Roloc disc renewal

[mklotz70]

I got this idea from Figbuck....thanks! I've been mulling it over for awhile and finally decided to try it out. Figbuck was cutting out his new discs with scissors/shears, but since I have a couple extra toys in my shop, I thought I'd do it a bit different :)

 

First....I need to see if I could get the disc separated from the backing piece that I needed. I had a lot more of these used up discs laying around than I though I would. Close to 30 of the dang things! I just can't throw crap away!! :(

 

 

 

 

 

 

The ones with scotchbrite(SB) on them were a real pain to separate, but the sanding ones were a piece of cake. Watch it on the SB ones...mine had solvent/grease/oil in them from cleaning gasket surfaces.....nasty when hot!!

 

I did cheat and use the lathe to cut the rest of them off....much easier. I sanded down the remaining cement/glue on the belt sander. If I didn't have the lathe/sander, I'd have probably thrown the SB ones away.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Didn't really take too long and I had a nice piles of adapters to reuse and a pile of trash.

 

 

 

 

 

I think these pics will give you an idea about the die cutter I turned on the lathe. Yes, you can smack it with a hammer, but the press was much nicer :) The cutter in these pics is the first version. I actually made another one when I figured out how to put them back together. The vids coming up show the second version....which I wouldn't hit with a hammer because of the lip. Having a smaller hole in the second cutter would make cutting down the 3" discs even easier. I think I'll make a 3" cutter in the future :)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The first vid here shows why I remade the cutter. I needed the center hole smaller to register the adapter and the outer lip/recess to register the disc. The other two vids are of the discs in action. The first is the sanding belt, which had a more flexible backing to it. Very similar to the original discs. The second is the 7" sanding disc(50grit) which had a very heavy backing. That one worked awesome!! Even after grinding the divot in the angle it didn't even look like it had been used! The angle was bed frame which is really hard stuff....so that was pretty impressive. I've never seen a roloc disc with such a heavy backing to it....so that's just one more reason to re-disc them! :) The hot glue(stronger, yellow version) didn't let go of the disc during the heavy grinding, but I was able to forceably twist the disc off the adapter.....which means it will be easier to re-disc them the next time :)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

....as for the scotchbrite.....it worked, but it's not near as tuff, so it wore down really quickly. It might be okay for polishing, but there's no way it would work for cleaning off gasket material. I'm so please with the heavy duty discs that I don't think I'll even bother with the SB. Although...the SB discs are definitely the more expensive ones to buy and would save the most money if they could be redone.

Edited February 4, 2009 by mklotz70

[kiznook]

This is awesome Mike, thanks for the write up! Just gotta figure out a way to home-brew a cutter.

[]2eDeYe]

Bitchin idear :cool:

[HRH]

MFin' HELL yeah! :D That is a good idear.

[mklotz70]

Thanks guys.

 

Kiz....great to see you back buddy :)

[ppeters914]

Thanks guys.

 

Kiz....great to see you back buddy :)

 

Posted at 3:42am???!!! :eek:

[mklotz70]

up at 3:30...get a cup of tea....sit down at the computer. :)

[ppeters914]

up at 3:30...get a cup of tea....sit down at the computer. :)

 

Oh, that's your normal routine? Hell, the only time I got up that early was in the Navy if I had the 04-08 watch....FUCK THAT! :fu:

[]2eDeYe]

Just gotta figure out a way to home-brew a cutter.

 

Maybe a piece of pipe sharpened on the outside with a short rod welded on, punch style...BFH ya :P

[denveratsun]

[quote

 

I did cheat and use the lathe to cut the rest of them off....much easier.

 

 

 

I think these pics will give you an idea about the die cutter I turned on the lathe. Yes, you can smack it with a hammer, but the press was much nicer :) The cutter in these pics is the first version. I actually made another one when I figured out how to put them back together.

 

You jerks with all your hi-tech tools! Bustards!:D

[mklotz70]

somebody should hit Datrod up and see what it would cost to make a dozen of them :)

[mklotz70]

...little update....

 

 

Been using these for a bit now.....

