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Diamond Polishing Pads from Virginia Abrasives

Sep. 23, 2024

Diamond Polishing Pads from Virginia Abrasives

As with all abrasive products, the quality of the pads you choose will determine the amount of polishing you will get. With these pads, you should expect approximately 15,000 square feet of polishing, while less-expensive pads will only last between 5,000 to 10,000 sqare feet.

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Diamond polishing pads contain industrial diamonds bonded with resin, and are used to polish marble, granite, terrazzo, concrete, limestone and sandstone to a smooth, glass-like finish with a series of steps starting with the lowest-grit to the highest grit.

So, whether crafting dazzling gemstones or creating polished surfaces for various applications, understanding the lifespan of diamond polishing pads is the first step towards unlocking their full potential and achieving outstanding results every time you work with these remarkable tools.

To maintain the highest quality of work and achieve those breathtaking results, monitoring your pads for signs of wear and replacing them as needed is essential. Doing so will extend the lifespan of your diamond polishing pads and ensure that the diamonds you work with continue to shine brilliantly for years.

On average, a high-quality diamond polishing pad can last between 100 to 250 hours of use. However, this can vary significantly depending on diamond quality, material hardness, operator skill, maintenance, pad quality, use case, and diamond concentration.

In the world of diamond polishing, the diamond polishing pad is a crucial tool that ensures these precious gems&#; final sparkle and brilliance. Understanding how long diamond polishing pads last and the factors that affect their lifespan is essential for anyone in the industry.

Excessive Heat: Overheating can damage the diamonds on the pad. If you feel extreme heat during the polishing process, it indicates that the pad needs replacing.

Diamond Concentration: Pads with a higher concentration of diamonds tend to last longer. This is because more diamonds are available for polishing work before they wear down.

Use Case: The type of work the pad is used for matters. Pads used for heavy-duty industrial tasks will naturally wear out faster than those used for more delicate operations.

Operator Skill: The skill and technique of the operator are paramount. An experienced operator will use the pad more efficiently, extending its lifespan. Inexperienced hands might wear out a pad prematurely due to excessive pressure or improper technique.

Material Hardness: The hardness of the polished material plays a role, too. Diamonds are used not just for precious gems but also for materials like concrete and granite. Rougher materials will wear down the pad faster than softer ones.

Diamond Quality: The quality of the diamonds on the pad is a significant factor. Pads with higher-grade diamonds tend to last longer. These diamonds are more durable and can withstand the abrasiveness of the polishing process.

Now, let&#;s get to the heart of the matter &#; how long do diamond polishing pads last? The answer isn&#;t simple, as several factors influence their lifespan. However, on average, a high-quality diamond polishing pad can last 100 to 250 hours. This might not sound like a lot, but it&#;s pretty impressive when you consider the precision and delicacy of the task at hand.

Before diving into these incredible tools&#; lifespan, let&#;s understand their significance. Diamond polishing pads are essential in the final stages of the diamond cutting and polishing process. They are made with tiny industrial-grade diamonds bonded to a flexible surface. As the pad rotates against the diamond, it smoothens and refines the texture, unveiling its natural beauty.

Diamonds are timeless, and their brilliance can leave anyone mesmerized. But have you ever wondered what makes those diamonds shine so brightly? One essential part of the process is diamond polishing pads. These unsung heroes are crucial in transforming rough diamonds into dazzling gems. In this blog, we&#;ll delve into diamond polishing pads and answer a burning question: how long do diamond polishing pads last?

View Full Version : Dry polishing pads with longevity?

housefire

Yep - I'm back with more questions.
So I bought some really cheap 4" resin diamond dry polishing pads, and the saying "you get what you pay for" is true. I did manage to polish 10 linear feet with them, but now the higher grit pads are completely bare. I need to bite the bullet and buy some better pads, but on average how long do the more expensive pads last? Is it worth spending the money?

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JTG

Lissa
The pads can start getting pretty expensive. I have found that if I just make sure to buy enough of the Velcro sand paper pads ($.49-$1.24 each) they work ok.
You can get dry or wet polishing diamond resin pads for around $14-16 each. They last a little longer.
If you are not in the Bix I would stay with the cheap pads.
JTG

housefire

Autoplay

Jerry - thanks for the answer!
I got ahold of a guy here in town that does some stone work, and he said that he would loan me his set of diamond pads so that I can get this job done with (we have VIP company coming into town on Sunday). Talk about lucking out!

Back to the original question - how long do the more expensive pads last? Any guesstimates on linear feet?

That would depend on the material/hardness of the stone you're polishing.

