Favorite sandpaper?

[John Van Domelen]

What is the sandpaper you guys have found works best for you?

For the way I sand, I have started to use the grey silicon carbide almost exclusively, and whatever the black stuff is for grits above 400.

-- John

 

[Frank Kobilsek]

JOhn

I use the Gold stuff. I buy a 3M Sandblaster product from the big box stores when ever they have the everything in the bag is 15% off sales. That covers me to 400 grit. 600 I like Finkat which I buy from CSA.

For discs I like Vince's blue film system
Frank

 

[Doc Ron]

Me too

I also like Vince's blue disks. I actually use them for almost everything on the lathe, including pens.

 

[dkulze]

I go for a mix of quality and expense. I get whole sheets of Rhynogrip from Industrial Abrasives. I buy in large orders for the whole club and get the turning club discount they offer. As of last year, $11 per 3x3 sheet. Snip off squares to mount on my power sander as I need them. Comes to about 3cents a pop. Good sandpaper too.

Dietrich

 

[robo hippy]

For disc sanding, the discs from Vince are the best I have ever seen. They are cut 3/8 inch over size so no scratches from the hooks. Also they are on a film,not paper or cloth, very flexable. The grit is more consistant than any other abrasive I have used. They outlast anything else I have used about 2 to 1. Price is great also. I am wanting to try out the 3M purple ceramic abrasives, don't know much about it except that Mike Mahoney uses it. No connection to Vince other than a very satisfied customer. I do wish that I could get it as sheet stock so I could punch my own discs, and save more money. It only comes as discs, but would work well in 3 to 6 inch wide strips for hand sanding, but is almost impossible to tear, you have to cut it.
robo hippy

 

[Keith Krebs]

I've been using Mirka Gold for 12 years and can't complain. I will sand from 80 to 500 in 5 steps and always have great results.

 

[George Guadiane]

For disc sanding, the discs from Vince are the best I have ever seen. They are cut 3/8 inch over size so no scratches from the hooks. Also they are on a film,not paper or cloth, very flexable. The grit is more consistant than any other abrasive I have used. They outlast anything else I have used about 2 to 1. Price is great also. I am wanting to try out the 3M purple ceramic abrasives, don't know much about it except that Mike Mahoney uses it. No connection to Vince other than a very satisfied customer. I do wish that I could get it as sheet stock so I could punch my own discs, and save more money. It only comes as discs, but would work well in 3 to 6 inch wide strips for hand sanding, but is almost impossible to tear, you have to cut it.
robo hippy

OK, I'll bite, who's Vince and how do I find him?

 

[Sean Troy]

OK, I'll bite, who's Vince and how do I find him?

http://www.vinceswoodnwonders.com/

 

[Richard Baker]

The red stuff and the yellow (gold?) stuff seem to be much better than the cheaper products. One is a 3M brand (previously mentioned?), and I think the other is Norton. Both continue to cut well, long after they start looking totally used up. Only have them in 150, 180, and 320, but will look for them in other grades when old supply of the cheap stuff runs out.

 

[George Guadiane]

http://www.vinceswoodnwonders.com/

Thanks Sean - and everyone else who already knows about Vince!

 

[Brian Hahn]

Power sanding:

• Power lock disks for the low grits.
• Industrial Abrasive's sheets cut into disks for the higher grits.

Hand sanding:

• 3M SandBlaster and Norton 3X are both excellent papers and are widely available in the 80 - 400 grit range.
• I use an aluminum oxide wet/dry sandpaper (Norton) for the 320 - 2000 grits.

 

[Jerry Hall]

My 3 favorites are:

1. Avoid sanding: Sharp, often honed tools, skew when I can, and continue to try to improve my tool work

2. Sheet Paper for hand sanding: Norton 3x. Hartville has a good price and your club can set up a good discount with them to make it a bargain

3. Hook and Loop: Cut my own from 4.5" Hook and Loop Rolls:
STEARATE 4.5" X 10 MT K/O ROLL at Klingspor's woodworking shop.
Cut them into ugly semi octogonal shapes for different size pads that overlap my homemade loop pads. No edge lines to worry about. Dedicate one twist-on 3M Roloc pad covered with foam and hook stuff to each grit. The sandpaper "discs" don't have to be round, and often work better when they aren't. Rolls are economical and paper seems to last well. Easy to use roll stock to make custom, cushioned hand pads if you like. I just keep a roll of cheap blue foam sleeping pad material on hand and quickly cut a new pad when I need it. Plus my wife's glue gun to put the hook material on. Don't glue the pad to your hand, atho I guess it would work.

 

[Ken Grunke]

Our club did a group buy of Finkat once, that was really great stuff. 400 grit did as good of a job as other brands' 220.

Since I ran out of Finkat, I've been buying Norton at auto parts stores, I think it's called Black Ice--black paper with a blue back (or is it blue ice?).

I have to agree with jerhall and his No. 1 point--I try to stay away from anything coarser than 220 grit and it's saved me a lot of aggrevation.

 

[David Somers]

I am pretty fond of abranet. It cuts nicely and I like the fact that I can blow out the disks from the back. They last quite a long while.

 

[Steve Worcester]

For obvious reasons, I am a big fan of Mirka (Finland) products. The Mirka Royal plus is available in 80-1200, 1",2" and 3", great for the everyday usage. We tested almost every product out there and found this to be the best bang for the buck. (Additionally, we test about every new product that comes out to see how well it holds up against Mirka). Mirka Abralon (2",3") in 360-4000, great for finding hidden scratches on your work, between using Royal Plus, or for sanding film finishes up to the point of polishing or buffing. Cleans easy, permeable for wet sanding. But it is not as agressive as Royal Plus, less grit choices and more expensive.
They gave me some Abranet awhile ago to test, but I am leery that since it is a coated metal screen, a piece of wire might poke out after a catch. I would love to hear comments from Abranet users so that they can influence my decision to sell it.

The 3M ceramic is a great product, but it is way too expensive and isn't available in the full spectrum of grits. They just started coming out with a hook and loop product. They only has PSA before.

If you guys would like samples of the products, let me know and I will send them out for you to try.

 

[David Somers]

Steve,

I haven't been having any trouble with the mesh of the abranet deteriorating and scratching anything. It has been a bit since I had time to turn though. The batch I have has been holding up fine so far.

Dave

 

[waltben]

I've tried just about all of them and none have been better than Norton 3X - a few are just as good, but not as cheap if you look hard enough.

 

[Vince Welch]

Favorite Abrasives

Hi Gang,
There are many abrasives available out there. It is no surprise that I prefer Blue Flex Micron Discs. More importantly are some reasons why. Because of the film backing these discs do not tear like paper discs. Because the backing does not tear the abrasive does get torn from the backing as it might with a paper product. Also, the film is electro statically charge when the abrasive is adhered to the film which provides a even grit pattern. Lastly the full range of grits of grits from 80-2000 with 12 grits total! If you would like to try the Blue Flex Micron Discs please contact me and I will be happy to send you samples.

Vince