Sandpaper: preferred brands and grits?

[Charlie Harley]

What brand of sandpaper do you like to use?

What grits do you generally begin and end with?

I've been experimenting with what's easily available from the big box stores and still haven't found real happiness. I know there are other brands available, but they come with higher $$$ and I'm seeking input before taking my quest to mail ordering some paper.

I feel kind of funny in asking this. Like it says in my signature line, I've been doing cabinetry for years including commission work. But there's something about this turning game that is making me drive my finishes to a higher level. Maybe it's the fact that small turned bowls and art objects are viewed and handled in an intimate, up-close-and-personal way. Hmm....

All help is gladly accepted.

 

[Ron Coleman]

Klingspor Gold is really hard to beat in my book. It's very aggressive so you want to go with the finer grits. It seems to last forever.

http://tinyurl.com/34zypb

Ron

 

[Jake Debski]

What brand of sandpaper do you like to use?

What grits do you generally begin and end with?

I've been experimenting with what's easily available from the big box stores and still haven't found real happiness. I know there are other brands available, but they come with higher $$$ and I'm seeking input before taking my quest to mail ordering some paper.

I feel kind of funny in asking this. Like it says in my signature line, I've been doing cabinetry for years including commission work. But there's something about this turning game that is making me drive my finishes to a higher level. Maybe it's the fact that small turned bowls and art objects are viewed and handled in an intimate, up-close-and-personal way. Hmm....

All help is gladly accepted.

Charlie,

I use Klingspore(sp) and 3X-Norton(because I get it fast and reasonable.)

Our own forum moderator, Steve, sells various sanding supplies which have been often praised publicly and in private emails. There are many here that will give testimonials for Steve's products.

 

[Owen Lowe]

I use the Mirka brand, based in Finland, (http://www.mirka-usa.com/homepage/homepage.htm) and specifically, the Royal and Abralon lines for most of my turning. I'm looking into the Carat line but haven't used it very much. I use the Bulldog Gold for all of my random orbit sanding.

I see they've brought out a new sub-product, Abranet Soft (http://www.mirka.com/abranetsoft_automotive). Has anyone tried it yet?

 

[robo hippy]

Owen,
For discs, I have been using the blue discs from ASAP and VincesWoodNWonders. They outlast anything else I have ever used about 2 to 1, and are cheap. I have been talking to a 3M rep after talking to Mike Mahoney in Portland. He makes the same claim about their ceramic abrasives. I know it is available in psa discs, and am trying to find out if it is available in shop rolls. For shop rolls, or hand sanding, I have been using the Norton 3X. Factoring in price, and durability, it is comparable to the Klingspoor gold. Most of my sanding is disc sanding.
robo hippy

 

[CTutor]

If you don't mind making your own disks you can get 1 meter by 1 yd sheets from Industrial Abrasives fo $15. Punch out your own disks at less than 10 cents per. Vinces stuff last longer than most in my estimation. Grits depend on how fine your last gouge pass is. 100-220-320 and steel wool will probablydo the trick for starters.

 

[Frank Kobilsek]

Charlie

Discs - Vince's Blue discs 80 to 400, in the past I thought Crafts Supply Artisan brand was best

Paper - 3M Sandblaster 150 to 400 from the local big box store. 600 I buy Finkat from Crafts Supply

Strips - Klingsport J-weight shops rolls for spiral work 150 to 400

Frank

 

[Fog Tanner]

For all my finish sanding I have been using the sanding disks I get from Steve, http://www.turningwood.com/. I use these on both a power sander and a Vic Wood rotary sander. A great guy to do business with and I have nevr ahd any complaints with the sandpaper.

For rough sanding or finish sanding (boxes) with sheets , some from the box stores and some from auto paint stores. Either aluminum oxide or garnet paper. For wet sanding with water or mineral spirits I use 3M Wet or Dry silicone carbide paper.

As far as grits, it depends on the items. Boxes generally at 180 or 220, depending on the day. Bowls around 100-150 these days, although I have 80 if the tool marks are really bad. Most of the time I stop at 320-400 on bare wood, although I have 2200 grit paper - which is really made for sanding clear coats on automotive paint. For a hard finish, I have 500,600,800,1000, and 1200 3M Wet or Dry used wet. If I am using shellac, I will follow the 400 grit with EEE-Ultrashine which is a rubbing compound and saves sanding to 1200 grit.

 

[MichaelMouse]

Power Lock holders and disks for starters. I generally don't bother to work the surface with the gouge beyond 150 grit. I find it easier to just sand through 150/240/320 series. I also keep 3" velcro-backed open-coat stearated paper for working wet wood in 120/180/320 grits, though it really doesn't pay to work beyond a levelling 120 when it's still throwing water.

I blast with compressed air from the inside to help throw the unbound water away, then allow any heat generated by sanding the dryer interior to help with drying the exterior when doing warp-and-go stuff. Two finer grits are used after it's dry, usually off the lathe.

 

[john lucas]

I use the Blue discs from Vince. I like them a lot better than the Klingspor Gold which I used to use.
I use the Norton 3X when I need flat paper.

 

[pencheff]

For paper, Norton 3X in 120, 180, 240, 320 and 400. I use Steve's disks (Mirka? not sure) in the same grits.

 

[dkulze]

I do the sheets from industrial abrasive. Their brand is Rhinogrip and holds up very well. One fun thing I realized early on. There's no need at all to cut out circles to go on your power sanders. Any shape that covers all the velcro will work just fine. I generally just cut off rough squares as I need them.

By the way, they do club rates so if you're going to spend more than $200, you can get sheets for as low as $11. I do a buy for my club about once every two years.

Dietrich

 

[Brian Hahn]

For sheets I use 3M Sandblaster and Norton 3X, both available from many places locally and on line. Both are vastly superior to traditional (cheap) sandpaper and well worth the extra cost.

I got my first batch of sheets from Industrial Abrasives today and I'll soon know how well they work. As others have said, the price per disk is very attractive.

I usually start around 180 and go at least through 400. I hand sand the last couple of grits.