Don't steer away from exploring paths less traveled

[Nimble]

Best deal IMO. 5.5 inch Dual Action Pad Combo

[ZoranC]

Originally Posted by xtahoex

That being said the reason behind a 4" pad being aggressive is different than my reasoning (although it may be incorrect) for a 7.5" pad being aggressive. A 4" pad is aggressive not just because of speed but because any pressure applied is spread over a much smaller "footprint" this also means that more pressure can be applied while not slowing the machine down as much.

Not being knowledgable on why pads work the way they work here are some thoughts I wonder about:

1. If 4" is more aggressive because of higher pound per square inch achieved would it be less efficient than 7.5" if pressure is applied in such amount that it results in same pressure per square inch?

2. Same amount of pressure per square inch will still result in smaller pad bogging down less (total amount of friction will be smaller). Which role this plays?

3. Smaller pad dissipates less heat. Everything else being equal how much that smaller heat dissipation contributes to aggresiveness?

4. Considering path of DA is not same as one of rotary what is the real difference in path spot at the edge ends up traveling when compared to spot in the middle? I wonder because on some sander designs every single spot on the surface ends up traveling equal distance.

[xtahoex]

That's very interesting about the sanders surfaces all covering the same amount of distance. I did not know that and I wonder if it is possible that the same is true for a PC. I wish we had some way of knowing the answer to the rest of your questions. The only one I can guess at would be #1 I do not think that the 7.5 would be as aggressive with the same Lbs/in because at that point I think the machine would bog down so much it might barely be moving. At least that is how it seems to me.

[ZoranC]

Originally Posted by xtahoex

That's very interesting about the sanders surfaces all covering the same amount of distance. I did not know that and I wonder if it is possible that the same is true for a PC.

Some of them (at least that's what I have been told). Makes sense because otherwise sandpaper would not be wearing down evenly. Which begs for question: Do 7.5" pads used on PC show sign of being worn down more closer to the edge you get?