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Author Topic: Using 3M sandpaper on bowling balls.  (Read 21031 times)

relentless1

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Using 3M sandpaper on bowling balls.
« on: January 10, 2016, 06:52:52 PM »
One of my fellow bowlers use 3M sandpaper for his bowling balls and had some success with the results. I normally use Sia Air pads but switched to the NEAT pads over the summer. I remember seeing a chart converting the grit levels for them about a week ago just now came across it. Has anyone else use the 3M sandpapers and how does it compare to using the other pads like Abralon, Sia Air or the Neat pads.
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SG17

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Re: Using 3M sandpaper on bowling balls.
« Reply #1 on: January 10, 2016, 11:00:24 PM »
sandpaper used to be the typical abrasive for bowling balls.  it is fairly recently (10 years or so) that abralon pads started migrating into bowling as a primary abrasive.

Abralon pads last longer, every use of sandpaper and it loses some the abrasive material and potentially lowers the grit it is sanding at.  this eventually will happen with abralon, but you should get more use out a single abralon than sandpaper.

unless something has changed in recent years, the biggest thing to keep in mind is that 3M sandpaper uses the US measuring system for grit and Abralon uses a different measuring system, metric, I think.   so 1000 in sandpaper is not a 1000 abralon or sia air
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charlest

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Re: Using 3M sandpaper on bowling balls.
« Reply #2 on: January 10, 2016, 11:20:20 PM »
Over the past several years, many abrasive manufacturers have come to use the FEPA grading system on their sandpaper, as well as their other abrasives. I don't know if they all have or if 3M has; so I can't comment on that. I have purchased abrasives from Norton, Mirka and Klingspor, a European manufacturer with several locations in the US.

Sometimes it's hard to tell which grading system is used, as from the lower numbers (rougher grits) to around 400 grit, CAMI (US) and FEPA (European) are virtually the same. Starting around 600 grit, they begin to diverge.
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itsallaboutme

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Re: Using 3M sandpaper on bowling balls.
« Reply #3 on: January 11, 2016, 06:28:50 AM »
All the 3M wet/dry I get is labeled with a P before the grit, so it is FEPA grit scale.  I buy Imperial, but 3M has a bunch of different model numbers of wet/dry papers, so you need to check the grit on the back when buying.

To answer the question, there is no difference in results from fresh sandpaper to fresh Abralon, besides the cost.
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JohnN

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Re: Using 3M sandpaper on bowling balls.
« Reply #4 on: January 11, 2016, 07:50:48 PM »
Nice thing about sandpaper is that it is available at your local hardware store. Especially if you have other uses for it, use it a couple of times on a ball and then on something else.
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kidlost2000

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Re: Using 3M sandpaper on bowling balls.
« Reply #5 on: January 11, 2016, 08:55:04 PM »
Fresh is fresh most do not replace the pads they use as often as they should.

Sandpaper is easier to tell the loss of grit.

I prefer siaair
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BallReviews-Removed0385

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Re: Using 3M sandpaper on bowling balls.
« Reply #6 on: January 12, 2016, 08:37:46 AM »
Quote from: itsallaboutme on January 11, 2016, 06:28:50 AM
All the 3M wet/dry I get is labeled with a P before the grit, so it is FEPA grit scale.  I buy Imperial, but 3M has a bunch of different model numbers of wet/dry papers, so you need to check the grit on the back when buying.

To answer the question, there is no difference in results from fresh sandpaper to fresh Abralon, besides the cost.

UNLESS you use it on a spinner with water flowing like I do.  With the Sia Air, Abralon water can flow through the pad, whereas the sandpaper the water runs off the back of the sandpaper.  The difference is substantial that way.

For the record, I do use both.  They each have their place in the shop work that I do.  Granted that many of us on the forum may only have a tabletop spinner without a water supply, which would level the differences somewhat. 
« Last Edit: January 12, 2016, 08:40:46 AM by notclay »
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Steven

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Re: Using 3M sandpaper on bowling balls.
« Reply #7 on: January 12, 2016, 09:32:25 AM »
Quote from: notclay on January 12, 2016, 08:37:46 AM

UNLESS you use it on a spinner with water flowing like I do.  With the Sia Air, Abralon water can flow through the pad, whereas the sandpaper the water runs off the back of the sandpaper.  The difference is substantial that way.
 
 
Agreed.
 
I mostly use Siaair, but sometimes use Sandpaper on a CAB. When using sandpaper, I really have to be on top of it with the spray bottle to keep the cut from being too aggressive.
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