paper.
When you have done that, place the cover protecting the disc sander back on and then plug in the machine. Then you start using your disc sander again.
Safety Precautions When Replacing A Sandpaper
In disc sander it is very dangerous when replacing a sandpaper so you have to take care of your health. To avoid the accident or injury we need some safety precautions. Here are some of the things that you should keep in mind:
- Make sure that you already unplug your machine.
- Open up the cover protecting your disc sander’s components to release any pressure, dust or debris that is clogging up your machine.
- Make sure that you are wearing a pair of safety goggles when changing your sandpaper.
- When using a heat gun, make sure that you are holding it and moving it back and forth away from your body so you don’t burn yourself.
- Never use a metal scraper to remove the sandpaper because it is rough and can cause cuts and scratches.
- If you are using a plastic scraper, make sure that you are holding it firmly in your hand to avoid any accidents.
- Never use a circular motion when removing the sandpaper because it can damage your disc sander.
- Make sure that you are using a new sandpaper with the same size, shape and quality of the original.
- Never use your old sandpapers again to finish your work so you should throw them away.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it is crucial that you learn how to replace a sandpaper on your disc sander. And by following the above steps, you will be able to change your sandpaper. This is not difficult to do, you just need to follow the above steps attentively.
We hope that this article on “How to Replace Sandpaper on a Disc Sander” helped you get an idea of how to replace a disc sander’s sandpaper. Thank you and happy sanding.
