Thread: Anyone tried out the Smith and Arrow flap disk and cutting disks?

I won't use anything else.....

Originally Posted by matthew_g

I won't use anything else.....

Thanks Matthew
Cheers mate
Ben



Ben Ferguson
Managing Director
Smith & ARROW (Australia) Pty Ltd

[email protected]
Smith & Arrow - Long Lasting, Fast Cutting Abrasives for Metal and Concrete

Originally Posted by Smith&ARROW

Thanks Matthew
Cheers mate
Ben



Ben Ferguson
Managing Director
Smith & ARROW (Australia) Pty Ltd

[email protected]
Smith & Arrow - Long Lasting, Fast Cutting Abrasives for Metal and Concrete

No worries Ben,
I'm one of those people that when a great product is found I will never go back to any other brand.
I have used all sizes and styles of your cutting and grinding and flap disks, and also your linishing belts and fiber sanding disks, which by the way out last many of the leading brands.
I never have less than less than 50 of each in stock at all times... The next thing I want to try is the Poly Strip Disks you have. I've not used this type of unit before, But I admit to hearing some good things about similar products..
Thanks again for setting up such an easy to use hassle free online shop..
Regards Matt

Ben

I can endorse the comments of the previous posts. So far I have purchased thefollowing products from Smith & Arrow:

125mm thin cutting discs
125mm flap discs
235mm thin cutting discs
14" cut-off discs
125mm fibre sanding disc (used in conjunction with a plastic/rubber backingplate.

I have not compared them directly with other products, but do judge them mentally (and very arbitrarily) in my mind. I have been pleased and currently have a number of their products sitting in my watch list waiting for when I get around to a couple of projects. Buying the bulk packages is certainly the way to go providing you can justify the useage.

Regards
Paul

Originally Posted by matthew_g

The next thing I want to try is the Poly Strip Disks you have. I've not used this type of unit before, But I admit to hearing some good things about similar products..

Hi Matt,
I used to use quite a few of the "crumpet" disks on a big Rupes polisher. I don't know what brand they were but i remember them lasting really well. Being a polisher the Rupes was variable speed and i'm not sure what the max speed was, but i'm guessing slower than a grinder. With this in mind i bought a 5" Josco? one from Bunnies to try, and try i did on 2 uprights for the press. By the time i had finished striping the already flaky paint on the 3 outsides of the 1650x150x75 lengths the disk was down to the backing. I didn't push hard or catch the disk on the edges. Not sure if it was the brand or the speed but i won't rush to buy another one from Bunnies (at $10ea or whatever) again.
I'd be interested to here what any one else thinks of the S&A ones, and what speed Ben recommends for these.

My last box of flexovit cut off wheels is almost empty too, i'll be getting some S&A ones for sure.

Cheers,
Ew

Originally Posted by Ueee

Hi Matt,
I used to use quite a few of the "crumpet" disks on a big Rupes polisher. I don't know what brand they were but i remember them lasting really well. Being a polisher the Rupes was variable speed and i'm not sure what the max speed was, but i'm guessing slower than a grinder. With this in mind i bought a 5" Josco? one from Bunnies to try, and try i did on 2 uprights for the press. By the time i had finished striping the already flaky paint on the 3 outsides of the 1650x150x75 lengths the disk was down to the backing. I didn't push hard or catch the disk on the edges. Not sure if it was the brand or the speed but i won't rush to buy another one from Bunnies (at $10ea or whatever) again.
I'd be interested to here what any one else thinks of the S&A ones, and what speed Ben recommends for these.

My last box of flexovit cut off wheels is almost empty too, i'll be getting some S&A ones for sure.

Cheers,
Ew

Ew

I forgot the paint striping discs from my list.

I used a 125mm on my angle grinder to strip the paint from the bonnet of a 1993 Mazda 626. The disc was about 80% used up by the end, but I had taken the surface back to bare metal. The big advantage was no damage to the metal surface. I can't remember what speed I used. Probably flat chat, but I should have experimented with the variable speed.

I paid $49 for four discs (No I didn't remember. I checked back in the ebay archives.) It did that job very well.

Regards
Paul

Originally Posted by Ueee

Hi Matt,
I used to use quite a few of the "crumpet" disks on a big Rupes polisher. I don't know what brand they were but i remember them lasting really well. Being a polisher the Rupes was variable speed and i'm not sure what the max speed was, but i'm guessing slower than a grinder. With this in mind i bought a 5" Josco? one from Bunnies to try, and try i did on 2 uprights for the press. By the time i had finished striping the already flaky paint on the 3 outsides of the 1650x150x75 lengths the disk was down to the backing. I didn't push hard or catch the disk on the edges. Not sure if it was the brand or the speed but i won't rush to buy another one from Bunnies (at $10ea or whatever) again.
I'd be interested to here what any one else thinks of the S&A ones, and what speed Ben recommends for these.

My last box of flexovit cut off wheels is almost empty too, i'll be getting some S&A ones for sure.

