Im hoping you try some of the discs from ebay or amazon that can be had for less than a buck each?
love the data might you freeze the first 2 columns also
Much appreciated
Looking forward to seeing how the Enduroflex stacks up as thatās the one I used most recently. I was not impressed with the performance but the videos are making me think I wasnāt adding enough pressure.
I would really like to see the Benchmark Abrasives T29 Zirconia High Density Mixed Grit as I saw them mentioned online and they have a ton of positives reviews. Theyāre only available in a 10 pack, but they come out to $2.40 a disc.
Here is a more condensed spreadsheet. I agree with @JohnHawkinson in that I think the valuable metrics are the 8lb tests, given that very few people actually grind only with the weight of the grinder. And the other thing to consider is value and performance for the time they are usable. These disks range from $1.35 to $11.97 a piece so far, so the value component is super important.
Number one I would say is easily the BlackHawk. It still had more to go at the 20 min mark, and is a great value. Next the Bauer, and then maybe the Neiko if you could tolerate more disk changes. And if you wanted to be wasteful, and change discs frequently, the Blue Sali is the only one sub $1 for grinding rate per $.
I would be interested in the discs that made it to 20 mins on the 8lb tests, exactly how far they can go to failure. As well as some standard time it takes to change out a disk, so we can calculate say costs over a multi-hour period.
I also am super interested in seeing how the 3M cubitron fares.
Link to the spreadsheet:
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Added Dewalt Elite and Walter. Dewalt Elite also seems like a good option for a bit more $. But again begs the question as to how much longer it could go before failure. Without knowing exactly how long each disk lasts, we cant know the true value of the disk.
Another metric I would be interested in is whether or not you can push through the glazing with extra weight, or if once glazed, the disk is done.
Taking the Pferd Polifan as an example high price high durability disc, it would need to remove greater the 60 inches to become the most cost effective disc. Assuming grind time is linear this would mean surviving 33+ minutes on the 8lb cold test.
No disagreement there, but I donāt think its outside the possibility for say the Dewalt Elite. The pferd polifan IMO isnāt really a contender as it glazed early, im more interested in any disk that can complete 20 mins or more without glazing in the 8 lb tests. But the earlier pferd did complete them, albeit at a super slow grind rate.
The grind-rate/$ tracks the price per minute, which the Blackhawk is going to be much harder to beat in that regard. But the grind-rate of the Dewalt Elite is pretty close to the BlackHawk, so it would need to last more than twice as long, which is also probably not possible, but would be interesting to know if itās possible.
All good information. Maybe when he gets all the tests done, he can take the ones that made it a full 20 minutes on both 8 lb test and tests those to failure using hot and cold 8 lb. Seems like those are really the metrics we need to make a true value comparison at this time.
I agree it would be definitely be worth letting all the discs grind until failure so we can calculate their true value.
I had thought it was all about the 8lb test as well but todayās result for the Hercules disc flips that on its head.
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I came here to make the same comment. Was shocked that it did so much better in 4lb test. However, I donāt think it will be a contender for value, based on itās price, unless it can go much longer in a test to failure.
Of course, the Hercules has to be less fatiguing if you donāt have to apply much pressure, so that is a benefit.
I think its gonna be an upset because you can get the Hercules disk at harbor frieght for only $6 if you are an insider track club member. Only $30 a year. In just 7 disks that pays for itself.
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Iām an Insider, but that doesnāt always help. Yes, those are on sale through the end of the month, but you canāt always count on a sale price.
Also, FWIW, most of the discs have been 40 grit, while the Herc was 36. I wouldnāt expect that to make such a big difference, but maybe it did?
Benchmark Abrasives is now the cheapest per inch disc at 10cents per inch when run with 8lbs of pressure.
I plugged my spreadsheet into Chat GPT and got a pretty interesting summary:
- If you want the absolute cheapest overall cost per inch, discs like Benchmark Abrasives (#28), Blue Sali (#15), or Black Hawk (#8) have extremely low $-per-inch metrics.
- If you want maximum speed under heavier loads, 3M Cubitron II (#27) and CGW Abrasives (#13) both offer very high āinches per minute.ā
- If you want a balanced option (fair speed plus moderate cost), a few discs (e.g., #13 CGW, #27 3M) seem to combine relatively high cutting speed and modest $-per-inch.
- Always consider whether the material type (Zirconia vs. Ceramic) matches your application (stainless steel vs. mild steel, etc.).
In the end, the ābestā flap disc depends on your specific needs: speed, total lifespan, or up-front cost. The spreadsheet provides enough data to pick according to those priorities.
Perhaps a third factor would be vibrationā¦ I would guess that using one of the light 4lbs pressure ones like the Hercules discs would be much easier on your hands / wrists / arms (i.e. HAVS risk) than ones that work well with heavier 8lbs pressure.
But maybe itās just top of mind for me because Iāve had to do a lot of grinding lately (as a new welder) and Iām really feeling it. 
Too late for new flap disc?
Canadian made abrasive.
Thanks
Hello ! Would it be too late to compare the Rhodius flap disks ?
Kind regards,
Iām trying to find a seller that will ship it here to America, and the Rhodius website has this disc sold out. Is there anywhere you are aware of that has them in stock and able to ship to the States?
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Hi Jason,
Any chance you can test Lehigh Valley Abrasives flap disks? Iāve been using them for about 5y. and think theyāre pretty good. If love to know if my faith is misplaced.
John