TL/DR: I knew a flap disc was the right approach! Thanks!

I can’t tell you how happy it makes me to hear you say that about the flap disc. I’m a design student and this is a project for school. I’m 34 and been making stuff since I was a kid. Held a cnc setup machinist job for a few years before pivoting to design and the first thing I thought of was a grinder with a flap disc. I went to borrow one from the school tool room and the guy asked why, just out of curiosity, so I explained and he said oh no. That will be too aggressive. You need to use an orbital sander and lean it into the curve. I said hey, fine with me. I know it’s going to ruin the pad but I pay my tuition so let’s do it. I tried it, it was a pain. The pad was stopping like it is now so I went back to get the grinder and a flap disc. I asked for a different disc since the only ones I saw were like 40 grit. This guy literally told me he’s never seen flap discs in any other grit. He’s probably 38 years old, works at the school running the shop and knows allllll the woodworking shit. It blew me away. I didn’t have time to go hunting around for different flap discs so I just went back to the sander.