Abrasive Strip and Cut

What is a bodywork abrasive belt?

A hard and sharp body composed of several grains, the abrasive is available in several formats. Among its types, the abrasive belt is used with belt sanders. The abrasive cut is used to grind weld points and sand the treated surface. This type of abrasive allows sanding in hard-to-reach places, such as a poorly placed weld when replacing the vehicle's wing. The bodywork abrasive belt is very effective in auto repair, especially for finishing, polishing, and sanding operations.

The principle of abrasion consists of applying a material to scratch another upon contact. In this sense, the grain size defines the expected finish type. The higher the number, the better the result in terms of detail. For example, P100 abrasives are practical for removing large dents, while P600 abrasives are ideal for final finishes and micro-scratches. The bodywork abrasive belt is used on manual and automatic sanding devices to achieve a perfect and flawless polish.

Types of abrasive belts for sanding

• Aluminum oxide: it is the most used abrasive among professional bodyworkers. It is hard and resists wear well. Moreover, it guarantees good penetration and is suitable for sanding steel or bronze surfaces.
• Silicon carbide: very hard and sharp, this compound breaks quickly. It is often used to treat weak and fragile surfaces, notably those made of plastic, aluminum, or rubber.
• Zirconium: less hard than aluminum oxide, zirconium is however more tenacious. It is generally used for treating hard alloys and deburring some metals.
• Ceramic: this type of body abrasive belt is suitable for use on alloys or stainless steel surfaces.

What is a body abrasive belt used for?

How to choose your body abrasive belt?

• Stripping: to strip the paint from your bodies and expose the bare metal, it is advisable to use belts with a large abrasive size to avoid clogging of papers or discs, unsuitable for this case. In terms of grains, favor abrasives with grain ranging from P40 to P150.
• Sanding for putty: it is possible to use several belts depending on the nature of the putty applied. For example, for polyester, universal and plastic putties, we recommend an abrasive with grains between P80 and P240.
• Sanding ofprimer: to sand filling primers, we recommend using abrasive with grains between P360 and P500. If irregularities persist, apply sanding with abrasive type P500 to P800.