The other day I was searching for sanding block designs and instead I found something interesting: carbide hand sanding blocks. In particular, I discovered these Tru-Sander carbide sanding blocks from Dura-Grit.
When using a traditional sanding block, you’ll go through sheets and sheets of sandpaper as they wear down with use. But with these Dura-Grit Tr-Sander carbide sanding blocks, the 5-1/2″ x 2″ tungsten carbide-coated plate won’t wear down like “ordinary” sandpaper, and will always be the same grit as when you bought it, at least according to Dura-Grit.
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(Well, maybe not always, but it should take a lot of use and a very long time before there’s any noticeable wear or reduced performance. Tungsten carbide is a very hard and wear-resistant material.)
The Tru-Sander can be used on wood, MDF, engineered or laminate flooring, fiberglass, rigid foam, ABS, PVC, rubber, gourds???, and many more materials, and they specifically recommend against using it on metal.
The wooden handle can be used comfortably in either hand. One edge of the sanding block is perpendicular to the cutting face, so you can use it to square up the edges of boards, or keep them square as you sand them.
Dura-Grit even claims the Tru-Sander has dust collection built in. There are concave depressions running behind the perforated tungsten carbide coated plate, for trapping dust. You can just tap the block on it’s side to clear the dust away, and the plate can be cleaned with a steel brush if necessary.
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The Tru-Sander carbide sanding block is available in 60, 80, 120, and 150 grit. You’ll pay $38 plus $7 for the cheapest shipping option.
It doesn’t look like you can swap out the plate, so you’ll have to buy a separate block for each grit size.
Price: $38 plus shipping
Buy Now (via Dura-Grit Website)
First Thoughts
DuraGrit also makes other tungsten carbide coated sanding products, like 5″ carbide sanding discs and 1/4″ carbide round files, as well as high-speed rotary carbide burrs, all of which are interesting products in their own right.
What I don’t get is that the Tru-Sander used to be carried by Amazon, Woodcraft, and a bunch of other distributors for about $22. Now the only place I can find them for sale is the Dura-Grit website for almost twice the price. I’m not sure what happened, maybe they didn’t sell well enough to be carried by these other distributors?
Has anyone used a Tru-Sander or another tungsten carbide coated sanding block? Do the claims that they’ll last 100x longer than sandpaper actually hold up? And if they do, why is this product not more widely available?
Here’s a promo video:
Nathan
interesting. If I felt or knew it was going to last long I would buy one.
probably only 2 grits – since I’d use papers to finish out.
but I could really see getting the 60 and say the 120.
Erik
I purchased all four of the TruSander blocks (60/80/120/150 grit) and I’ve been happy with the purchase. Using them on wood and a bit of PVC I’ve seen no signs of wear at all. The 90 degree feature has been useful.
I generally consider them to be a shaping tool somewhere between a file and sandpaper and as such I always finish with another round of sanding using the same grit of sandpaper of the last TruSander I used (and possibly moving up grits from there) if I am working on something that deserves a finer finish.
I have encountered one problem. My 60 grit block has one grain of carbide that sticks out too high and leaves a score mark in my workpiece. Usually I’m only using that grit for very rough shaping or for rough work so I don’t mind so much. And its in a position that if I am elevating my workpiece as seen in the photos I can avoid it. Never the less I may try to chip it off some day at the risk of deforming the metal substrate.
I also have a couple of the Carbide Flat Sanders and I find them a slim, portable, maneuverable, substitute for a file.
Conclusion: I think it is an investment that will eventually pay off in saved sandpaper costs and less garbage heading to the dump, during which I’m getting time benefits of not having to make up 90 degree sanding blocks and changing paper.
At the time I considered the DuraDiscs that mount of 5″ orbital sanders but the reviews I read regularly mentioned that the discs (not having the flex of any regular sandpaper type material) can easily dig into your work if you ever fail to hold the sander sufficiently level. Think of using a grinder to sand something flat…not an easy task.
DuraGRIT - Chris
Hello Erik, this is Chris from DuraGRIT.
Thank you for your comment, we are happy to hear you are overall happy with your DuraGRIT TruSanders!
Regarding the ‘rogue’ grit on your 60 grit TruSander:
This is a very rare manufacturing defect that got past our inspection.
Erik, you have three options:
1) Call us Toll-Free at 1 (844) 447-4748, extension 2. Provide us with your order details and we will give you a Return Authorization Number. Mail the TruSander back to DuraGRIT and when we receive it, we will send you a free replacement TruSander. We can discuss this process in more detail over the phone.
2) For speed and convenience, you may choose to try to remove the raised grit in the following way: Use a small steel chisel or a small flathead screw driver, place it against the side of the raised grit grain and tap with a hammer ‘across the surface of the plate’. This will dislodge the carbide grain without damage to the plate and the ’tooth’ will be consistent across the surface of the disc as intended.
3) If that doesn’t work, revert to option 1) and call us for the RTA# and the free replacement.
If you have any further questions, please feel free to reach out to us at https://duragrit.com/contact/
Thank you for your business!
Cheers,
Chris
Jerry
Too bad they are not for metal. I’m looking for something better than Emory cloth, yet less aggressive than a file.
Bruce
Have you considered diamond sharpening stones?
