Backing pads hold sanding and polishing accessories securely to power tools. They come in various materials and sizes, with some featuring integrated drive spindles or shafts. Backing pads ensure good surface contact and prevent scratching, and can be attached via a built-in shaft or mandrel or a center flange. Special designs are available for specific applications.
A backing pad is a power tool accessory that secures and supports accessories used for sanding and polishing. The abrasive or polishing medium is held securely to the face of the backing pad by means of a locking disc or hook and loop fasteners. Some pad types feature an integrated drive spindle or shaft, while others attach to the tool spindle via a locking disc. Backing pads are made from a variety of materials including rubber, aluminum, and resin composites. They are available in a wide range of sizes and special designs for specific applications.
Backing pads serve as holders for soft or flexible polishing mops and sanding discs used in power tools. They offer a secure yet flexible fit that allows the sanding disc or pad to maintain good surface contact with both flat and contoured surfaces. The pad also ensures that maximum surface area of the accessory is made available when polishing or sanding. During sanding, the backing disc keeps the disc flat at all times, preventing the edge of the disc from scratching the workpiece.
A backing pad is attached to or inserted into a power tool in two basic ways. The first is a shaft or mandrel built into the body of the pad. This variant is used in power tools that have jaw chucks such as hand drills. It is usually made of rubber and has a sheet of Velcro or hook-and-loop material permanently attached to its working face. Discs and mops designed for use with these types of pads have a corresponding hook and loop sheet attached to them which allows for secure attachment to the backing pad.
Bearings designed for use in tools such as angle grinders have a built-in center flange or shoulder that fits over the grinder’s spindle. The discs have a similar hole in the center and are fitted to the tool spindle against the backing pad. The power tool’s lock nut is then tensioned, locking both the pad and the disc firmly in place. These backing pads are usually made from aluminum and are typically used for heavy duty sanding.
Backing pads are available in a range of sizes to match the standard disc and mop sizes available. In addition to rubber and aluminum, composite resins and high impact plastics are also commonly used to make backing pads. Special features such as profiled faces and vents or cooling fins are often integrated into the pad design for high demand applications. These additions help extend the life of the abrasive and protect the work piece from hot discs.
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