Anyone tried this and have any experience to report?   Any luck finding it, preferably locally?

 

https://www.amazon.com/3M-Xtract-Multi-Pack-Virtually-88518/dp/B09DFGPSZZ/ref=asc_df_B09DFGPSZZ/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=532565192785&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=768162015597795118&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9015881&hvtargid=pla-1432800603746&th=1

 

i did purchase some of this a while back after reading about it on another site, have to say, i'm kinda on fence, everyone touted it cut faster, more for less cost, ect .

i use the red from HD store and some klingspor, for boards and most sanding, have to say, i was not overly impressed, and will say, when i discovered there was no absolute revelation in sanding with the stuff, gravitated back to my original, have a bit of it and will use, have to use a mat to put on hook and loop, OB's, its not bad, can't say for sure its the new ""cats meow"" so to speak.

Rj in az

We shared this on the Woodturners forum a while back. They tested it in the video-

 

yeah, i think this is the reason i went for it, but actual for me, perhaps i was using it wrong or who knows, but was not at the least impressed with its success, i have a bit of it and will in future probably try again, and at least use up what i have, but a while back i invested in a festool, choked on price, but have to say its flat out sands, and gets the work done. 

no matter what the modern paper is way beyond what we had decades ago. 

rj in az

I read that the original product had more "grit" on it than the later production runs. I can't say if that is true as I haven't used either the old or new.

1 hour ago, lew said:

I read that the original product had more "grit" on it than the later production runs. I can't say if that is true as I haven't used either the old or new.

This is true.  The mk-1 was solid grit, and the mk-2 is about 50%.  The mk-1 was so bullet proof that the backing evaporated before the grit wore out; I still use the first sheet I ever got, on a hand sanding block.  Cubitron won't work on a stationary disk sander, ROS only.  [Actually, you can use it on a stationary, but you have to really baby it or it just augers a groove in the grit].  The word to look for:  "ceramic".  The ceramic grit seems to make the difference.

I'm using some right now. I was able to buy a sampling of grits from somewhere (Taylor Tools, I think)...seems like I got 5 discs each of 5 grits in a box. Early on, I found much of the dust stuck in the hook pad on my sander, That pad was as old as the sander (20+ years) so i replaced it and the dust doesn't seem to get caught in the new one; but that's with only limited use so far. I got pretty excited about it after I watched that video above when someone linked it here some months back. I just haven't been in the shop enough this summer to give them a real workout.

I get excited about 3M and Norton products and don't really need to try anything else.

Jess, knowing the beautiful work you do and how much sanding it must take, that is a positive endorsement!

Lew, when I started this carving thing with grinders in 2016 it didn't take long to find something to replace sandpaper use. l swore off of doing anything flat so my sand paper buying just about came to a halt. Like on this last project I never used regular sand paper at all..

  This is the reason I cut this puzzle up in to 31 pieces so these small ruby and diamond bits can get in to all the tight places using the dremel and I also use a cheaper Wen brand like the dremel  that has a smaller chuck end and is easier to grip.  AND ALL MY GRINDERS HAS FLEXIBLE SHAFTS AND THATS ANOTHER REASON I get good results with the small grinders. The Wen had to be sent in under warranty cause it would not start turning by it self in about a months use. Wife called them and told them the problem, so they started telling her how to install new brushes and where to buy them. She said she knows how to change brushes and we are sending it to you for repair or we want our money back. They did send a new one back and this was about 2 or 3 years ago and its still working good.

 

So after I shape the wood with those hairy looking balls and different shapes I then slow the dremels down to #2 or #3 speed and go round and around with very lite pressure  using the diamond and ruby 1/8" and  smaller shaft bits and all those deep grooves  kinda disappear. The diamond bits I use most of the time for the smoothing process.

 These two air angle grinders take 1/4" shaft bits and those in the row between the two grinders is all I ever use for the ruffing in step. I just added that largest ball in the grinder a few months ago and none of those bits ever show any wear.... Both angle grinders are Harbor Freight and both together were about 45.00. I can control the angle grinders way better that a high speed straight  grinder. An its the very slow speeds that will cause some fox hole type of bo-bo's which takes a while to make that area look better.

   I only use about 4 of those bits in the first row so I believe a person waste their money when they buy full sets of grinding bits.

My sanding experience over the years has boiled down to the following-----buy quality brand name paper---use each sheet-disc a short time---toss and use a new piece ----using all the grits successful seems not usually necessary[to me]  150 grit is often recommended for many stains and or finishes----long story short over sanding has minimum advantage-----works for me.

22 hours ago, Marv Rall said:

My sanding experience over the years has boiled down to the following-----buy quality brand name paper---use each sheet-disc a short time---toss and use a new piece ----using all the grits successful seems not usually necessary[to me]  150 grit is often recommended for many stains and or finishes----long story short over sanding has minimum advantage-----works for me.

Good to see you posting again Marv. Hope all is well up North.

Got my "Try It" sample packs today.   Will report back once I've had a project running to try them on.

Please keep us posted Kieth. Any way to cut sanding time would be great. 
Paul