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        • Grinding, Sanding & Polishing Discs

        • Our range of flap discs, cutting discs, grinding wheels and fibre discs, surface conditioning, stripping discs and polishing discs are primarily produced by Eisenblätter in Germany. We focus on providing the highest quality, safety, user friendliness and environmental sustainability. Many products have set the standard since they were introduced and throughout the years have been continually improved to be on the cutting edge of innovation.

        • Grinding Sleeves and Wheels

        • Creating a beautiful satin finish is made easier by using our high-quality, durable abrasives sleeves and wheels. They are manufactured in Germany by Eisenblätter using special processes to ensure smooth operation and increased service life. Our range offers you the right product for a wide range of applications on different metals such as cleaning, satin finishing, removing scratches, industrial grinding or linear grinding, pre-grinding or polishing to a mirror finish, surface treatment of wood and much more.

        • Machines

        • For over 30 years our machines have set the standard for performance and durability. We were the first to introduce the handheld linear grinder (Poly PTX) and the variable speed angle grinder (Varilex) to Australia in 1988. These machines are still made in Germany by Eisenblätter have continually been improved upon and they still are the most powerful machines in their category over 30 years later. We now also have high quality German made handheld belt sanders, belt filing machines, bevelling machines and polishers.

        • Grinding, Sanding & Polishing Belts

        • We stock a large range of belts for a variety of different applications such as grinding, satin finishing, fine sanding or polishing up to a mirror finish. We stock belt sizes 40x780mm pipe machines and 30×600 to suit our PTX machine with optional grinding belt roller. The practical T-Lock fastening system allows pipes on closed pipe constructions and handrails to be finished without cutting belts. Custom belts of any size can also be made up, use our custom belt order form or send us an email for more information.

        • Accessories

        • Accessories to suit our Eisenblätter machines such as backing pads for mounting Velcro discs, spare guards, dust extraction systems and much more. There are also innovative products such as the grinding belt roller that allows belts to be used with either our PTX or Varilex machines. There are also machine holders and flexible shaft attachments for getting into hard-to-reach areas. These accessories add further versatility to our machines and keep them one step above the rest.

        • Polishing & Cleaning

        • Achieve a shadow-free, mirror finish with Eisenblätter polishing products such as BRIGHTEX® polishing pastes. Minimise clogging with the use of Superpolish polishing discs, belts and sleeves. Our range of care products allows you to effectively clean, protect and preserve metal surfaces.

        • Bobbie’s Bargain Box

        • Get great quality abrasives made by Eisenblaetter in Germany for up to 50% off while stocks last. These products are mainly from discontinued lines so get them before they’re gone for good!

  • Blog
  • Catalogue

Top 10 Abrasive Questions from Fabricators - ANSWERED

Picture of Patrick Mullner

Patrick Mullner

Worked in the Industry for 10 years with 1 year training with abrasives in Germany

Fabricators and metal workers are always on the look out for tools and abrasives that make the job easier and provide the quality results they desire. Here are their top 10 internet questions answered.

Question #1: What type of abrasives is best for my material?

 
There are a few main abrasives available; aluminium oxide, zirconium (blue or green), ceramic, silicon carbide and diamond. Each of these abrasives come in a bunch of different forms and formulations for different types of applications such as using aluminium oxide in a cutting disc or on a belt. 
 
As a general rule of thumb the following abrasives should be used on the certain materials.
 
Aluminium Oxide: Aluminium, Mild Steel or Wood (Finishing)
Zirconium: Mild Steel, Stainless Steel & Non-Ferrous metals (Stock Removal and Finishing)
Ceramic: Stainless Steel and other ‘hard’ metals (stock removal)
Silicon Carbide: Particle Board, Stainless Steel, Stone and Glass (Cutting and Finishing)
Diamond: Stone

Question #2: How to choose the right grit size?

 
Choosing the right grit size depends largely on two main factors. 1) What finish are you looking to achieve and 2) what material you are working with.
 
For example if you want to mirror polish some stainless steel you do not want to use a grit 36 ceramic as it is going to make alot of extra work to get those grinding marks out. Starting with a 120 grit zirconium to remove a weld would be much more appropriate (See Magnum Cooltop 5+ HERE).
 
Also, for soft metals such as copper a finer grit is required. If the finish is important always go the finest possible for stock removal.

Question #3: What are the differences between coated and bonded abrasives?

This refers to how the abrasives are made and which form they take.
 
