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micro mesh colors bowl

Dan - I would guess you are melting the pads (if you are using the micormesh with pads). I use micromesh with oil or water for wet sanding resin (aka plastic) turnings. I don't use micromesh on wood and I would only use micromesh dry with the lightest of touches at relatively slow speeds.

Ed
 
My experience is the same as Ed, heat buildup with wood is too much for MMesh. I only use on CA / plastics and even then I use water. I have use it dry and managed to melt the coloured part of the pad.
 
I must be sanding slower than you guys. I don't use micro mesh often but used it extensively on the last 3 maple bowls I did just to see what happens. No streaking at all. I use light pressure and moderately slow speeds since I'm sanding by hand. I don't want to burn my fingers.
 
Never used micromesh, but I understand it's a bodyman's product. I once got some less-than-sticky PSI disks from my BiL the body and paint guy which had a color to them. The color dust revealed scratches that were deep enough to cause problems with the next grade of paper. Might be the same here. I agree, flow the stuff off. If air won't, use liquid. Or accept that the lingering color (other than in the pores) is doing its job telling you you need to spend some more time.

Velocity, of course, has nothing to do with heat build. It's how hard you press. Sand with the grain and disappear the cross-grain or circumferential marks. Doesn't take beyond 320/400 to fool the eye on most woods.
 
I first used Micromesh about 25 or more years ago and at that time, I believe that it had only one use: removing scratches from aircraft windshields.

First of all, you need to keep Micromesh cool or the rubber base material that holds the silicon carbide will melt (it is called "reverted rubber skidding" and is the same thing that happens to your car's tires if the brakes lock and the tires go into a skid where the tire is sliding on a film of melted rubber).

If you are pen turning and using Micromesh then keep the surface well flooded with water. Keep the lathe speed low. I use Micromesh on large items where I am polishing out a lacquer finish that is not glass level and I ALWAYS hand polish with constantly changing patterns. When hand polishing, you can use dry Micromesh pads, but the results will be slightly better with water. Wash often to flush away the swarf. Otherwise, you will not be able to achieve the highest degree of polish.
 
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