Best Polishing Pads

Which Are the Best Polishing Pads

If you are a long time fabricator, then you may already be aware of what we are going to discuss in this article. However, if you are researching diamond polishing pads for the first time or you have just gotten into the fabrication trade, you may be scouring the Internet trying to find the best diamond pads. In this post, we will take a look at specific factors that can affect the performance of your polishing pads. We’ll also discuss which polishing pads are the best.

Polishing Pad Performance

When it comes to selecting a diamond polishing pad that performs well, there are a few factors that need to be considered. For example, does the pad offer long life? How well does the polishing pad cut into the stone? Is it a wet pad or is it a dry pad? How much is the pad going to cost? Answering these questions are important because each of those factors contribute to the value of the pad. Let’s take a look at each of those factors and then we’ll see how that information helps us determine which polishing pad is the best.

How Much Does the Best Polishing Pad Cost?

The cost of the polishing pad is very important to fabrication professionals. Polishing pads are a significant part of the supplies that fabricators consume from day to day. The sticker price of the polishing pad might be the first place a person looks while quantifying the value of any given polishing pad on the market. Yet, choosing the lowest priced polishing does not necessarily mean that it is the most cost effective. Why not?

The quality of the polishing pad plays an important role in the cost. For example, getting 25% more use out of a polishing pad that costs only 20% more than similar pads means that the pads need replaced less frequently. So the fabricator will need to buy fewer pads over the course of time. The amount of use the pads get will determine how much the price affects the value of the pad.

How Long Does the Best Diamond Pad Last?

This aspect of evaluating polishing pads is related to the one we just considered. The life span of diamond polishing pads varies. This is because of the hardness of the material being polished and the rate at which the pad wears. These are two of the characteristics that can influence a polishing pad’s life.

However, just because a pad last’s a long time does not mean that it is the right choice either. What the pad is going to be used on makes a difference too. For instance, a hard stone like quartzite or granite will require different treatment than softer materials like marble or limestone. That means you need to take into consideration the kind of material you are polishing and use a diamond pad that is appropriate for that material.

Does An Aggressive Polishing Pad Mean It Is the Best?

Some fabricators consider an aggressive polishing pad to be the best. And in some cases this is true. It depends on the other factors we have already discussed. This is particularly true for high production shops. Because an aggressive pad can get the fabricator through the polishing process quicker, the fabricator moves through the work faster. Hence, production is increased. The more polishing that is accomplished, the more efficient the shop is. Higher productivity means more profit.

However, the value of an aggressive polishing pad is affected by its cost. If it is too much higher in price or it does not last long enough to offset its cost, then the benefits of higher productivity are offset.

Are Dry Polishing Pads the Best Pads?

The last factor that we will discuss is whether dry polishing pads are the best. The reason some folks entertain this idea is because dry polishing pads can usually be used in both wet and dry environments. This means that that same pads can be used in the fabrication shop (in a wet environment) as well as on the job site (dry environment).

If you need to be able to use your polishing pads in both places or you have another environment that requires a dry pad, this will factor into your decision.

Which Are the Best Polishing Pads

As you can see from what we have discussed, the best polishing pads are the ones that work efficiently for whatever your situation requires. In fact, often times, professional stone fabricators use multiple kinds of polishing pads.

So, to recap, choosing the best polishing pads means taking into consideration the following factors:

• Price
• Length of Life
• Aggressiveness
• Wet or Dry Use

These factors are by no means an exhaustive list. Yet, they will give you a pretty good picture of whether the pad you are considering will be the best polishing pad for the job at hand.