BallReviews

General Category => Miscellaneous => Topic started by: Rightycomplex on October 03, 2012, 08:56:25 AM

Title: Abralon Pad Maintenance
Post by: Rightycomplex on October 03, 2012, 08:56:25 AM
I wanted to know how or if some of you guys maintenance your pads. I was told by someone that you brush the ball particles out, im assuming, with a shoe brush. Im skeptical because, in my opinion, it lowers the grit of the pad. From feeling the pads that have been brushed, they feel smoother, but they do put surface on the ball. Just wondering
Title: Re: Abralon Pad Maintenance
Post by: Good Times Good Times on October 03, 2012, 09:19:57 AM
I really don't maintenence mine.  I just figure to get 4-5, maybe 6 uses per pad.  And I also note how much it has been used so that I can take that into consideration.  A used 2000 pad has a good use too as a finishing pad....

When they're done, I usually flip them over and use them to polish. 
Title: Re: Abralon Pad Maintenance
Post by: Rightycomplex on October 03, 2012, 09:30:50 AM
Good knowledge GT2, thats what i was assuming. This was just first time i had heard of someone brushing out the pads. I normally use the siaair pads and get about 10 uses before i chuck em and get a new one.
Title: Re: Abralon Pad Maintenance
Post by: Good Times Good Times on October 03, 2012, 10:12:29 AM
Good knowledge GT2, thats what i was assuming. This was just first time i had heard of someone brushing out the pads. I normally use the siaair pads and get about 10 uses before i chuck em and get a new one.

I think charlest has mentioned cleaning his abralon pads.  He probably knows how much that may prolong the pads life or affects the surface of it...

I do agree the siaair pads do last a bit longer.
Title: Re: Abralon Pad Maintenance
Post by: Rightycomplex on October 03, 2012, 01:22:34 PM
Ill ask charlest, maybe im wrong, but just feeling the pads afterwards, they are just so much smoother than they were originally.
Title: Re: Abralon Pad Maintenance
Post by: charlest on October 03, 2012, 02:23:59 PM
Ill ask charlest, maybe im wrong, but just feeling the pads afterwards, they are just so much smoother than they were originally.

I sometimes use an old toothbrush to lightly brush away residual resin while spraying it
with a direct stream of water. I do this into a waste bucket as I don't want to put resin slurry into my septic system.

I've thought about how the bristles of the toothbrush (softer than a shoe brush? not sure) would affect the abrasive. I think it's minimal as long as you don't brush too hard.

Brushing may be overkill. I think just spraying it with water before it's dry may be good enough. I just don't want to abrade the left over/dried resin onto the next ball.

Just my 2 cents.

Use your own common sense. If anyone has any other thoughts of a better or safer procedure, I'm all ears. We want to be safe (dry resin dust is not good), efficient, but we don't to get anal about this or overthink it.
Title: Re: Abralon Pad Maintenance
Post by: T_Bone on October 03, 2012, 02:28:20 PM
Funny this topic came up. I accidently  washed a 500 grit abralon pad in the washing machine with a load of clothes yesterday. The pad came out a little softer than normal and it was very clean! I wonder what grit it is now!
Title: Re: Abralon Pad Maintenance
Post by: Rightycomplex on October 03, 2012, 02:48:37 PM
Thanks Charlest for your experiences.
Title: Re: Abralon Pad Maintenance
Post by: Bigmike on October 03, 2012, 04:22:58 PM
Our shop has them stored in a small bucket with water. The water does not hurt the backing and you can wring the ball residue right out.

This was shared with us by our Storm/Roto rep when he came thru one time.
Title: Re: Abralon Pad Maintenance
Post by: Brickguy221 on October 03, 2012, 05:08:15 PM
I clean mine under running water and brushing "lightly" with a soft tooth brush.
Title: Re: Abralon Pad Maintenance
Post by: Rightycomplex on October 03, 2012, 08:28:26 PM
I like the idea of soaking them. I think that would maintain the texture of the pad better. Thanks for all the responses.
Title: Re: Abralon Pad Maintenance
Post by: JohnP on October 06, 2012, 05:43:18 PM
I brush mine with a small scrub brush, larger than a toothbrush and stiffer bristles.  Some call them a fingernail brush.  --  JohnP
Title: Re: Abralon Pad Maintenance
Post by: charlest on October 06, 2012, 07:52:48 PM
I like the idea of soaking them. I think that would maintain the texture of the pad better. Thanks for all the responses.

I don't think that just soaking them will clean them. You have to remove the resin slurry (hopefully not dried) from the pad with either a mechanical means (brush) or running water.
Title: Re: Abralon Pad Maintenance
Post by: Rightycomplex on October 07, 2012, 08:32:40 AM
I like the idea of soaking them. I think that would maintain the texture of the pad better. Thanks for all the responses.

I don't think that just soaking them will clean them. You have to remove the resin slurry (hopefully not dried) from the pad with either a mechanical means (brush) or running water.

I agree charlest. And in the shop this week, all ive been doing is after surfacing a ball, i hit the pad with extra water and the resin seems to run out. Its an alternative to applying a brush to it. I just a little frightened to do that.... ok i lied, very frightened to do that. Running water sounds great.