How to store your sanding disks ...

[Mavrik]

Over the years I have bought many disks of different grits for my Rotex 125.
Without having a specific plan all of the disks have ended up in a single drawer with two results:

a) It's a mad scramble to find a disk of the right grit
b) I end up half using a whole range of disks of the same grit

Interested to hear about the various systems people use ...

 

[Henning]

Fogtainer2 with an insert Made of 9mm. Birch ply. Sorry I don't have a picture, but if you do a search here you will find pic's. Not of mine but the one I used as inspiration

 

[barnowl]

I keep them int their original boxes, stacked, and marked.

 

[Julian Tracy]

The original boxes are great for the excess, but useless for the jobsite.  Unforunately, the Festool tool insert/cases are USELESS for storing the paper you'd want to keep with you to use.

I have the little square sheet sander and there's not a single recess in the case where you can keep a stack of paper in there without the corners of the paper getting crunched.  Stupidest darn tool case layout I've ever seen.

Anyways, I made a systainer insert for a #3 case for all of my 6" sanding discs.  In a few instances, I needed a couple of more spots so I cut a couple of 1/8" dividers to make more space.

For my 5" ETS sander, I recently picked up some nice plastic boxes on clearance from Walmart for what ended up being about $.50 each.  One of the sizes is the perfect size for the 5" round sandpaper.

Here's a few pics:

Julian[attachimg=#]

 

[semenza]

Nice  Julian. I like the curved cut outs at the top.

Seth

 

[Mavrik]

Really nice solutions Julian.
I like a woodwork solution to a woodwork problem  [smile]

I see you have chosen specific grits and have different %'s of each.
In your experience, what grits should one have and what % of each?

Yes - a very broad question. And the obvious answer is "depends on what work you do".
But - always very useful for "weekend warrior woodworkers" (www?) to be able to learn these trade secrets from those who are masters of their trade.

 

[Julian Tracy]

When I bought the little square pad sander, the basic set of paper I bought was 1 box each of the 100grit/150grit/220grit - all in the white (is it Brilliant?) version.

For a small finishing sander like that, I think that range covers most of what you'd be doing with it.

For a r.o. sander, which can get a bit more aggressive, I guess for a basic kit, I'd get (4) grits: 80grit/120grit/180grit/220 or 320grit

The white paper does do better on painted surfaces, so I'd get the white as it's not too bad on wood either.

The reason I have so many grits in my collection of 5" and 6" discs, is I bought the 5" sander used and it came with a large asst, and the 6" rotex came with 4-5 boxes of paper when I bought it used as well.  I have also made some subsequent used Festool purchases that included some misc boxes of paper.

As a result, I've ended up with quite an assortment.  I certainly wouldn't suggest to anyone that they'd need so many options for a basic kit though.

JT

 

[mouppe]

I have a RO125 and an ETS 125. I keep my 5" paper in a sys 3 with a 6" sandpaper insert. I use lots of Rubin (100, 120, 150 and 180) and Brilliant paper (220, 320). I have some Cristal 60 for heavy-duty removal but I rarely use it. I also have the platin papers that the sanders came with- rarely used as well.

 

[Sparktrician]

Here's my take on disk storage for my RO125. 

[smile]

 

[Mavrik]

Bought a plastic, sealable container using Julian's idea ... and made 7 "spacer" rectangles for the disks to sit between.
Cut them on my MFT with my TS55.
There is just the right amount of play between spacer and plastic box - so works like a little filing cabinet; with the spacers able to move.

Works brilliantly!
Problem solved !!

(forums are useful things)
[smile]

 

[Julian Tracy]

Here's a related tip - I have a Rotex 150 and recently picked up a 6" ets sander.

The ETS didn't come with a fitted systainer, though I've got an extra empty I could use - instead I figured out the ETS fits great along side the Rotex in it's case.

It sits perfectly in the 6" disc recess of the Rotex's insert.

As I keep the sanding discs separate anyways, makes a lot of sense keeping both 6" sanders together.

Julian

 

[Frank Pellow]

The disks are no problem for me.  I store them in a systainer that I purchased from Festool and it works well.  [smile]

On the other hand, the small triangles for the Deltex 93 (and now the Rotex 90 as well) were a probelm because they tended to turn up at the edges over time, even though they were in a systainer 1 with a purpose-built insert.  My answer to this was to make wooden blocks that push down on the sandpaper when the lid is closed.  A picture is attached.
 
[attachimg=#1]