If you're polishing a soft marble,you can probably use ALPHA pads,which are used dry. They cost about 5-6 bucks a pad...and come in course,medium,fine.
They fit on a 4.5" disc/side grinder,and have an arbor adapter,if need be. I use a Makita with those.

In the last 3 weeks,I've polished like 120 lf of granite,with the wet pads/velcro.....and still have a ton of meat on my pads.

Hamilton

Sounds pretty cheap for pads.... i pay 20$ - 30$ for each pad. One thing
to extend the life of your pads is to ride the surface you are polishing evenly
with the pad. Tilting pads will wear the edges faster. Ive never heard of
wearing out a set on 10 lineal feet. Master Wholesale.com (http://www.masterwholesale.com/) has a selection of pads. Theres a #
on the website as well so you can call em up and ask about the pads if you
buy from them. I use a local company but i dont think they have a website.
Good luck

housefire

Thanks everyone for the responses!

Hamilton - I am beyond embarrased to admit that I bought them off ebay for $48 + shipping (a set that went from 50 grit to ). They did work, but they certainly wore out quickly. :o

housefire

Whoops - forgot to reply to Autoplay;

It's all granite (tiles).
The type I am working on right now is Volga Blue...... I think I am going to re-name it Spalling Blue.

It is beautiful though.

The stone guy I talked to today told me what kind of pads he uses, and I swear he called them Gen-X, but I can't find anything online about them.

'course I don't listen to what people tell me.....

NVC

Hi Lisa,

I use Gen-X pads and I get 'em from Braxton & Bragg 1-800-575-. A set of 9 runs about $299.00 & singles/replacements run $35.00/ea (no affiliation with 'em whatsoever)
They can be used either wet or dry. Running them dry at rpm.

Running them too fast will burn them up, so they must be used with a variable speed grinder that can be slowed down to the proper rpm. Maybe this is what happened on the e-bay set?

hope this helped,

Mark

housefire

Hi Mark;

I used the cheapo pads with a variable speed grinder, and never ran them over rpms. I think they were just poorly (cheaply) made.

Oh well - they were a good introduction into how to polish edges!

I'll be interested to see the difference between those pads and the Gen-X ones.

Stoneguy

Whoops - forgot to reply to Autoplay;

It's all granite (tiles).
The type I am working on right now is Volga Blue...... I think I am going to re-name it Spalling Blue.

If you were to bite the bullet & invest in a set of Alpha pads you wouldn't be needing to rename that Volga Blue. I had no chipping issue when I made my kitchen out of this stone. The Alphas polished up the edges every bit as nice as the face, perhaps even better. I probably polished over 100 lin ft, some of it radiused, of 3cm thick Volga, and did not notice any wear on the pads.

These are WET pads. To my knowledge all Alpha's diamond pads are for wet use only, unless they cme up with something new recently.

Autoplay

If you were to bite the bullet & invest in a set of Alpha pads you wouldn't be needing to rename that Volga Blue. I had no chipping issue when I made my kitchen out of this stone. The Alphas polished up the edges every bit as nice as the face, perhaps even better. I probably polished over 100 lin ft, some of it radiused, of 3cm thick Volga, and did not notice any wear on the pads.

These are WET pads. To my knowledge all Alpha's diamond pads are for wet use only, unless they cme up with something new recently.

Alpha does make a dry pad...for spit shining marble. Works good on the softer/lighter marbles. They cost about 5-6 dollars per pad. The come in 3 grits....Course/medium/fine. I'll look in my garage later on tonight,and try to get a pic. Ahhh I didn't read completely lol.....as you said DIAMOND/wet. You're probably right.

The Alpha dry pads I have,are made from some compressed stuff{whatever it is lol} and are strickly for DRY use only. If you try to use em wet.....the pad material will bloat and disinigrate.

housefire

Thank you all for your replies - I am going to go pick up the Gen-X pads as soon as my husband gets back from scuba diving. I will let you know how they work out!
I still have an 8 foot vanity to do, and two smaller ones, and then my kitchen counters that will be about 20 lf, so I will probably look into getting some better pads so I don't have to borrow someone else's.
I had better have finished pitchers to post by Sunday, or I will be in biiiig trouble! :)

Levi the Tile Guy

I like the gen-x pads a lot. One word of advice try to do your polishing wet if you can, it saves the pads, and I think turns out nicer

Autoplay

Here's a few pics of what I use.

The wet/diamond pads are made by Pearl. The Pearl 1's I have range in grit from 50 to ,and a buff pad{which I never use} With those,I also have a and a grit pads which aren't made by Pearl,and I forget who/what brand they are. I use a Makita vari speed,with the standard velcro head.

