Hook and loop abralon sanding setup.

[The Smoking Yeti]

Hey, so I'm trying to figure out a good sanding disc setup. I have heard tales of abralon, and of french wheel systems. Basically I need a good unit for shaping my pipes from rough to fine shaping. I like the idea of less abrasive abralon for fine shaping, but does it work for rough shaping? help!

[KurtHuhn]

Abralon does not work for rough shaping.

I use, and make available to others, these doodads:
http://www.pipecrafter.com/pipes/tools/

The arbor either fits on a motor (first photo) or in a jacobs chuck (second photo), and takes the sanding backup pads in the third photo. For rough shaping I use inexpensive 5" hook and loop discs of low grit (40 grit, but you can go lower if needed), clean up the deeper scratches with inexpensive 150 grit, then use abralon discs for final sanding (180, 360, and 500 grit).

Don't try to shape with abralon. It's incredible for final sanding, and you can use 180 for MINOR shape tweaks, but it will get destroyed in short order if you try to rough shape with it.

[The Smoking Yeti]

I sent you an email about your sanding rig!

[Massis]

I've got the french wheel from JH Lowe, but haven't used it ever since I found one of these hook&loop sanding pads with abrasive discs.

Hook & loop disk on a soft sanding pad, using grit 60 @ 1450rpm to do rough shaping and up to grit 180 to do finer shaping. Love them!

[The Smoking Yeti]

I'm gonna get this setup as soon as I finish these three commissions- until then I cannot afford it Patience Kurt, I'll get around to it!

[KurtHuhn]

I'm not going anywhere.