Maxwell Products Corp is an industrial supply distributor headquartered in North Wales, Pennsylvania (Southeastern PA). We specialize in industrial finishing supplies, abrasives, pneumatic and electric power tools, PPE and safety equipment, weld cleaning systems, clamps, and fabrication consumables.
We serve metal fabricators, woodworkers, composite fabricators, welding shops, and manufacturing operations of all sizes, from single-person custom shops to multi-shift production facilities. Our clients range across the mid-Atlantic, and we also handle international orders.
What makes us different from a big-box distributor is depth of application knowledge. Our team has firsthand experience with finishing processes, so when you call, you talk to someone who can help you choose between a zirconia and a ceramic flap disc for your specific stainless alloy, not just read you a product description.
Maxwell Products Corp has over 65 years of industry experience. That longevity means we have navigated material shortages, brand consolidations, and process technology changes alongside our customers. It also means our manufacturer relationships run deep enough that we can source products and secure stock allocations that generalist distributors cannot.
Large distributors like Grainger and MSC carry hundreds of thousands of SKUs and serve everyone from hospitals to auto dealers. Their breadth is their strength. Our focus is our strength.
Yes. While our local stocking and VMI programs are strongest in Southeastern Pennsylvania and the greater mid-Atlantic region, we ship products across the United States and handle international orders. If you are outside our local delivery zone, you can order through our website or by calling 888-699-2224. International customers should review our International Orders page for specific requirements and lead times.
This is one of the most common questions we get. Here is a direct answer:
|
Feature |
Flap Disc |
Grinding Wheel |
|
Construction |
Layered abrasive cloth flaps on a backing plate |
Bonded abrasive grain (resin or vitrified) |
|
Stock Removal |
Moderate to aggressive |
Very aggressive |
|
Surface Finish |
Smooth, blend-in-one-pass |
Rough, requires follow-up steps |
|
Learning Curve |
Low, more forgiving |
Higher, technique matters |
|
Best For |
Weld blending, deburring, finishing, stainless |
Heavy stock removal, large weld bead removal |
|
Heat Generation |
Lower (cool running) |
Higher |
If you are working on stainless steel or need to blend a weld and finish in a single step, a flap disc is almost always the right choice. If you are removing a large, heavy weld on mild steel where surface quality does not yet matter, a grinding wheel is faster. Many shops use both: rough grind with a wheel, finish with a flap disc.
Grit selection follows a straightforward logic: lower number = coarser = more material removal; higher number = finer = smoother finish.
|
Grit Range |
Use Case |
|
36-60 |
Heavy stock removal, aggressive weld cleanup, shaping |
|
80 |
General purpose, moderate grinding and early-stage finishing |
|
100-120 |
Blending, light deburring, pre-finishing |
|
180-220 |
Fine finishing, surface conditioning before coating |
|
320+ |
Polishing, mirror-prep, final surface refinement |
For most stainless fabrication applications, starting at 60-80 grit and finishing with 120-180 delivers a clean grain finish that meets commercial and food-grade surface standards. If you are unsure, call us and describe your substrate, weld type, and target finish, and we will recommend the right sequence.
We stock cut-off wheels (Type 1 flat and Type 27 depressed center) in a range of diameters (4" to 14") and thicknesses (.040" ultra-thin to 1/8" heavy-duty) for steel, stainless steel (INOX-rated), and aluminum. Our stocked brands for cut-off wheels include PFERD, SAIT (United Abrasives), Walter, Norton, and Weiler.
We also carry LENOX band saw blades for structural cutting applications on metal, wood, and composites, including bi-metal and carbide-tipped options for hard materials.
Yes. We carry Mirka's full line of sanding sheets, net abrasives (Abranet), and foam-backed polishing pads, which are widely used in automotive, woodworking, and composite finishing. We also stock 3M Hookit and Cubitron II belts and sheets through our 3M direct relationship. For belt grinding applications tied to Dynabrade tool platforms, we can source the exact belt dimensions required for your Dynafile or belt sander model.
