How to Select the Right Flap Disc
Consider these five variables to determine what fits your application.
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Over the last decade, flap discs have been the fastest growing abrasives category in metal fabrication. From a product performance standpoint, they offer fast stock removal and provide grinding, blending and finishing with one product, for a lower total cost. Flap discs also feature cooler cutting with less gouging and burning.
From an operator’s viewpoint, flap discs are preferred for several reasons. The discs are lighter weight, easier-to-control and require less downtime for product changes. Operators also favor the reduced vibration and resulting fatigue, as well as reduced noise that they offer.
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With all the benefits afforded by flap discs, it is important to know how to select the right one by understanding all the variables and how they apply to your metal fabricating application.
Flap Disc Shape
Because flap discs are used almost exclusively on right-angle grinders, they are designed with a hub that enables work to be done on the face (flaps). The flaps can be applied to the work at an angle or flat. The shape of the flap disc, whether conical (Type 29) or flat (Type 27), provides different performance features, as illustrated in Figure 1.
Figure 1