Confessions of an abrasive organiser...

[Mac]

Hi all,

Just got hold of the abrasive systainer for my ETS 150/3 and have been sorting my papers into their little slots. As you'll see from the pic I've ended up cutting the front of a few empty boxes to remind me which are which. I was wondering if any of you have a more elegant way of doing this..?  They need a nice little filing system of some sort...

Someone tell me there's more to life than organising abrasive paper?    :-\

mac

 

[ForumMFG]

Couldn't you just put them in backwards and read what type and grit thats printed on the back of each disc? although there are just a few types that don't have that information on the back of them.  But everything you have in your systainer looks like it should have a printing on the back of each disc.

You could get a sticky note and tape it to one of each grit size and label it?

I can think of better ways to do this but using the systainer limits you.  Although a systainer is great for storing them.  I have a systainer with the abrasives insert that I bought with my RO125.  The disc lay horizontal instead of vertical like yours.

 

[Neill]

Couldn't you just put them in backwards and read what type and grit thats printed on the back of each disc? although there are just a few types that don't have that information on the back of them.  But everything you have in your systainer looks like it should have a printing on the back of each disc.

You could get a sticky note and tape it to one of each grit size and label it?

I can think of better ways to do this but using the systainer limits you.  Although a systainer is great for storing them.  I have a systainer with the abrasives insert that I bought with my RO125.  The disc lay horizontal instead of vertical like yours.

Dave,

The systainer for the 6" abrasives organize them vertically while the 5" does it horizontally.  As far as turning them backwards, that works assuming they are legible.  Some printing is darker than others.  Also the amount of light in the shop will help or hinder your ability to read the back.

Personally, I kind of like what he Mac has done, simple but effective.

Neill

 

[ForumMFG]

To me it can't get no simpler or effective by just turning them around.  My young eyes have never had a problem reading the back of a disc regardless how dark or light it is or how well it's printed.  For people who can't see them, I agree, Macs way is pretty cool.

You ever see those commercials where a guy is working under the car and they show his hand reach into his tool box and search for a 9/16" socket?  He picks up a couple, no thats not the one, picks up another, no thats not the one.  And then he finally picks the right one just buy feeling it.   Thats what I can do with my sandpaper, I can just rub my finger across it and tell if it's 120 grit Rubin or 320 brilliant.

By the way, Rutabagared, it's the first video around the 5 minute mark where is opens a file drawer and has all his sand paper organized. Amazing shop.

 

[Mac]

Thanks for your thoughts here guys!  I did have them all facing the other way, thinking that I'd just read from the back, but I did find some of them very hard to make out (and I've got good, young eyes too!) due to really faint printing. I do think it works fine this way, but there's something so organised about the systainer system and a big pile of brand new abrasive sheets that's just begging for perfection, you know?  Hmm, will have a look at the video you've linked to now Joe, and see if I'm inspired!  Always great to see how other people do things.

Cheers,
Mac

 

[Neill]

 My young eyes have never had a problem reading the back of a disc regardless how dark or light it is or how well it's printed.

Dave,

Since your eyes are so young... is that your picture in your profile?



Neill

 

[ForumMFG]

No, thats my wonderful 15 month old daughter.  That picture was taken 7 months ago right after she got out of the bath and her hair was all crazy.  She's awesome!

 

[AlexThePalex]

You can recognise the different types of paper because they have different colours. Red for Rubin, White for Brilliant and yellow for Cristal. Saphir stands out by itself because it got a much stronger backing.

As for the grits, that's a bit more difficult. Of course every grit is printed on the back of the discs, but to be honest, it's is printed horribly faint. I got good eyes but it's terrible to read. Festool sure could improve here. I ended up writing the grits on the back with a marker. 

 

[Brice Burrell]

I just ordered a couple of Systainer 2  and I'm going to make my own slots out of 1/4" ply for my 125mm and RTS/LS abrasives. I got the idea from Seth over at talkFestool, check out his idea over there.

 

[Mac]

Seth's idea is lovely, I agree Brice.  This is one of the reasons I like the systainer system, they're so modify-able!  It's funny, over here in the UK on forums a lot of people tend to scoff at festools being used by professionals on jobs, but I keep thinking how impressed I'd be if someone I had hired was as organsised and well equipped. To me, it would say that he took himself as well as the work he was going to do for me seriously. But then maybe I'm impressed by small things like well filed and neatly kept abrasive paper.

Mac

 

[JJ Wavra]

For the six inch ros I took a systainer 3 and made pywood dividers in it.  I have I think 18 compartments that hold about 15 abrasives each.  On the top of the plywood I have written what the abrasive is simple system but works great.

JJ

 

[Mac]

Hi JJ,

Could you put a picture of that up, I'd be interested to see how it looks!

Thanks,
mac