16" Cloth PSA Sanding Discs, 5 PACK
16" Cloth PSA Sanding Discs, 5 PACK
Available in stock (49995)
At 16" the disc sander stops being a woodworking accessory and becomes a machine tool: a cast platen, a heavy table, and rim speeds that will shred a paper disc the first time a workpiece catches the edge. These 16" cloth PSA sanding discs are resin-bonded aluminum oxide on X-weight poly-cotton cloth, made for exactly that machine. The cloth holds together at the rim under heat and pressure, so the disc comes off when the grain is spent, not when the backing tears.
They are bought for heavy floor-standing disc sanders in pattern shops, foundry pattern rooms, boat yards, millwork plants and trade-school shops, where the disc trues wide end grain, shapes laminated blanks and dresses aluminum and mild-steel plate. Each pack is 5 discs of one grit, 24 through 600, matched to how slowly a well-run 16" cloth disc actually gets used up.
- X-weight poly-cotton cloth backing; no rim tearing on a 16" platen
- Resin-bonded aluminum oxide cuts hardwood, laminates, aluminum and mild steel at hand-feed pressure
- Grits 24 through 600: rough shaping to flattening and pre-polish on one listing
- PSA mounting on a clean cast or steel 16" platen; no arbor hole, no clamps
- 5 discs per pack sized to a disc that lasts, so you are not warehousing grit you will not use
- Converted in Anaheim, California; free shipping on orders over $200
Which grit should a pattern or millwork shop run on a 16" disc?
Every grit here is aluminum oxide. On a hand-fed 16" machine the operator controls pressure, and aluminum oxide is the grain that stays productive across that whole range: it cuts hard at moderate pressure, does not need the heavy load that zirconia or ceramic want, and wears gradually so the finish stays predictable. Pick the grit by the operation.
- 24 and 36 grit: roughing. Bringing laminated pattern blanks, segmented rings and thick bandsawn curves to the layout line, hogging end grain on heavy timbers, breaking the skin on castings.
- 40 and 60 grit: heavy squaring and shaping. Truing wide crosscut ends, dressing aluminum pattern plates, shaping large radii on boat parts and millwork.
- 80 and 100 grit: the production disc. Squaring, fitting large mitres, truing templates and core boxes. 80 is the grit most 16" machines carry between jobs.
- 120 and 150 grit: refining pattern surfaces before filler, easing edges, cleaning up end grain that will show.
- 180 and 220 grit: finish-ready end grain and pattern surfaces, small hardwood components, final pass before sealing a pattern.
- 320, 400 and 600 grit: deburring and polishing aluminum, brass and mild-steel edges, flattening plates and fixtures on the platen, fine finishing on dense hardwoods.
A pattern shop typically stocks 36, 80 and 150. A millwork or cabinet plant is better served by 60, 100 and 220.
Grit guide for a 16" floor disc sander
| Grit | Use it for | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 24–36 | Roughing blanks, heavy end grain | Deep scratch; step to 60 or 80 |
| 40–60 | Heavy squaring, pattern plates | Fast, forgiving general disc |
| 80–100 | Production squaring, large mitres | Most-used grit on a 16" machine |
| 120–150 | Pattern refinement, visible end grain | Light pressure; keep the work moving |
| 180–220 | Finish passes before sealer | Dwell burns cherry and maple |
| 320–400 | Deburring soft metals, flattening | Minimal stock removal |
| 600 | Pre-polish, plate faces | Keep the disc clean |
What machines take a 16" PSA disc?
- 16" floor-standing disc sanders with a cast-iron platen and a heavy tilting table with mitre slot, the standard heavy disc sander in pattern shops and trade schools.
- Pattern makers' disc sanders and combination pattern machines whose disc measures 16" across the platen.
- Heavy-duty belt/disc combination sanders and stationary platen disc sanders built for a 16" adhesive disc.
- The old page also listed portable disc sanders and random orbital sanders. A 16" disc is a stationary-machine size only; hand-held tools take 5" or 6" discs on a back-up pad.
Mounting is PSA on a bare, clean metal platen. There is no arbor hole. Hook-and-loop faces must be removed or covered with a PSA conversion pad. Match the disc to the platen exactly; an overhanging rim is unsupported and will tear, and an undersized disc leaves bare metal that marks the work. Set the table gap close to the disc face before starting so thin stock cannot slip between table and disc.
How to get the most out of a 16" PSA disc
- Strip and clean the platen. Peel the spent disc while the platen is warm from running, then wipe the cast face with mineral spirits or denatured alcohol until it is bare and dry. A 16" platen with adhesive ridges will telegraph every one of them as a burn ring.