 

Don't bother trying to redo the scotchbrite ones....they don't last long enough to be worth it. But for the heavy grinding...you can actually use the heavier discs for the 5"+ gringers....much heavier backing material.....last a good while!! I've been really pleased with the ones I've redone. I was a bit worried that hot glue would loosen up as I was grinding.....hasn't yet. Even when really grinding hard!

[fontana620]

I'll do that to my sanding discs. It will save money. Thanks for the tip. Guy.

[mklotz70]

I just realized that the third vid is the same as the second.....it was supposed to show a heavy grit disc in action...so here it is :)

 

 

 

Anyone that has worked with bed frame steel knows that it's pretty dang hard stuff. You could hardly tell the disc had been used after grinding that divot.

Edited April 21, 2009 by mklotz70

[Figbuck]

Very nice! Like the vids. Looks like factory, OEM. Brilliant work on the cutter and the press.

 

When I first thought to try this, I tried really hard to cut them out the same size and be round, but I was going through them so fast that I got realy sloppy and was cutting them out much bigger and not so round. I wasn't even getting them centered when I them glued onto the mandrel. What happens pretty fast is that they sort round them selves off automatically.

 

I started to prefer the bigger discs because I can sand into corners and curved irregular shapes by bending the flexible edge of the disc. #50 and #60 grits work the best and I got a huge box of aluminum oxide open coat belts from a flooring contractor. They are like 12" wide and have the heavy cloth backing.

 

In the beginning I was using too much hot glue. Then it was a chore to get them off for reuse. I was worried about them coming off too, but as I used less and less glue it was easier to mount them and remove them. I never had one come off and I was abusing the hell out them.

 

Wow Mike you have a nice stash of mandrels. :D

[mklotz70]

Pretty bad that I'm such a pack rat that I kept dead discs laying around. I guess in the back of my mind, I always thought they'd have a use :)

[SHADY280]

dang i need to do this, those discs are expensive if you use alot of them. maybe ill give it a go next project, but first i got to buy all new ones.

[Guest DatsuNoob]

I use those everyday at work. Those 50grits are friggn gnarly on aluminum, but the 150 grit is super nice for removing craters from peened surfaces for the first stage of polishing. I've heard of them falling into people's pockets from time to time, but nothing I'd ever be guilty of :D. Great idea though, those things are like $5.99 for a 4 pack or something ridiculous. I've got a whole bunch more spent ones you can have if you could use 'em for "cores".

[mklotz70]

I've got a whole bunch more spent ones you can have if you could use 'em for "cores".

 

...there you go shady :)

 

 

You could also grind the end of a piece of 2" pipe to a sharp edge and use it as a cutter. Then just eyeball center when gluing the lock piece on.

[SHADY280]

thats cool, but im here in the great white north. ill just start collecting them. stocking about 30 is about what id need. i use them all the time, but i suppose i could go to princess auto and grab some uber cheap ones. the pipe thing is a great idea mike!!

[mklotz70]

So I've been using them for a bit now. I've managed to heat up two enough to pop the hot glue. Kinda my bad since I was trying to get the center to grind.

 

I've also noticed that the discs made from the belts tend to fray and I think they were the ones that melted the glue. The ones made from the disc...much more sturdy :)

[zenndog]

up at 3:30...get a cup of tea....sit down at the computer. :)

 

I keep waking up at 3:30 in the morning, I make lunch for the kids, fold laundry, fill out court papers for my divorce, stress, look at datsuns on the computer, wish I had a shop. try to go back to sleep. sigh. :(:confused::P:D;):fu::fu:

 

Oh yeah, great idea, by the way!!!!!!!

[mklotz70]

Thanks :)

 

I kept getting to bed late, so I decided to start getting up later.....seems to be working okay.

[Guest DatsuNoob]

Someone want to pm me an address, I'd be happy to send some spent ones your way for this purpose. I've even got a handful of new ones I'll send too. Mostly the 1" ones, I rarely use them for anything since they're so small. You just cover the cost to ship the envelope ($2?) I've got the black (rough) and the blue (finishing).