Empire Abrasives Cross Pads
Cross pads are a specialty abrasive made up of abrasive flaps folded over one another in a t-shape/plus sign/cross shape, which gets fitted onto a die grinder or rotary drill through a mandrel attachment. Empire Abrasives crosspads use an x-weight cloth backing with our premium aluminum oxide abrasive grains resin-bonded onto the cloth.
The unique design of these abrasives makes them one of the best abrasive tools for grinding, polishing, and grinding inside of pipes, tubes, holes, and cylinders where other abrasives like flap discs and grinding wheels cannot reach. The flexibility of the overlapping flaps allows the pads to conform to the shape and diameter of the area it is inserted into.
Other common uses for these pads include close-tolerance blending, deburring, grinding and finishing of:
- Irregular channels
- Bell mouth configurations
- Inside contours
- Fillets and corners
Aluminum Oxide
Aluminum oxide is an affordable abrasive grain that is also strong and long lasting. The grains self-fracture with use, which continuously exposes sharp minerals to keep you working longer before the grains get dull.
Aluminum oxide cross pads work well on both ferrous and non-ferrous metals, as well as wood, fiberglass, and plastic surfaces.
Cross Pads vs Square Pads
Both types of abrasive pads accomplish the same goals of grinding inside pipes and other hard to reach areas. Cross pads have an added benefit over square pads by allowing the user to see through the contact area as well as providing more flexibility to fit the size shape of the pipe it is in. Square pads offer less flexibility, which is better for more aggressive grinding applications.