Cheers,
Ew

G'day Ew,
Well I will let you know in the next week or two. I am putting an order together over the next week and will include a couple of the strip disks in 5 and 7 inch.
I have the "rust bucket" (surface grinder) as you called her all up and running But I would really like to rip her back to bare metal and give her a lick of paint....
Just to let you know, The rust was/is very superfisial and the slide ways etc are all like new....

Although I would really like a unit like yours I just can't justify it at the moment...
(maybe once I have moved) ??????????

Matt

I've bought several lots of 50 125mm cutting discs from S&A. Quality is first class and so is the service. Haven't tried Bens flaps yet but would consider them also. I go halves with my neighbour over the road.
Pat

Sent from a far away Galaxy using Tapatalk pro

Hi all

I was thinking that we could offer a special promotion every month that was only available to users of this forum who bought through our website using a special code that I could post here. For example we could offer a Poly Strip Disc with every pack of 25 cutting discs, or 10 Flap discs, or 3 pairs of safety glasses free with every order from our website using the code for that month.

Its blatant promotion of our products but if everyone wins I am hoping its within forum guidelines.

Looking forward to Members' thoughts on this.

Cheers

Ben

I think all of us would like to support local manufacture. I notice that your 100 mm linishing belts are only available in 915 mm length, any chance that there'd ever be a 1520 mm belt made?

Originally Posted by Gavin Newman

I think all of us would like to support local manufacture.

I would too. Before I jump to a conclusion I have one question: Where are Smith and Arrow products manufactured?

I am hoping Australia, but I have not found anything to support that. PM is reporting China..

Originally Posted by Smith&ARROW

Hi all

I was thinking that we could offer a special promotion every month that was only available to users of this forum who bought through our website using a special code that I could post here. For example we could offer a Poly Strip Disc with every pack of 25 cutting discs, or 10 Flap discs, or 3 pairs of safety glasses free with every order from our website using the code for that month.

Its blatant promotion of our products but if everyone wins I am hoping its within forum guidelines.

Looking forward to Members' thoughts on this.

Cheers

Ben

Sounds like a plan to me Ben,
It's the strip disks that I am interested in as I have just about every other of your cutting and grinding products in packs of 100.
I'm sure I can find something else to order though

Matt

What can one say about S&A, Great products & fantastic service 10/10, been using for a long time now, Well done Ben,

Originally Posted by Gavin Newman

I think all of us would like to support local manufacture. I notice that your 100 mm linishing belts are only available in 915 mm length, any chance that there'd ever be a 1520 mm belt made?

Hi Gavin

Thanks for the kind words mate

Just to be clear though, all of our products are manufactured in China or Thailand from ingredients and raw materials sourced from Germany, France, Italy or Japan. Every single disc we sell has its manufactured location on it - we have never stated otherwise.

Smith & ARROW (Australia) Pty Ltd is a 100% Australian Owned family business that for the last almost 10 years has been playing an important roll in assisting thousands of Australian businesses remain competitive in an internationally competitive global market by offering very good quality input products a fair prices. For those that can remember, the cost of a single 5" thin cutting wheel was as much as $5 or even more before S&A and a few other smaller competitors entered the market - almost 5 times what we sell ours for now.

We would love to have our manufacturing base in Australia Gavin, but if we did wouldn't have survived even 6 months selling our products at the prices we sell at.

For me the bottom line on this I that we are a family owned Australian Business with a very loyal customer base - not because of where our products are manufactured, but because of the quality, price and customer service we offer them. My suggestion for a monthly promotion to members o this Forum is a genuine one and I would really like to get some feedback on the best ay that Members feel I can work.

Cheers

Ben

Originally Posted by variant22

I would too. Before I jump to a conclusion I have one question: Where are Smith and Arrow products manufactured?

I am hoping Australia, but I have not found anything to support that. PM is reporting China..

Hi Variant22

Thanks for your input on this - I believe I have answered in my previous post.

Just a further note though. We have always struggled in the US market because of the whole "Made in China" thing (or more accurately NOT Made in the USA) - they are a difficult bunch to sell to. I have even received emails like "I want to buy 300 x 400mm Chop Saw blades, but if they are not made in America Forget it!!" (actual quote). But even that market is changing.

You can buy rubbish from any country - just like you can buy top quality fro any country. I agree that China in particular has a reputation or poor quality, however, it really is all about how the manufacturing process is specified, equipped ad monitored. I believe the latest C200 Mercedes Benz is manufactured in China as is the iPhone and iPad range - although I might be wrong.

To extrapolate on that a little I would like to point out that all of our products are manufactured under strict QA systems and s an example of our commitment to quality, al of our cutting wheels (with the exception of 3 new models yet to be processed) as well as all of our Grinding Discs have been independently certified against the Australian Standard AS1788.1-987 (Abrasive Wheels Part 1: Deign, Construction, and Safeguarding) by SAI Global and subsequently permission has been granted to S&A by SAI Global for all these products to carry the most recognised standards mark in Australia - the Certified Product 5 Tick Quality Mark. All of these products have also been Independently Certified against the European Standard EN12413 - Safety Requirements for Bonded Abrasive products by MPA Germany.

I would also like to note that these certification assessment processes are not cheap an that there is NO mandatory requirement to be certified against either of these Standards in Australia.

Thanks again for your input

Cheers

Ben