One of the most important factors when working with coated abrasives is the storage and handling. When you want your products working in their peak condition it is important that they are handled and stored properly. Poor storage can create safety issues and decrease the useful life of the abrasive.

Coated abrasives like, resin fiber discs, require a little more special attention to their storage as backings and adhesives can be sensitive to climate changes and will pick up or lose moisture depending upon their environment. 

The efficiency of coated abrasives increases as moisture decreases. However, if you allow your coated abrasive or resin fiber disc to become too dry, you can encounter issues such as curling or brittleness. As the abrasive dries out, you will see increased difficulties in handling. Their ideal environment is maintained with a 40-50% humidity level for optimal performance, which is around the ideal humidity in a home (30-50%).

Ideal Resin Fiber Disc Storage and Handling:

The ideal storage environment to ensure maximized performance levels of resin fiber discs and other coated would be a humidity range of 40-50%, as mentioned above, and a consistent temperature of 70-75°F (21-24°C). Keeping your stock inside and away from any direct vents, inlets, radiators, etc. will help maintain the life of your product.

• Resin fiber discs and other coated abrasives should be kept sealed and in a closed carton or storage box until the product is going to be used.
• Cartons, boxes, and wrapped rolls should be left intact until product is needed.
• Cartons, boxes, and wrapped rolls should be laid flat and not stored upright.

      

Storing unused supplies properly eliminates unnecessary spending, unnecessary safety hazards, and maximizes the life of your product! Proper storage saves money every year!

Examining Your Resin Fiber Discs for Signs of Poor Storage Conditions:

Excessive humidity may show up with softening of glue bond, softening of the resin coating on glue products, and softening of the filling material used in cloth finishing. This causes abrasive grains to be pushed into the backing rather than penetrate the object being worked upon. As you use the coated abrasive, the friction heat will build up and further soften the bond. The coated abrasive will then start loading quickly and burn the object that is being worked on. In cases of prolonged exposure to high humid conditions, performance can drop as much as 50% on the life of the product.

Warped/Curled Resin Fiber Discs

Cloth backed resin fiber discs can retain moisture and curl toward the grain becoming temporarily unusable. 

Excessive dryness may show up in loss of flexibility which will create difficulty when handling. For cloth backed resin fiber discs who have lost moisture, they will curl away from the grain. 

Either way a curled or curved resin fiber disc is not a loss! 

Unless they are excessively curled, in most cases they will flatten out when they are installed to the proper rubber backing pad. Enough pressure from the nut will cause the disc to flatten out and become usable. 

When you receive your fiber discs in the mail, sometimes changes in climate during shipping can cause them to slightly curl. If you have curled discs or ones that have a slight curve they are not unusable. It is a very easy fix. 

You can also store them flat and place some weight upon it, allowing them to flatten out before use. It is the same technique to flattening out a rolled up rug. 

It is important to test your discs for brittleness and other safety issues as mentioned above. If you aren't sure of the age and it does feel overly brittle, we always recommend choosing safety first and discard old or questionable discs. It is important to provide yourself with a safe work environment. 

Alternative Solution Ideas for Storage in Less than Ideal Conditions:

If you cannot provide your resin fiber discs or other coated abrasives with the ideal storage solution, then an alternative is a spindle that will keep them flat. They are also relatively easy to fabricate on your own as well.

Buying your products from a trusted source is always important. We at Empire Abrasives pride ourselves in not just our customer service but also providing quality product. All of our resin fiber discs and abrasive products are stored in a climate controlled warehouse. We constantly cycle through our inventory to avoid having old discs. 

Chat With Our Team of experts

Not completely positive about an old disc? Not sure what grinding disc types you need for a project? Chat with one of our experts today. We are always happy to help our customers. Find our chat on the bottom right corner of our website. You can also fill out or contact form or call us at 1-800-816-3824