"Sometimes I need that crisp polished edge that only a polishing lap can achieve, sometimes those are in hard to get to areas. Here is a trick I do using repurposed chipboard to make mini laps (/Flex Shaft Polishing Discs) get into hard to reach spots."
Step 1. Gather the materials. I find materials in the strangest places. The chipboard backing of sketch books, the box to my favorite 12 pack, a cereal box, many of them can be used to make a mini lap. The material needs to be dense and somewhat rigid in order to work the best.
Step 2. I cut my disks using my disk cutter. I cut the disks to a 7/8 in diameter. I find this to be the most useful. Once the disk is cut I use a Centering Square to find the center of each disk and then drill a 1/16 in. hole (if you have a 1/8 in. mandrel you’ll want to drill a 1/8in hole).
Step 3. Once the disk is mounted on the mandrel, you’ll need to true it up by sanding the edges. Chuck up the mandrel in your flex shaft and run at a medium to fast speed and lightly touch the edge of the disk to some medium to course grit sandpaper. The disk will want to bounce on the sanding stick at first but the more you sand the smoother it will run. Once it’s running true you can lightly sand the sides (if you’ll be using them). Sanding the sides roughs them up making it easier to charge the disk with your polishing compound.
Step 4. These can be used on the edges or the sides to get crisp clean polished edges. Over time the edges will soften and might need to be reshaped using sandpaper.
Mark Nelson | Education Coordinator at Rio Grande
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 505-839-3000
Ext: 13740