I found 1 of the Alpha dry polishing pads that I use,and with it in the pic,is the thin backing plate,that comes with it when you buy a box of ten,or ask the sales-lady politely/grin......which attaches to a standard side grinder. I use a Makita. Color red is course,Blue is medium,green is fine. I only found 1 in my garage,I think the others are buried in my toolbox lol{I don't use the Alpha dry pads very often}

http://home.comcast.net/~autoplay/pads3.jpg

housefire

I just got back. He loaned me a whole bunch of Talon brand dry pads, and a bunch of Dryflex dry pads. He also gave me about a six inch thick stack of Alpha sandpaper discs of various grits that are velcro backed.
Pretty nice, huh?
I compared the Talon & Dryflex pads to my el cheapo ones, and..... well, there was no comparison.
You never know - I just might get this done by Sunday! :shake:

NVC

Kewl Lissa,

Free diamond pads, can't beat that with a stick. Might oughta bring 'em back with a box of cold beer, he sounds like a nice guy. :D

have fun polishin' and wear a dust-mask

Mark

TJoeC

He loaned me a whole bunch of Talon brand dry pads, and a bunch of Dryflex dry pads. He also gave me about a six inch thick stack of Alpha sandpaper discs of various grits that are velcro backed.
Pretty nice, huh?
:shake:

He loaned this all to you?!?!? A complete stranger?!?!?!

Tell you what, would you be insulted if I asked you to post a few pictures of YOURSELF alongside those promised photos of your beautiful granite?

Hamilton

Jerry - thanks for the answer!
I got ahold of a guy here in town that does some stone work, and he said that he would loan me his set of diamond pads so that I can get this job done with (we have VIP company coming into town on Sunday). Talk about lucking out!

Back to the original question - how long do the more expensive pads last? Any guesstimates on linear feet?

Ive never taken notes on specific feet but my dry pads usually last a year or so.
seems the lower grits wear out faster. keep in mind i only do granite once in
a while, several times per year. maybe 100-150 lineal feet? Ive got a couple
pads - that are a couple years old.

housefire

You guys crack me up!!
Yeah - I'll post pics of the finished product, and you will see that looks had nothing to do with the loan! :)
I live in a small town - we don't have strangers here!

Stoneguy

Here's a few pics of what I use.

I found 1 of the Alpha dry polishing pads that I use,and with it in the pic,is the thin backing plate,that comes with it when you buy a box of ten,or ask the sales-lady politely/grin......which attaches to a standard side grinder. I use a Makita. Color red is course,Blue is medium,green is fine. I only found 1 in my garage,I think the others are buried in my toolbox lol{I don't use the Alpha dry pads very often}

http://home.comcast.net/~autoplay/pads3.jpg

These are Alpha PVA pads, for dry use on marble. I'm fairly sure the have either silicon carbide or aluminum oxide abrasive imbedded into them.
You can read a technical description on them on this page:

http://www.alpha-tools.com/products/mep/index.htm

Autoplay

You guys crack me up!!
Yeah - I'll post pics of the finished product, and you will see that looks had nothing to do with the loan! :)
I live in a small town - we don't have strangers here!

If it's not too much to ask,can you wear a 2 piece bathing suit.....and have someone take your picture,while you're laying out on top of your new counter? ;)

Hope everything turns out well for you!

NVC

What Rich said Lissa :D

Rich,

That 2 piece suit might fly in Florida, but here in CA it won't be up to code or pass inspection, and the inspector will say 'take 'em off'. (including some seismic tests) :D

Mark

housefire

I'll be happy to wear a two piece for ya. It will be a pair of jeans & a t-shirt. ;)

NVC

That's actually my favorite kind,<shrug> but the wife would kill me, or do some'n horrible to me in my sleep, if I requested such a pic. ;)

So go get to bull-nose'n :D

Little tip on the b.n.: Hit it with the 80 grit first (or a diamond coarse wheel) and put a 45 degree chamfer on the edge (knock the top corner off) The width of this strip determines the size of the bullnose. Try to keep the width of this strip continuous, to avoid ripples when you sight down the edge.

hope this helps,

Mark

TJoeC

Apparently I uncorked some pent-up sexual harassment there.... little did I know what I was starting. :rolleyes:

JRTX

Geesch...was so deep into the banter about Lissa and how she got some guy to loan her a bunch of pads....that I almost missed NVC's comment on using a guide strip.

Regarding the guide strip....are you using this to control the depth of a profiler when used on a 4 1/2 inch grinder?

Hmmmm...no pics yet....guess the job ain't finished yet.... :shrug: