Which Sandpaper is the Best? Ultimate Sandpaper Showdown (12 Brands - With Slow Mo 19k FPS Footage)

Got our first random orbital and found that the cheap discs that came with it fly off after 10mins of use even with light pressure and lower RPM. The backing just fluffs up and will no longer stick to the sander. The hooks on the sander look good still and not melted.

Will better paper help this or is it a user issue?

You forgot silicon carbide sandpaper 😢

Great info. But....if this was sponsored by 3M, will you please disclose that??

How do you like that Makita random orbit sander? I'm looking to get one right now and I'm curious if you'd recommend that one or a different one in the same price range.

Just wondering why was the Freud/Diablo paper was $150. I just bought some at .40 per sheet.

Loved this. I was wondering if sandpaper was just sandpaper or if some are better than others. Thank you very much!

Also...perhaps the biggest advantage is the time saved. Seems like it will get the job done at twice the speed( for half the price).
Win-win. I'm going to go spend $50 bucks on sandpaper right now...

Where's the Diablo Sandnet? Didn't want your sponsor to look over hyped?

How do I get xtract to stick to my Makita orbital BO5041?

Can't seem to find any 3 x 18 inch sanding belts from any of your top 3 companies. any advice?

Most pro wood workers that I know of use the festool sanders. Why wasn’t it included?

Terrific video. The testing and data is an engineering project- Six Sigma where I worked.
BTW- I use 3M contact cement to make special shapes for sanding details and hard to reach areas on projects. Just machine the profile needed, spray on contact cement and wrap it with appropriate abrasive. Thanks

Those Diablo discs are $19.99 for 50. So $0.40 each.

Hi Jonathan, after watching your video I went out and bought the cubitorn and it really does work well. The one thing I did notice was with the cubitron if I sand end grain the center of the sanding disc loses its grit. Have you noticed this? Am I possibly putting to much pressure on it? Overall I love the cubitron but I also bought some other paper for sanding end grain.

Great video

OMG I needed this information!! So much work u guys put into this video. Thank u so so much🙏🏼.

Was a new price of wood used for each brand?

We use Cubitron at my work (high end custom cabinet shop). The discs last so long, that I really only throw a disc out when it gets bent or deformed in some way. On average, probably replace a disc MAYBE once a month. It is really impressive stuff.

I noticed I missed some of my post. So, here it is the total version.

I also posted this comment on Jennie and Davis site.

Have you tried Dynabrade? I have a local distributer and started using it; it seems to hold up much better than the Big Box Store brands. I have not used all of the brands as you have just wondering everyone has compared Dynabrade as far as price and durability. Maybe Jonathan will do another comparison, as long as he doesn't mind the boredom and motion sickness.

New player in the market now…. MIRKA Galaxy.

It occurs to me that you can remove more material with a lower grit: is it possible that some of the brands had differences of opinion when it comes to what counts as an X grit sandpaper? That would be a great way of winning your test with a sandpaper that's not necessarily any better quality. Surely there's more to sanding than just hogging out material? I would have thought using the different brands of sandpaper on different samples of identical wood, and then asking a number of professionals which finish they preferred, would be the best way to determine product quality.

No Diablo?

Is the sample pack still available for purchase?

Is there Cubitron sandpaper that’s compatible with the Festool rts 400?

Jesus loves you; believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved.

Fantastic review.! That old rule of it being expensive to buy cheap applies to just about everything- including sandpaper! And, If you factor in lost labour ..... the cost / return gap widens exponentially

Am I the only person that loves sanding? I find it very relaxing.

I've also found Bosch paper was very below expectations. It clogged and wore out really quickly. My typical go-to for hand sanding is 3M Sandblaster, which seems to last forever and is really resistant to clogging. I also use the "purple paper" for coarse wet sanding of metals (putting a bevel on a chisel or plane blade).

I have noticed a running theme in many of the maker channels I subscribe to. Many folks who take pride in quality are drawn to Horology, something about precise hand made mechanisms & amazing craftsmanship.

I’d been using Bosch until recently. It was what was most available and I’ve been happy with the quality of their tools, so I expected their sandpaper to be decent. It isn’t cheap either. Then I discovered Klingspor, which costs the same or less than Bosch. Didn’t take long to realise that the Bosch product is garbage in comparison.

The only other commonly available alternatives are Mirka and Festool, both of which are very expensive. I did try out a sheet of Abranet, but I wasn’t impressed. Not for how much it costs.

I just finished some jewelry boxes out of curly maple and started out using whatever sand paper I had lying around, many of which you mentioned. I didn’t really care so much about durability at first but after a about an hour of sanding I started caring about every aspect of the process. Removal time, ease of use, and especially surface impact. In other words did it make the surface better, smoother without leaving scratches from uneven grit? I finally stumbled onto the 3M purple paper. It out performed all my other papers on every way and it has a sticky back so it’s easier to hold onto so it’s less aggravating and less fatigue. It cost a little more upfront but it seems to last longer as well. I’m not a huge fan of 3Ms consumer adhesives but their purple sanding paper is IMO definitely the best!

I truly appreciate your testing but unless you follow the same exact variables with wood type and time running then your data is flawed. I don't have the time nor budget to run your test flat out. But you started the video with the intention to the viewer your getting repeatable results with repeatable values and thats not the case. Love the show. Learned alot about the making of sand paper but results are questionable.

Very valuable information

Got that 3m money boyeee

Festool Granat?

One aspect that was not mentioned. I, like most, buy paper from the "Big Box' stores. I used to get Freud but found that the hook and loop backing was coming off the paper when changing. I tried Gator brand and no such problems and the paper seems really good. Another caution, don't buy sanding belts in advance. I had 5 this week alone that as soon as I put them on the machine, the taped seam gave way. They were less than a year old. I had a similar problem with a replacement conveyor belt on my drum sander.

Many thanks. My wife has just taught me how to use a hammer and so I have been trying to make stuff from old pallets but desperately needed sandpaper advice. This was great, I just hope the brands are here in England? Many thanks indeed.

Remember the demographics that the lower performers are going after... the DIY and construction industry. They are working with soft woods and in areas where sanding isn't furniture grade. So it probably makes more economical sense when producing and selling sandpaper that they have a lower grade that the individual doesn't realize that performance has been lost. Especially when dealing with an employer, employees don't give a shit about cost they are likely to mistreat and dispose of a high end product and low end product at similar rates.
That being said loved the video

My frustration is that the hook and loop connection on my sandpaper give out long before the sandpaper has lost its effectiveness. I use a DeWalt random orbital and I haven't found anything (I've only tried the main brands available at big box stores) that will stay on the sander long enough. This is the case even after installing a new pad on the sander. Does anyone else have this issue or have thoughts on what sandpaper brand stays on the best?

Anyone know if I can use the 3M Cubitron sandpaper discs with my 8-hole orbital sander, even though the 3M
hole pattern is completely different?

I’m not hard-core into watches but I like them. I don’t have the budget to get high-end ones but I do like them. One of my favorite is an expensive watch, and I think this is really cool, it is a wooden watch made out of I believe zebrawood and it’s less than 30 bucks and I believe mine was actually 15 or so because I got a deal. But the look and feel it’s just so cool. It’s super late and being a woodworker and a watch connoisseur of sorts I thought this would be right up your alley. It would be awesome if you made some wood watches.

Would be fair to mention that with the Cubitron and other recent 3M products, they have deviated away from a traditional “P” rating on the sandpaper. Notice the 120+ on the disc, you aren’t necessarily comparing apples to apples. The next steps after stock removal is where 3M generally starts to lose since refining their more aggressive scratch is more difficult and takes a longer period of time…. Just something to note.

"Janka Hardness Scale": learn something new every day!!! Thanks!

Jonathan, I also like watches so I will have to check out your new channel. Once we get BrownElk Woodworks up and running I have a couple of projects that I started years ago when I was deployed to Kuwait before I retired from the Army. It’s a black walnut watch box. It ended up being so big that I had to also build its own table to put it on as it ended up way too big for the dresser. Lol. Once I finish them I will share em with ya.