Dynabrade is a Buffalo, New York-based manufacturer of pneumatic abrasive power tools and has been the industry leader in this category since 1969. They are known for random orbital sanders, belt sanders (Dynafile), disc grinders, and specialty tools for automotive, aerospace, metalworking, woodworking, and wind energy applications. Every Dynabrade tool is made in the USA and ISO 9001:2015 certified.
Maxwell Products features Dynabrade because their tools are engineered for high-cycle production environments, not occasional home use. When a fabricator runs a tool 8 hours a day, the lower vibration, better balance, and genuine service life of a Dynabrade tool pays back vs. cheaper alternatives within weeks, not months.
The Dynafile is Dynabrade's signature abrasive belt sander, designed for precision finishing in hard-to-reach areas such as tubing, pipe, weld seams, contoured surfaces, and tight corners where flat disc tools cannot reach effectively.
It uses narrow abrasive belts (typically 1/2" to 1" wide) running over a small contact wheel or platen, allowing the operator to follow curves and radii precisely. Common applications include tube mill finishing, furniture frame weld blending, pipe fabrication, aerospace component finishing, and automotive exhaust system work.
Available in 12", 18", 24", and 30" belt lengths depending on model. Maxwell Products stocks several Dynafile models and the associated replacement belts.
Yes. As an authorized Dynabrade distributor, we can source replacement parts, contact wheels, platens, shrouds, and accessories for Dynabrade tools. If a part is not shown on our website, contact us by phone or email with your tool model number and the part name or number, and we will source it. Do not run a tool with a worn contact wheel or damaged platen, as this affects both finish quality and operator safety.
In addition to Dynabrade, we carry:
How does the Walter Surfox electrochemical weld cleaning system work?
The Surfox system applies a mild alternating electrical current through a pH-neutral, VOC-free electrolyte solution to the surface of a weld. The electrochemical reaction removes heat tint (oxidation discoloration) and surface contaminants from the weld heat-affected zone without physically abrading or altering the parent metal.
Simultaneously, the process promotes the formation of a strong chromium oxide passive layer on stainless steel, which is the mechanism that gives stainless its corrosion resistance. This passivation happens automatically during the cleaning pass, so you do not need a separate pickling or passivation step.
Cleaning rate: 3-5 linear feet of weld per minute.
Modes: Electrochemical cleaning, electrochemical polishing, electrochemical marking, and electrochemical etching (model-dependent).
Pickling pastes contain hydrofluoric and nitric acids, which are extremely hazardous materials requiring specialized PPE, disposal protocols, and OSHA compliance. They also damage surrounding base metal if left too long and require neutralization and rinse steps that add time and waste handling cost.
Surfox eliminates all of that. It is safer to use, faster in most production scenarios (3-5 ft/min vs. the dwell, rinse, and neutralize cycle of paste), produces no hazardous waste stream, and simultaneously passivates the weld rather than simply etching it.
From a cost perspective, Surfox electrolyte costs are offset by eliminating the PPE, handling, and disposal costs of pickling chemicals, and by the productivity gain from cleaning 3-5 feet per minute in a single pass.
|
Model |
Best For |
Modes |
|
Surfox Mini |
Field work, small repairs, intermittent use |
Cleaning |
|
Surfox 204 |
TIG welds, light MIG, shop production, mirror finishes |
Cleaning, Polishing, Marking, Etching |
|
Surfox 305 / 306 |
High-volume production, heavy MIG welds, automated lines |
Cleaning, Polishing, higher amperage |
If you primarily do TIG welding with clean welds on thin stainless, the 204 is the go-to. If you run a high-production MIG shop with heavier weld deposits and need maximum throughput, step up to the 305/306. The 306 (120V) is available directly through Maxwell Products. Contact us with your weld volume and material type and we will recommend the right unit.
