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Author Topic: Abralon, What is this product?  (Read 7687 times)

TheDude

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Abralon, What is this product?
« on: June 29, 2003, 11:40:00 PM »
I keep hearing this word used to describe finishing levels on balls now, from Hammer and I think Ebonite.

What is this product? Is it a liquid or a solid material?
Is it similar to Brunswick Trizact technology? Are they in pads or sheets?
Simply someone tell me what the hell is this stuff? and why is it now being used instead of scotchbrite or wetsand paper? I just ordered a trizact kit for my proshop from our brunswick distributor and it's been on back order for a while now.

I'm also going to email ebonite/hammer and ask if they can provide detailed info on how it works.

Thanks
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Enzo

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Re: Abralon, What is this product?
« Reply #1 on: June 30, 2003, 03:07:39 PM »
Looks like it is kind of scotchbrite with 180, 360, 500, 600
1000, 2000, 4000 grit level.

Check this link out : http://www.mirka.com/eng/prod/abralonm.shtm
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charlest

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Re: Abralon, What is this product?
« Reply #2 on: June 30, 2003, 04:18:25 PM »
This question seems to be arising everywhere. In order not to confuse everyone, please see several entries under Ebonite (where it is a direct question) and under Hammer (where it is under the post, "Hammer Vicous Partical").

It seems to be plain silicon-carbide sandpaper on a foam backing.


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TheDude

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Re: Abralon, What is this product?
« Reply #3 on: June 30, 2003, 04:38:27 PM »
This says they sell for 20 usD per piece!

ouch!! that's rather expensive. even if it last a long time.
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Timothy @Juniors Pro-Shops
LaSalle, Quebec-Located inside Pont Mercier Lanes.
Keep them honest!

Ebay store updated very often: http://stores.ebay.com/gumby3170?refid+store

drcjjr

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Re: Abralon, What is this product?
« Reply #4 on: June 30, 2003, 05:00:33 PM »
For abralon :
Go to : http://www.woodworkerssupply.com
Then type "abralon" in the search.
Click on the more details link,
This will give you an explanation of the product.
Hope This Helps, drcjjr
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MI 2 AZ

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Re: Abralon, What is this product?
« Reply #5 on: June 30, 2003, 08:03:07 PM »
Dude,

When I was looking it up in Google, one of the websites was selling it for $3 per pad.  I think it came 20 per box.  

Even at $3, that seems expensive.  Anyone here tried it yet?  How long does it last?
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MI 2 AZ

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Re: Abralon, What is this product?
« Reply #6 on: June 30, 2003, 08:08:57 PM »
drcjjr,

Your link is bad.  Try this:  www.woodworkerssupply.com

Now I see where TheDude came up with the $20 price.  That is for 5 pads.


This is where I saw the $3 price:  http://www.toolpeddler.com/mirkaabrasives.htm
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TheDude

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Re: Abralon, What is this product?
« Reply #7 on: June 30, 2003, 08:24:05 PM »
So what's the deal? Does ebonite plan to release these pads? or create a new type of CAB system? cause i feel fine sticking to regular wetsand paper or scotchbrite.

I looked through ebonite's website and couldn't find anything refering to this except in the friction guide. I never saw a news release saying they had changed. Also it kept saying on the website that it is for wood and flat surfaces. Bowling balls are neither, and it's a bit expensive at 3 usDollars per piece or sheet or whatever it is coming in.










































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Timothy @Juniors Pro-Shops
LaSalle, Quebec-Located inside Pont Mercier Lanes.
Keep them honest!

