Plan to make a small shop

[Stonepolisher1]

I'm planning on opening a small shop and kind of expand my business, so I could use some help setting things up. The idea is to expand to be able to cover cabbing, but also I wan to work on larget flat or almost flat pieces. The first question is about the padding, and I could use some pointers to choose the best one. Also, when switching abrasives, should I get separate discs or just switch them and be ready to roll?

 

[Jack_Buffer]

Congrats on expanding, so for padding, go with something that balances firmness and cushion, like a rubber or foam backing and yeah, separate discs work best when switching abrasives for clean results

 

[Forthehood]

The padding depends on the kind of finish you're going for, for larger flats or near flats, a firm rubber or foam pad under your disc is good enough
Also you should get separate discs for each grit, might be more cost but saves you from some unnecessary headaches later

 

[steven k.]

I'm planning on opening a small shop and kind of expand my business, so I could use some help setting things up. The idea is to expand to be able to cover cabbing, but also I wan to work on larget flat or almost flat pieces. The first question is about the padding, and I could use some pointers to choose the best one. Also, when switching abrasives, should I get separate discs or just switch them and be ready to roll?

I suggest you go with separate discs for each grit to keep your finish clean and avoid cross-contamination. For pads, firm rubber with a bit of give works great for bigger flats.

 

[marziapie]

Separate discs all the way if you want to avoid chasing swirl marks later. And for padding, a firm rubber base with just a touch of flex. Agree with @steven k. here.