SHOWDOWN: Abranet VS Granat

[billg71]

One thing nobody's mentioned about the Abranet is the ease of changing discs: no holes to align. It seems trivial but it makes a big difference in workflow especially when you're running multiple grits on large pieces. I pre-sand most of my work before joinery, being able to just pull off a disc, slap the sander down on the next disc and go right back to work is a big help. When using discs with holes I used to cycle through all the parts with one grit, change discs and repeat with the next, repeat once more with the final. Makes for a lot of material handling when you're doing a cabinet full of drawers.

I use the Granat in 80 and 100 grits, I find it cuts better than the Abranet and seems to last longer(no tests).  The Abranet HD cuts better than the Granat but leaves a rougher surface that takes longer to clean up with the next grit. On 120 and above I use the Abranet for convenience.

I've used the same pad protector on my Ceros since it was new, over 2 years now. I recently changed it because I used the sander with WD40 on a cast iron top but it was still holding on to the discs just fine. Now I have one for metal and one for wood, 3 left out of the original 5-pack.

HTH,
Bill

 

[junk731]

Personally I use both on a daily basis. Each has their place. An interesting side note. We had a member that said his father worked in the Mirka factory that also produced abrasives for Festool. Some of the members might also remember that thread. I also remember it was never confirmed or denied by Festool.

John

 

[BravoRomeo]

As I replied in another thread, I recently sanded off exterior latex paint off a 2x6 deck rail using a 125mm CEROS and Abranet HD. The work went surprisingly quick at about 15-20 seconds per lineal foot to bare wood. I then worked up through the HD grits, then to Abranet screens to 100 before painting. The whole project was all of 60 feet of railing and I didn't wear out any discs yet. I am using a pad protector and was still able to apply a clean chamfered edge to the railing as I went along.

The HD discs are fairly rigid, but unlike the regular Abranet, they do have conventional holes you must align with the pad.

I do wonder how an RO125 or 150 and Festool paper would have compared on this job, but I was certainly impressed with the Abranet stuff in the CEROS.

 

[worldburger]

While I know my comments aren't going to be perceived as unbiased, I have actually tested Granat against Abranet just last year. Granat outperformed it in material removal rate, longevity and anti-clogging. The test was about a 1/4" thick by 6" diameter circle of auto body filler. The abrasives were both on identical ETS 150's with a weight attached so equal pressure was applied. Maybe one of the forum members can perform a similar test and report back.

Shane

Shane, did you test the sanding discs on wood or drywall by any chance?

 

[Administrator_JSVN]

Shane, did you test the sanding discs on wood or drywall by any chance?

No, I don't recall doing any sanding on wood and I definitely didn't use it on drywall. Sorry.

 

[worldburger]

No, I don't recall doing any sanding on wood and I definitely didn't use it on drywall. Sorry.

Of all things, why would you want to compare the abrasives on the least fun thing in the world (body filler)? Lol

 

[Michael Kellough]

I'm not sold on Abranet. In my experience it doesn't last nearly as long as top quality traditional abrasive disks.
Just compare the two types at the same magnification. The Abranet has about 30% as much abrasive over the same area. Mirka may claim to add as much abrasive per disk as other manufacturers but a substantial amount of the abrasive particles coats the sides of the holes in the mesh and will never touch the work.

The plentiful holes in the mesh do allow Abranet to be used with dust collection on many different sanders but it isn't difficult to find abrasives that are designed for your specific sander.

Mirka recommends using an interface sheet so the hooks on the sander's pad don't wear too quickly but that results in a soft backing to the abrasive resulting in less even cutting. Sand a softwood surface with the soft pad and it won't be flat.

 

[BUTTER]

Update:  I invested in a Ceros unit for this project (refinishing the cedar exterior of a 400sf outbuilding.)  I also ended up investing in an RO90 (oh darn
The Ceros is fantastically light and easy to manage on all this vertical.  It also revs up to 10K rpm, though is a little more manageable at 8K.  I considered the RO125, but the balance/weight was a disadvantage on this application.
The Abranet has been performing quite well.  100 disks run ~$40

That little RO90 is a dream!!!!

 

[Richard D.]

As others have mentioned the comparison should be between Abranet HD and Granat. If you wanted to compare the Abranet to a Festool paper I think Rubin would make more sense, and only then if you are sanding wood. I have been using Autonet (80, 180 and 320) which you can buy off the shelf at Austin Hardwoods in Santa Ana for about 1/3 less than Abranet. About a year ago I spoke with a Mirka rep who said the Auto and Abra were the same and thought both were non-stearated although I haven't been able to confirm any of that information. I also have been using Indasa Rhynogrip paper on my ETS125 (100,220 and 320 grits) which gives great results for oil finishes without stain which is my preference.