Shopsmith Forums

I got an email from Popular Woodworking all about the new Shopsmith abrasives. It also included a video link showing why these are much better than the competition.

http://www.shopsmithabrasives.com/video ... =236168417

and SSabrasives has a full page add on the inside front cover of the latest issue of Fine WoodWorking magazine.

Have to give them a try. Has any forum member used them yet?

Forrest

I haven't used it yet, but I picked up some from a woodworking store that were for a 5" random orbital sander. It appears to be high quality and I think it is rebranded Gator sandpaper. In fact, the Gator site lists the product line in affiliated products.

No sure what the real price is because I guessing what I picked up was sales samples they sold off in their outlet.

Picked up a couple for my handheld belt sander. They work great! I may pick some up later on for my SS Belt Sander when they come on sale from the SS website.
BPR

My local Big Blue box does not carry SS Abrasives, but they do carry the Gator Brand though (I have heard the SS and Gator are in fact one and the same). These have performed very well on my little 5" disc Sander + 1" x 24" strip sander. The belts last a long time for me, I do recommend one of those big rubber eraser/belt cleaners totally worth the minimal cost. I paid less than $5 for mine several years ago and it still has a lot of life left in it.

I believe the ss sold ceramic sanding products are sourced from Gator, but I am not sure they are the same abrasive as the gator distributed ss abrasive products sold at Lowe's.

Gator was displaying the ss branded stuff at a recent show or whatever it was called.

I am suspicious(pure speculation) that the ss green ceramic is different in ways other than color.

ss sold = green from ss

ss branded = white from big blue


I believe gator packaged product was shipped to Lowe's when some sort of ss packaging issue developed.

I found an earlier post regarding the gator branded stuff as grossly inferior to the ss branded stuff 'interesting' after learning of the common source.

JPG40504 wrote:I found an earlier post regarding the gator branded stuff as grossly inferior to the ss branded stuff 'interesting' after learning of the common source.

I've seen the SS products next to the Gator at the Big Blue Box but not tried them. I use a lot of abrasives in restoration work, and Gator is a brand I am wary of using. I've tried their flap wheels, paint/rust removal sanding pads, and sanding sponges and all were inferior. However, the one time I have used their actual sandpaper was on my 3" x 24" belt sander (reluctantly, couldn't find any other brand in that size) and I was impressed. Good durability of the abrasive, and the backing paper is thicker and doesn't tear easily.

If anyone tried out the sanding discs I'd be curious how SS, Gator, and 3M compare.

I've been buying "Gator" branded abrasives from Lowe's for at least 7 years, long before SS Abrasives came on the scene. I'm pretty sure the decision to sell Gator Vs SS in the store is a regional decision as I have not seen SS Branded abrasives in this part of the country at any Lowe's.

I could always be wrong. I'm just saying if they are made by the same company, I can recommend based on my experience with Gator. I still have a supply of belts and discs so I'll not be purchasing anytime soon. Perhaps I'll try the SS Abrasives the next time I need to purchase.

They must not be too popular at the local Lowes. I saw some SS and Gator branded sanding products at the local Habitat store. Unfortunately, they wanted prices that were similar to lowes too. I've had better luck getting close out ROS pads from my local Rockler.

I wonder when these new abrasives will be available for the SS Sanding Disk.
I would like to try some on there.