Sanding a disc

[djjeremiahj]

...

I read this and tried to fix my wraith. now it has burn marks and is not a whole lot smoother.

you pressed, cut too hard.
the trick is to softly smooth that edge out.....not press hard and gouge the disc.

fine sandpaper is your friend.

 

[prerube]

No my mistake was using the flame instead of the hot metal on the lighter, guess I need to read better

 

[djjeremiahj]

...

No my mistake was using the flame instead of the hot metal on the lighter, guess I need to read better

huh?

use NEITHER.

when i use a wine opener knife, its slightly sereated, but all i am trying to do is knock down that tiny 1MM lip of extra plastic..... its NOT heated, or anything.

i am SUPER careful not to alter the disc in any way other than to remove this bit of extra plastic that makes the disc super overstable.

 

[prerube]

huh?

use NEITHER.

when i use a wine opener knife, its slightly sereated, but all i am trying to do is knock down that tiny 1MM lip of extra plastic..... its NOT heated, or anything.

i am SUPER careful not to alter the disc in any way other than to remove this bit of extra plastic that makes the disc super overstable.

I think we are talking about different suggestions. I was refereing to the one where the person used a lighter

 

[KMaC]

I think we are talking about different suggestions. I was refereing to the one where the person used a lighter

You don't use the hot metal on the lighter, you just use the heat from the fire. As you already found out, the flame from a lighter is WAY too hot for what you want to do, it'll just scorch the plastic.

You never actually touch the disc with the lighter, you hold the disc an inch or two away so enough heat still reaches the disc to soften up the plastic, but not so much that it starts to bubble and melt and vaporize.

If you see the plastic starting to liquefy and/or bubble, you're giving it too much heat. Start far away and work your way in slowly. When you apply just the right amount of heat to the disc, it gets very soft and you can mold it back to its original shape. Let it sit and it'll harden again and you're good to go.

I've fixed some pretty serious gashes using the above method, even a disc that has a pretty serious chunk taken out of it by a lawnmower. Note that I've only done this with DX and Pro plastic, I've never had the need with champion or star.

 

[djjeremiahj]

...

You don't use the hot metal on the lighter, you just use the heat from the fire. As you already found out, the flame from a lighter is WAY too hot for what you want to do, it'll just scorch the plastic.

You never actually touch the disc with the lighter, you hold the disc an inch or two away so enough heat still reaches the disc to soften up the plastic, but not so much that it starts to bubble and melt and vaporize.

If you see the plastic starting to liquefy and/or bubble, you're giving it too much heat. Start far away and work your way in slowly. When you apply just the right amount of heat to the disc, it gets very soft and you can mold it back to its original shape. Let it sit and it'll harden again and you're good to go.

I've fixed some pretty serious gashes using the above method, even a disc that has a pretty serious chunk taken out of it by a lawnmower. Note that I've only done this with DX and Pro plastic, I've never had the need with champion or star.

maybe its me...
but, i use nail clippers to remove dog ears and sand paper to smooth it out (so it feels good in my hand).

if i have any sort of "imperfection" that i believe is compromising the integrity of the flight, i replace the disc. To me, $15 is worth not continually losing 1 point due to a disc's imperfection, or my own throwing ability because of said imperfection.

i am also a geek, i keep an excel spreadsheet of my discs in their weight, color, speed and usage.
for me this helps "plug and play" as i replace discs and identify "holes" in my game (shot types, selection, etc)

 

[Sloan]

maybe its me...
but, i use nail clippers to remove dog ears and sand paper to smooth it out (so it feels good in my hand).

if i have any sort of "imperfection" that i believe is compromising the integrity of the flight, i replace the disc. To me, $15 is worth not continually losing 1 point due to a disc's imperfection, or my own throwing ability because of said imperfection.

i am also a geek, i keep an excel spreadsheet of my discs in their weight, color, speed and usage.
for me this helps "plug and play" as i replace discs and identify "holes" in my game (shot types, selection, etc)

well if you replace discs anytime you get some gash in it you will never give the disc time to wear in.

 

[MotoDj]

yeah, whether using a lighter or the carpet you have to go slowly, imagine tryin to burn a thread off a nice shirt, you touch and move, touch and move lol, it dont take much to make the plastic soft enough to push back into place, and with the carpet, dont put weight into, just gently rub/sway back and forth, lil at a time, it doesn't take much, even for major gouges

 

[Sloan]

yeah, whether using a lighter or the carpet you have to go slowly, imagine tryin to burn a thread off a nice shirt, you touch and move, touch and move lol, it dont take much to make the plastic soft enough to push back into place, and with the carpet, dont put weight into, just gently rub/sway back and forth, lil at a time, it doesn't take much, even for major gouges

if i cut a disc in half can i rub carpet over it and it will go back together?

 

[MotoDj]

if i cut a disc in half can i rub carpet over it and it will go back together?

why yes you can
take pics and write us a tutorial, others will need to see to believe

 

[KMaC]

well if you replace discs anytime you get some gash in it you will never give the disc time to wear in.

That's part of it. Most of it is that I'm broke.

 

[prerube]

I normally just leave knicks and gashes, but reading this made me try it. Trying it made me go back to leaving knicks in.

 

[djjeremiahj]

....

well if you replace discs anytime you get some gash in it you will never give the disc time to wear in.

i leave knicks and scratches.....
about 1 time per week, i throw all my discs in a field to test their flight....

i test my distance and flight pattern.
this way i know exactly how long, where and what my discs are supposed to do (my own ability not withstanding).

i'm not worried about small issues, but i am worried more about consistent flight, and knowing what the consistent flight is.

 

[valkcro]

fyi...
PDGA rules prohibit altering a disc in any shape beyond mild use of sandpaper to remove burrs and scuffs.

when i get new discs, i do take either sand paper, or a wine opening knife and remove the extra flashing/untrimmed plastic on the bottom of the lip on the INNER edge where it curves to the underside of the plate). This helps remove the overstable nature of almost all new (innova) discs and helps them get manageable sooner. There is a tad bit of "breaking in" but the disc will fly a lot closer to how it should almost immediately.




(here is a bad drawing of a side view of a disc, logo face down, underside face up)

................. | <- Here, there a touch of untrimmed plastic that changes the flight until worn down/beat in.
./-----------|
|
.\_________ |=======================


* be careful if you attempt this as anything more than "shaving" this little bit off can affect the flight of the disc,kill distance and be illegal as per PDGA rules.

I have a 163 champ beast that was very overstable until I did this. It made a huge difference.