The Surfox system was primarily designed and optimized for stainless steel, where electrochemical passivation provides its greatest benefit. Some Surfox models and electrolyte combinations can be used on aluminum to clean and brighten welds. For carbon steel and other metals, the Surfox system is generally not the correct tool, as those materials do not form a self-healing passive layer and require different surface treatment methods. Contact our team to confirm compatibility for your specific material.
We carry a comprehensive range of PPE appropriate to metalworking, fabrication, and grinding environments:
We carry Tillman welding gloves, one of the most respected brands in the welding industry. Tillman offers:
As a general rule: TIG welding requires sensitivity, so use thinner gloves. MIG and stick welding generate more spatter and heat, so use heavier protection. If you are unsure which Tillman model fits your process, contact us with your welding process and material, and we will match you to the right glove.
Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI) is a supply agreement where Maxwell Products takes responsibility for monitoring and replenishing your consumable industrial supplies before you run short. Instead of having a purchasing manager spend time counting stock and placing orders, we handle that visibility and replenishment as part of the service.
In practice, we work with you to establish par levels for your most-used consumables (abrasives, PPE, cutting tools, and similar items), then schedule regular check-ins and deliveries that keep those products on your shelf without you having to track them. We reserve local inventory in our warehouse specifically assigned to your account so manufacturer shortages at the national level rarely reach you.
VMI works well for any fabrication or manufacturing operation that consumes abrasives, PPE, or cutting consumables regularly, typically at least a few thousand dollars of consumables per month. Smaller shops benefit because they no longer need to dedicate purchasing bandwidth to routine supply management. Larger shops benefit because VMI eliminates the production stops caused by surprise stockouts and the carrying cost of over-ordering to compensate for poor visibility.
The program is particularly valuable in multi-shift operations where consumption is high, and purchasing staff does not always have clear line of sight to what is being used on the floor.
Because we have direct relationships with 15+ manufacturers and maintain reserved stock for VMI customers, most manufacturer shortages do not reach our clients at all. When a shortage is extended enough to affect our supply, our team proactively reaches out with tested alternative products that match your application, backed by our technical knowledge of what performs comparably. We do not leave you to figure out substitutes on your own.
Yes. Maxwell Products holds a direct authorized distributor relationship with 3M, covering their industrial abrasives (Cubitron II), respirators and PPE, adhesives and tapes, Hookit finishing systems, and related product families. Purchasing 3M products through an authorized channel like Maxwell Products ensures genuine product, manufacturer warranty support, and accurate pricing.
Note: 3M implemented a 6% supply chain price adjustment effective May 1, 2026, affecting all 3M products across the industry. Contact us for current pricing on any 3M items.
PFERD (now rebranding globally as PFERD TOOLS) is a German manufacturer with over 175 years of history in abrasive technology. They are one of the most respected names in high-performance abrasives, filing and grinding tools, and surface conditioning products for metalworking.
The PFERD Start line (Z-START, INOX SteelOX) is an entry point to PFERD quality, offering zirconia alumina grain technology at accessible pricing. These products are particularly popular for stainless steel work because the INOX designation means they are free of iron and sulfur contaminants that would compromise stainless surfaces. Maxwell Products carries PFERD Start flap discs, cut-off wheels, and grinding wheels.
Mirka is a Finnish manufacturer known for high-performance coated abrasives and innovative net abrasive technology (Abranet). We carry Mirka's line of sanding sheets, Abranet mesh abrasives, foam-backed pads, and surface conditioning products. Mirka products are particularly popular in automotive, cabinetry, composites, and precision metal finishing applications where dust extraction and finish quality are priorities. Mirka's Abranet uses an open mesh construction that dramatically reduces dust loading and extends disc life compared to conventional paper-backed abrasives.
Yes. We are an authorized Bessey distributor. Bessey is a German manufacturer of bar clamps, F-clamps, C-clamps, toggle clamps, and specialty clamping tools trusted by woodworkers, welders, and fabricators globally. We also stock the Bessey Beyceps lifting and assembly tool, which is a unique device for panel lifting, spreading, and clamping during fitup and assembly operations.