Ebay store updated very often: http://stores.ebay.com/gumby3170?refid+store

omegabowler

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Re: Abralon, What is this product?
« Reply #8 on: June 30, 2003, 08:53:11 PM »
Actually the finer grits are used in the finishing process of fine furniture.
guess what you are sanding? urethane, Varnish, and other resins.

the concept of the PAds are like 3m's micro finish sand paper. the particles are of a controlled size so the scratch patterns produced are far more precise.

over kill for a ball? maybe, maybe not. they have more resources for testing so I would go with them on it. I would think this process is more expensive so maybe quality is there goal.
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10 In The Pit

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Re: Abralon, What is this product?
« Reply #9 on: July 02, 2003, 01:26:00 AM »
From reading the writeup on the Abralon, it is designed to be best used wet.  I guess that it is really a more job specific version of ScotchBrite, with the abrasive grain having a closer knit texture than ScotchBrite.  Also, some of the ScotchBrite grits are silicon carbide (and some are aluminum oxide), but the Abralon seems to be geared at applications where uniformity of surface texture is more critical.

As for using it on bowling balls, it looks promising, especially if you want a ScotchBrite like surface, but in a finer surface than the white ScotchBrite can provide (since the Abralon also has a 2000 and 4000 grit available).  It might be overkill on bowling balls, but at least you would know exactly what surface you have when you get through scuffing.
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charlest

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Re: Abralon, What is this product?
« Reply #10 on: July 02, 2003, 08:25:56 AM »
quote:

As for using it on bowling balls, it looks promising, especially if you want a ScotchBrite like surface, but in a finer surface than the white ScotchBrite can provide (since the Abralon also has a 2000 and 4000 grit available).  It might be overkill on bowling balls, but at least you would know exactly what surface you have when you get through scuffing.


Be very careful in your assumptioms, 10-in-the-pit and everyone.
If you look carefully at the details in some of the webpages that reference Abralon, you will see that the 2000 and 4000 grit are actually what are termed p-metric grits. These are NOT equivalent to the 800-1000-1200-1500 grits we know. There are tables (somewhere, in the technology pages) showing what these "P-metric" grits are equivalent to, in terms of what we use. I'll see if I can dig them up.
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DanS

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Re: Abralon, What is this product?
« Reply #11 on: July 02, 2003, 08:35:32 AM »
Try this

http://www.buffpolishgrind.com/techinfo/gritcomps.htm

It doesn't go all the way to 4000 but you should get the idea.

Dan.
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jensm

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Re: Abralon, What is this product?
« Reply #12 on: July 02, 2003, 08:36:58 AM »
Go to http://www.taunton.com/finewoodworking/pages/w00006_sb2.asp for a conversion table from US standard to P-scale.

Regards,


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charlest

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Re: Abralon, What is this product?
« Reply #13 on: July 02, 2003, 01:20:47 PM »
jensm and DanS,

Wonderful start. Thank you much!
Now we need to find the continuation of the charts from 1000 grit to 3000 grit or so.


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Rick Wunder

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Re: Abralon, What is this product?
« Reply #14 on: July 03, 2003, 10:08:21 AM »
I just had my first exposure to Abralon yesterday when I went to work in the shop.  I am part-time and during the summer I only work one evening a week.  We use the Abralon pads on our Haus machine.  My first impression, along with the owner of the shop, is that they are excellent.  I used the 360 grit to finish off a ball that had been plugged.  After only 3-4 minutes on the Haus machine, the ball (an X-Factor Deuce) looked like it was brand new, right out of the box.  We agreed, however, that the surface of the ball was probably a bit too aggressive after using the 360 grit, so we worked it up a bit.

Later, I was finishing off a Yellow Dot (yes, an actual Yellow Dot - 1981 vintage), which a bowler was going to use as a dry lane/spare ball.  After cutting down the plug and sanding it, I put it on the 2000 grit pads, again for only 3-4 minutes.  It also came out looking like a new ball.  The surface was incredibly smooth, and I hit it with a little polish and it looked great.

I am really looking forward to trying out the 4000 grit pads.  I'll probably hit my spare ball (White Dot) with them and polish it up.

Both the owner of the shop and I are quite enthused about the results we achieve using the Abralon pads.  Of course, only time will tell how durable they will be.  We are hoping for the best.
RW (THB)
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