David
Google 3M DiaPad. Been using them for 15 years.
fred
Interesting
A similar concept was used for smoothing rigid foam. When EIFS was all the rage there were all sorts of carbide grit sanders and rasps on offer. Today – Demand Products still offers a few styles.
https://demandproducts.com/OWA/Product/MarketingCatalog?Level=01EIFS&Level=HAND+TOOLS&Level=RASPS&PathDesc=eifs-construction-hand-tools-rasps
10 or more years ago, we had used a lot of these tools on EIFS jobs – but not for sanding wood.
Unlike the DuraGrit the EIFS tools have no holes to clear dust away – a possible advantage of the DuraGrit design.
Another different take on sanding is the Red Devil Dragonskin steel sanding sheets (UPC 075339033319) I know some painters who used to use these.
BikerDad
I haven’t used them, BUT I have had them recommended to me by a professional woodworker who’s opinion I trust.
William
A bit pricey, curious though how it would perform.
Looks similar to some of the DMT sharpening plates, wonder how those would perform on wood. Pricing is pretty similar.
Big Adam
Was initially excited about the 5″ discs before realising that the hook ‘n’ loop medium will likely be destroyed before they become cost effective. Even the website recommends using multiple sanders over changing discs.
Until Dewalt comes out with a ridiculously cheap 20V Max sander (I can wish) that allows me to have 2 or 3 grits to hand, this just isn’t viable for me.
DuraGRIT - Chris
Hello Adam, this is Chris from DuraGRIT.
The DuraGRIT 5″ carbide DuraDisc is designed with a heavy duty hook & loop system. The 10,000 ft sanding test featured on the DuraGRIT website used the same hook and loop for the entire test and it was still functioning as expected. The test was aborted at 10,000+ ft, as there appeared to be no noticeable wear to the carbide DuraDisc and it was still sanding like new!
Hook and particularly loop, tends to degrade when it is repeatedly separated and reattached. As the DuraDisc is such a long lasting product, there is no need to keep removing worn discs – hence the DuraGRIT suggestion to keep two favourite grade discs (e.g. 60 & 120 grit discs or 80 & 150 grit discs) mounted to two sanders and just swap sanders and not discs. This tip is primarily designed for convenience, but it will also reduce loop wear.
With the DuraGRIT DuraDisc carbide disc, the sanding disc is no longer the disposable item as it is with ordinary sanding discs. The loop, the hook followed by the orbital sander machine itself, are now the weak links in the chain and are likely to fail before the carbide disc wears out!
The expected working life of the DuraDisc is huge (subject to materials being sanded). As a consequence DuraGRIT sells replacement 2 packs of loop pads at a very reasonable price to further extend the amazing working life of the DuraDisc. Please note DuraGRIT offers FREE SHIPPING within the USA for all orders over $49, so if you were to order a DuraDisc & a replacement hook/loop kit, you’ll have FREE shipping on your order!
As the DuraDisc eventually wears with age and use, it will not be the exactly same as when new but, it will be consistent across the sanding job of the moment and as such, will still produce a consistent sanding from start to finish.
If you have any further questions, please feel free to reach out to us directly at https://duragrit.com/contact/
Thank you!
Cheers,
Chris
ktash
The question I have about the hand sanding blocks is whether they sand more quickly than sandpaper. I don’t include the time to change sanding sheets, but measuring whether they sand a surface more quickly than using a fresh sheet.
I’d probably try one if it was appreciably faster. Except the problem mentioned with one of the grits being higher would be a deal killer for me. I do some fine woodworking projects and so am pretty picky. The sanding is always extensive if you are trying to get a silk-smooth surface. I got a 6 inch disc sander and am happy with how it can speed up sanding.
goodnightjohnboy
These have been out long before I was born. 1978. What happened was the as_holes in charge from some company started mass producing sandpaper & these were phased out. I have 2 of them which were my grandpa’s. They ain’t nice and shiny like the one in the pic, but its the same thing. Far superior to any sandpaper, but they do have their limitations. You can’t buy sheets & they ain’t that big. But they’ll sand anything. The ones I got are like 3×5. I don’t recommend using it on furniture. But its cool to see that someone’s trying to bring back some old school.
Tim
I’ll probably pick up a few grits for the odd hand sanding jobs when I do floors.
After the first if the year I guess. I was going to buy the festool hand sanding blocks but these will be handy if I don’t have to worry about carrying/losing a million tiny sheets of paper.
Richard
I have the dremel set of bits, fantastic for shaping wood and fiberglass and other composites. i also have the sanding sheets in my favorites list when the time comes i will be buying some
DuraGRIT - Chris
Hello Tool Guy D readers, this is Chris from DuraGRIT.
In the holiday spirit, I wanted to reach out to you all and offer you an exclusive coupon code which you can use on our duragrit.com website to save 10% on your order!
10% Discount Coupon Code:
TOOLGUYD10
Enter the above coupon code in the shopping cart where it says “Redeem a discount coupon” and you will receive a 10% discount! This coupon code is valid until Jan. 4, 2017 so that gives you plenty of time to order something over the holidays!
Also worth noting that all DuraGRIT orders over $49 that are shipped within the USA will receive FREE SHIPPING!
If you have any questions about DuraGRIT, please feel free to reach out to us at:
https://duragrit.com/contact/
Thank you and happy holidays to you all!
Cheers,
Chris
Morgan
Does anyone make something like this for a 4 1/2 in. angle grinder?