Mohawk Finishing Products is a manufacturer of professional wood touch-up and finishing products used primarily by furniture makers, cabinet shops, flooring installers, and restoration professionals. Their product line includes wood fillers, burn-in sticks, aerosol topcoats, polishes, and scratch repair products. Maxwell Products carries Mohawk's professional line as part of our broader finishing supply portfolio, serving the woodworking and furniture fabrication segment alongside our metalworking customers.
You have three options:
Signed-in accounts also get access to Favorite Lists (for repeat orders of the same consumable sets), shipment tracking, and invoice access.
In-stock items ordered before 3:00 PM EST typically ship the same day. Most customers in the mid-Atlantic region receive orders within 1-2 business days via standard ground shipping. Items marked "normally ships within 5-7 days" are not in our immediate local stock but are sourced from the manufacturer or regional warehouses.
Expedited shipping options are available for urgent orders. Contact us if a production timeline is critical, and we will work to accommodate your needs.
Our return policy is detailed on the Returns page of our website. Generally, unused products in original packaging may be returned within a reasonable timeframe. Used abrasives and consumables are generally not returnable. If you received an incorrect or defective item, contact us immediately, and we will resolve it. We reserve the right to cancel orders resulting from pricing errors, which may occur during the current period of significant price adjustments from multiple suppliers.
Absolutely. For large orders, blanket purchase agreements, or ongoing supply contracts, contact us by phone or through our website. We regularly work with procurement managers to set up price agreements on high-volume consumable purchases. This can also be the starting point for a Vendor Managed Inventory program where we take over the replenishment function entirely.
Maxwell Products has expertise across the full range of metal and composite surface finishes, from the roughest functional textures to demanding decorative applications:
If you have a target surface roughness specification (Ra value) or a visual finish standard to match, contact us, and we will build a complete product sequence to achieve it.
Passivation is the process of restoring and strengthening the chromium oxide layer on the surface of stainless steel that gives the material its corrosion resistance. Welding, grinding, cutting, and handling can all disrupt or contaminate this layer, leaving stainless temporarily vulnerable to rust and corrosion.
Proper passivation after fabrication is increasingly being specified by customers in food processing, pharmaceutical, marine, and architectural applications. The Walter Surfox system achieves chemical passivation simultaneously with weld cleaning in a single electrochemical pass. Alternatively, post-fabrication passivation can be achieved through citric or nitric acid treatment per ASTM A967 or ASTM A380 standards.
Yes. Our background spans metalworking and woodworking finishing. For woodworkers and composite fabricators, we carry:
Stronghand Tools is a manufacturer of welding fixturing and positioning equipment. Maxwell Products carries their lineup of magnetic clamps, toggle clamps, angle plates, pipe clamps, and building table accessories. These tools are widely used by fabricators who need repeatable part positioning for welding without investing in full custom jigs. If you are setting up a fixture table or improving your weld fitup process, Stronghand products are a cost-effective starting point. Contact us to discuss which specific models apply to your workflow.
Yes. Through our Walter product line, we carry anti-spatter solutions for welding, plasma cutting, and laser cutting applications. Walter's latest ceramic-based anti-spatter products offer significantly higher heat resistance and durability than conventional anti-spatter liquids or aerosols, keeping surfaces spatter-free across a wider range of working conditions. This reduces post-weld cleanup time and protects fixture surfaces. Ask about Walter's anti-spatter emulsions and gels when you contact us.
Lenox is one of the leading manufacturers of band saw blades for metal cutting applications. Through our authorized Lenox relationship, we can source bi-metal band saw blades for a wide range of structural steel, stainless steel, aluminum, and hard alloy cutting. Bi-metal blades combine high-speed steel teeth with a flexible alloy steel back for durability and consistent cut quality. For very hard materials or high-production cutting, carbide-tipped Lenox blades provide maximum tool life. Contact us with your band saw model, blade length and width, and material type, and we will recommend the correct TPI and blade specification.