Flap Discs

About

What Are Flap Discs? Flap discs level up your grinding game by combining the material removal of a conventional grinding wheel with the control of a palm sander. The different abrasive grain sizes allow for a range of different finishes/scratch patterns and the cushion effect of the layered coated flaps allows for a lighter touch for feathered sanding or an aggressive metal hog. The pressure you apply dictates the aggressiveness of the disc. What Makes a Flap Disc…a Flap Disc? There are 3 main components that make up a flap disc; abrasive flaps, hard backing and glue Coated Abrasive Flaps – Layers of overlapping coated abrasive cloth are applied to a hard backing (metal, plastic, or fiberglass) via a thermosetting phenolic resin (or glue). The abrasive flaps provide a cushion effect allowing the user to feather the grinding or bear down on the disc and really remove some material. This same coated abrasive technology is used in sanding discs , including PSA and Hook & Loop varieties , making flap discs a natural progression for users familiar with those products. Hard Backing – Flap discs can be found with three different backing types (metal, plastic and fiberglass). The metal backed flap discs are not popular and are not commonly found in the US market. Fiberglass backed flap discs are the most common disc you will find. The fiberglass backing is coated in resins that harden under heat and pressure, leaving you with a rigid and lightweight backing to adhere the flaps to. The plastic backed flap discs have become more popular in the past few years with the design of a trimmable edge disc which can be cut back to expose more flap material. Glue – The stuff that holds it all together. A thermosetting resin (or glue) that liquifies under high heat, then cures to a hard rock like thickness. The glue holds the flaps firmly to the backing. What Do T27 and T29 Mean? T27 and T29 refer to the type, or shape of your flap disc. They are also commonly referred to as type 2