My RO90 tried to kill me

[Michael Kellough]

[member=70289]CarlsonCarpentry[/member]  that does look like a fine textured polyethylene foam. It is a thermoplastic (and it’s black) so too much heat will deform it.

 

[Svar]

Polyurethane foam (typically soft, open cell) ages and disintegrates quickly (years).
Polyethylene foam (firm, closed cell) is much more durable.

Kaizen foam is polyethylene, in the above picture it simply melted. Clear polycarbonate lid blocks UV.

 

[Jim_in_PA]

Hook and Loop pads on sanders naturally degrade, both from the motion and from...heat...generated during sanding, especially by folks who tend to put excessive downward pressure on the sander, thinking it will work better. One thing I like about Festool is that the current replacements are much nicer than the earlier ones so my "old" 150/3 and RO150 get upgraded each time I have to replace the pad.

 

[Alanbach]

I have a question for those of you that have some knowledge of plastics. Is it UV rays that cause the pads to deteriorate or oxidation? If Festool was recommending a sealed Zip-Loc wouldn’t that hint that oxidation was the issue?

 

[Svar]

I have a question for those of you that have some knowledge of plastics. Is it UV rays that cause the pads to deteriorate or oxidation? If Festool was recommending a sealed Zip-Loc wouldn’t that hint that oxidation was the issue?

Don't claim any knowledge of plastics, but my guess is oxidation + mechanical stress/vibration.
UV don't penetrate beyond surface. Besides, typical exposure is short. Pads spend most of the time in boxes or indoors.

 

[xedos]

But why is it that my Festool pads don't last near as long as those on my Porter Cable, Bosch and Dewalt sanders do ?

They all get used about the same amount.

 

[Michael Kellough]

My older PC sander pads disintegrate similarly to the Festool pads. Don’t have any recent PC pads. My Bosch pads are a different composition and last much longer.

 

[andy5405]

I like this thread just for the title! I don't normally associate the FOG with tabloid style sensationalist headlines. It's normally far more conservative.

 

[Mike Goetzke]

I like this thread just for the title! I don't normally associate the FOG with tabloid style sensationalist headlines. It's normally far more conservative.

+1

 

[JimD]

I had to replace the pad on my Bosch DEVS 1250 after only a year or so of use.  It did not come apart but the hook and loop lost their grip.  I used it to take 50 years of paint off the clapboards covering two exterior walls of my dining room.  I used 40 grit paper and was in the "turbo" more agressive mode most of the time.  So I didn't think too much about it.  In more normal use, I think I will get much more than a year out of the replacement.

I used to have a Milwaukee random orbit I liked a lot.  It's pad did not give out, however, the whole random orbit mechanism fell apart.  Ball bearings went all over.  A DeWalt replaced it and then I got the Bosch - which I really like because it gets done quicker.  It has a 5mm orbit and the turbo mode - fairly similar to a bigger Rotex.