Use 6“ hook and loop disks with a 5” sander

powertoolssandersanding

A friend just gave me over a hundred 6" flat hook and loop disks. The only problem is, I've got a 5" orbital sander with dust collection which uses perforated sanding disks. Can I use these together with a little sticking off the edge? My only concern is that the sander somehow uses airflow for cooling its motor and bearings. Will this affect my sander's performance?

Best Answer

The holes on the discs may not line up with the ones in the base--if they don't, you'll have to be careful. As you say it will interfere with air flow, which will affect cooling, sanding, and sawdust removal. I'm not sure whether it's enough to damage the tool, unless maybe if you're sanding for hours, but the results may not be as good..

If you do use them, I would recommend cutting off the excess edge--it can dig into your piece and leave marks.