Coated abrasives are items such as discs, belts, sleeves and handpads where the abrasive material is ‘coating’ a backing of either paper, polyester or cotton. An example for a coated abrasive is the POLY PTX Zirconium Sleeve, which can be seen HERE.
 
Bonded abrasives are abrasives such as cutting discs and grinding discs where the abrasive and structural material are fused together.
Belt product header
Zirconia, Aluminium Oxide and Polishing Belts

Question #4: How do I determine the correct speed for my tool?

 
The correct speed for all our abrasives are listed on the abrasive disc or wheel. This information is also available in our catalogue or one our website.
 
We strongly encourage that everyone should have a variable speed grinder in their workshop. We offer the Varilex 1100 and Varilex 1800 machines, which are both quality, professional tools from Germany.
 
Having variable speed allows the user to not only increase the lifespan of their abrasives but also safely use abrasives such as non-woven abrasives which require a lower speed.

Question #5: What factors should I consider for abrasive lifespan and durability?

 
The two main factors for abrasive lifespan and durability are the following:
 
1) Speed, make sure you are using the right speed for the right tool. All our products have an ideal speed range to get maximum durability.
 
2) Proper use, for example using a non-woven fleece product on a sharp edge is going to wear the abrasive far quicker than using it on a curved or flat surface.
 
3) Material and quality, every type of abrasive has grades; a low quality zirconium and high quality zirconium are still both called zirconium. For example our premium Magnum Cool Top zirconium flap disc has cooling agents and anti-clogging technology incorporated into the abrasive. A low quality zirconium disc could last only 10% of the duration and has none of cooling technologies.

Question #6: How do I prevent disc clogging and loading?

 
Discs can clog on certain applications; such as grinding/sanding aluminium, sanding paint or removing contaminants.
 
There are two main ways to reduce or eliminate clogging. 
 
1) Lubricants: This can be a wax or oil that is applied onto the surface before grinding or it is integrated into the disc itself. An example is grinding aluminium. Using a cheap pad is going to last less than a minute before it becomes unusable. Whereas if you use the TIGER Shark paired with the FIX Cut Oil it will last a very long time without clogging.
 
2) Using the right tool for the job, for example if you are sanding a hardwood deck and it has thick coating on it. If you are using a POLY PTX Fleece Wheel, which is a great product but it is going to ‘gum up’ and ‘load’ siginifantly faster than using a POLY PTX Tynex Brush which is designed for that application. 
FIX Cut Oil
Tiger Shark with Fix Cut Oil on Aluminium

Question #7: What are the best practices for maintaining and storing abrasives?

 
Many disc, belts or pads are made using a variety of materials including paper and cotton. Also, belts are joined with glue and tape. 
 
It is best to avoid getting these items wet and humid. The best practice is to store in a cabinet away from sunlight either in airtight bags or having damprid/dehumidifier nearby.

Question #8: How do I choose between different types of abrasives for specific purposes?

 
Some abrasives are better than others for specific purposes, the main applications are as below:
 
Stock Removal: Ceramic or Zirconia. For example the Cold Steel fibre discs are great at stock removal.
 
Sanding: Aluminium Oxide or Zirconia. For example the POLY PTX Grinding belts are great for sanding.
 
Fine Sanding/Polish: Aluminium Oxide or Silicon Carbide. Trizact abrasives come in a variety of types and are ideal for pre-grinding before mirror finishing. See our Trizact belts HERE.

Question #9: What satefy precautions should I follow when using abrasives?

 
When using an angle grinder, it is spinning at thousands of revolutions per minute. A few items are very important:
 
1) Wear protective PPE equipment such as face visor/safety glasses, gloves and hearing protection.
 
2) Use the guard on your angle grinder or linear grinder. This collects alot of debris.
 
3) Use the abrasives properly and pay attention to the job at hand.

Question #10: Can abrasives be used for both finishing and stock removal?

 
Depending on what kind of finish you are after absolutely. 
 
For angle grinding with flap discs a fine grit zirconia flap disc such as the Magnum Cool Top 120 grit provides a nice finish after removing a small weld.
 
Linear grinding a POLY PTX Flap Wheel or POLY PTX Mix Wheel can be used providing a nice linear pattern while removing material.
 
Also if rust, paint and contaminants need to be removed the Magnum Decofinish leaves a great finish after removing them.

Products mentioned in this Blog:

There are always many questions about abrasives and what to use; we have a dedicated team who have been in the business for over 35 years to help you find what is best for your business or project.

Patrick Mullner
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t/as Mullner Enterprises
ABN: 98 097 144 753

Supplying Australian Businesses since 1988