- Apply from the centre outward. Machine unplugged, peel back a hand's width of liner, set the disc centre on the platen centre, and press outward in a spiral with a roller or your palm. Work the liner off as you go so the disc never folds onto itself.
- Let the adhesive build. Give the disc a couple of minutes before roughing work; the bond strengthens as the adhesive wets out on the metal.
- Feed on the down-running side. Only the half of the disc travelling down toward the table holds the work down. On a 16" disc the up-running side will lift a heavy blank and throw it.
- Cut on the outer band, and keep moving. Rim speed is high on a 16" disc; that is where the cut is, and it is also where dwell burns. Sweep the work across the face with moderate pressure instead of leaning in.
- Progress grits sensibly. 36 → 60 → 100 → 150 → 220 without skipping more than one grade keeps scratches from hiding under the finish.
- Clean the disc. Glue lines, pitch and paint load the grain long before it is dull; a crepe-rubber belt eraser held to the running disc restores the cut.
- Run extraction. A 16" disc produces a large volume of dust; a hood and collector keep the disc from loading and the air clean.
- Store spares flat in the pack, liners on, cool and out of sunlight, so the cloth stays flat and the adhesive stays live until you need it.
Use it for / don't use it for
Use it for
- Roughing and truing laminated pattern blanks, core boxes and segmented rings
- Squaring wide end grain on timbers, panels and glued-up stock
- Shaping large radii and curves on boat parts, millwork and templates
- Dressing aluminum pattern plates, castings, brass and mild-steel plate edges
- Plywood, MDF and laminated edges
- Flattening plates and fixtures at 320–600 grit
Don't use it for
- Hook-and-loop platens without a PSA conversion pad
- Hand-held sanders of any kind
- Heavy grinding on stainless or hardened steel; use zirconia or ceramic belts
- Wet or coolant-fed work; these are dry-use discs
- Platens that are not 16"
- Re-sticking a disc once it has been peeled
Specifications
| Diameter | 16 inch |
|---|---|
| Abrasive grain | Aluminum oxide, resin bonded |
| Backing | X-weight poly-cotton cloth |
| Attachment | PSA (pressure-sensitive adhesive) with paper liner |
| Arbor hole | None |
| Grits offered | 24, 36, 40, 60, 80, 100, 120, 150, 180, 220, 320, 400, 600 |
| Pack quantity | 5 discs, one grit per pack |
| Wet or dry | Dry |
| Machines | 16" floor disc sanders, pattern makers' disc sanders, heavy belt/disc combos |
| Also available | 5", 6", 8", 9", 10", 12", 14", 20" and 30" cloth PSA discs |
| Converted in | Anaheim, California |
Frequently asked questions
Why are 16" discs sold in packs of 5 instead of 10 or 20?
Because a 16" cloth disc on a stationary machine lasts a long time. The X-weight backing does not fail at the rim the way paper does, so a disc runs until the aluminum oxide is genuinely dull. Five discs of one grit typically keeps a single heavy disc sander supplied for a long stretch. Larger quantities can be quoted at 714-646-3299 or sales@maverickabrasives.com.
Will a 16" PSA disc stick to an old, pitted cast-iron platen?
Yes, as long as the face is clean. Pressure-sensitive adhesive bonds to the metal surface, and fine pitting is not a problem; old adhesive, oil and dust are. Strip the platen with mineral spirits or denatured alcohol, let it dry, and apply the disc from the centre outward. A badly grooved or dished platen should be faced before any 16" disc will run flat.
Which grit do pattern makers use on a 16" disc?
Most pattern shops keep three grits on hand: 36 grit for roughing laminated blanks and core boxes to the layout line, 80 grit for truing and fitting, and 150 grit for the last pass before filler and sealer. Aluminum pattern plates are dressed at 60 or 80 and deburred at 320 or finer.
How do I keep a heavy blank from being thrown by a 16" disc?
Feed only on the down-running side, the half of the disc travelling toward the table, so the disc presses the work onto the table instead of lifting it. Keep the table gap tight, hold the blank flat with both hands, and let the outer band of the disc do the cutting with moderate pressure rather than forcing the piece in.
Can I run coolant or sand wet on these 16" discs?
No. These are dry-use discs. The aluminum oxide grain and X-weight cloth handle the heat of dry sanding on a 16" machine, but the pressure-sensitive adhesive is not designed for water or coolant, and a wet disc will lift at the rim. For wet grinding on glass or stone we make silicon carbide PSA discs on a wet-capable backing.
How do I remove a spent 16" disc cleanly?
Run the machine for a minute to warm the disc, switch off and unplug, then lift one edge and peel slowly at a low angle across the platen. Warm adhesive comes away on the cloth. Wipe any residue with mineral spirits and let the platen dry completely before laying down the next disc from the centre out.
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