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Sandpaper at the lathe

Greg Carles

Greg Carles

Joined
Aug 22, 2022
Messages
162
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Location
Kenton, OH
I was wondering if anyone could share a pic or two of how you keep your sandpaper handy at the lathe for best efficiency?
During numurous "shop tours" on you tube I don't really notice any sandpaper out and in a handy to use place.
I ponder such things as I try to figure out how to be more efficient while sanding and going through the grits , while at the same time staying somewhat organized.
Thanks.
 
I have 3 of these storage containers. One for 3” discs, one for 2” discs, and a third for various speed lock pads from Woodturners Wonders. Additionally I have a set of ~2” verticals shelves for 8x11 sheets of sandpaper from ~80grit to ~1000grit - I fold these in half and rip, half again etc until I have small rectangles that I fold and use when not power sanding.
 

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I have a small homemade vertical rack mounted to the wall next to me. It has small shelves for 1/4 sheet size paper, but now I cut sheets into 1/8 sheet size. It feels like it makes a pack of paper go farther. Folded into thirds, you really use the full piece, not just working around the edges. They're easy to cut with a set of thin rips and a base with a sort of fence.

It's convenient and close, but it does collect shavings sometimes. I should probably have doors or at least a drape/curtain, but never got that far.

I've been trying to get into the habit of putting tools on a rolling utility cart instead of the lathe bed. It has a large drawer and I've considered making (or buying) something to divide it up for different grit sheets, disks etc. I dream of all kinds of improvements, but most of the times I get over there and just want to turn. (but I'm learning that I can save some projects/tasks for completion at home)
 
I have a workbench across from the lathes and the top drawer has compartments I found on Amazon for the 2 3/8" discs I get from Vince's. It's about 4 1/2 feet away but opened, I just have to turn around and grab. Rolls I keep on the wall behind the lathe (for pens).



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Greg Carles said:
I was wondering if anyone could share a pic or two of how you keep your sandpaper handy at the lathe for best efficiency?
Click to expand...

Well, first of all I don't use rotating disk on a drill to sand through grits. I did when I started but didn't like the clouds of dust or what it sometimes did to the wood. I have no problem with those who power sand as long as I'm elsewhere!

There ways that work better for me, even with larger bowls and platters. If I do use disks for platters and such, it is usually 600 grit on a small pneumatic ROS running at a very low speed.

Since I do most sanding by hand, I keep sandpaper on a long dispenser rod on the wall when I can reach it without moving. It has grits from 400 and coarser.
The dispenser has 1" and 2" wide rolls of Klingspor Gold. I just tear off a piece when needed.

I know this won't work for everyone but works for me and everything I turn.

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I put 1"x3" strips of finer grits - 600, 800, etc - in the little tilt-out bins below the rolls along with small pieces of cloth, fine steel wool, etc.

Since I use the coarsest grits for brake drums and such, I removed one set to make room for paper towels. (I cut a big roll into narrow rolls - then I can tear of just a small piece to apply finish, clean up glue, etc. I can't remember who I stole that idea from - he cut slices of rolls using the bandsaw but I didn't like the chewed up edges so I always cut them with a sharp fillet knife.

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As always, much depends on what you turn and how you work.

JKJ
 
John K Jordan said:
Well, first of all I don't use rotating disk on a drill to sand through grits. I did when I started but didn't like the clouds of dust or what it sometimes did to the wood. I have no problem with those who power sand as long as I'm elsewhere!

There ways that work better for me, even with larger bowls and platters. If I do use disks for platters and such, it is usually 600 grit on a small pneumatic ROS running at a very low speed.

Since I do most sanding by hand, I keep sandpaper on a long dispenser rod on the wall when I can reach it without moving. It has grits from 400 and coarser.
The dispenser has 1" and 2" wide rolls of Klingspor Gold. I just tear off a piece when needed.

I know this won't work for everyone but works for me and everything I turn.

View attachment 80110

I put 1"x3" strips of finer grits - 600, 800, etc - in the little tilt-out bins below the rolls along with small pieces of cloth, fine steel wool, etc.

Since I use the coarsest grits for brake drums and such, I removed one set to make room for paper towels. (I cut a big roll into narrow rolls - then I can tear of just a small piece to apply finish, clean up glue, etc. I can't remember who I stole that idea from - he cut slices of rolls using the bandsaw but I didn't like the chewed up edges so I always cut them with a sharp fillet knife.

View attachment 80109

As always, much depends on what you turn and how you work.

JKJ
Click to expand...

I don't have a pic handy, but I store my rolls of sandpaper (2 3/4" rolls) in a piece of 4" pvc that I split lengthwise and screwed to the wall. The rolls sit in the pvc and the edge is great for tearing off a piece as needed.
 
Here's my low grit sandpaper, cabinet scrapers. Usually start sanding with 240 or 320 after these, and only requires a light touch. This is just a sample, I have a lot of different shapes, sizes, and thicknesses (0.016-0.031"). I cut/grind the shapes I want from standard rectangular cabinet scrapers, except the french curve. Store them in an index card file, which has cut up file folder pieces, folded in half, to protect the edges.

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2" and 3" round discs are stored in a harbor freight bin rack, which is mounted to a table located behind me when at the lathe, and parallel with the lathe. There's a cover mounted to the top that lays over the bins to keep dust and chips out.

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For hand held sanding, sheets are cut to size using a paper cutter, and stored in an index card file. Each mini sheet has the grit written on the back with a sharpie, and is folded in 3rds when used.

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I have 2" and 3" discs, some with and some without wavy edges. I got annoyed with having to constantly clear shavings and dust out of open bins, so I got a little Ikea kitchen 4-drawer module that now sits on a tool cabinet beside my lathe. I made dividers in the drawers to keep all of the discs separate and in order. This orderliness has also resulted in an improvement for my sanding workflow.
 

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Nice, but a demonstrator over here didn’t bother making any cutouts in the pipe, he just loads the discs with the Velcro facing up and pushes the sanding pad into the pipe until the sanding disc sticks. It seemed to work well for him.
 
My shop has evolved over the years as has the sand paper storage. Started sheets of sandpaper, moved to quartering sheets stored in a drawer, evolved to hook and loop rolls of paper, cut my own rounds. Then buying precut rounds and grit labeled individual H&L holders.
 

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No fancy storage or dispensing for me. No discs, I share @John K Jordan's issues with dust clouds. I just keep 3" wide J-weight "shop rolls" from Klingspor on the shelf above the lathe. I think the rolls are offered in 2 roll lengths. Tear and go.

Edit- different widths and lengths. Huh, the price has been going up! Multi-pages of roll product and prices.

J-weight, never (for me) the stiff X-weight. J-weight is compliant for hand sanding. X serves as its own wood sanding block, it's so stiff.
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I've had two of these craftsmen rolling cabinets for years. After I began turning I modified it adding two functions. First the drawer you see holds all my lathe sanding stuff. Second the top is same height as my table saw and can be used as an infeed or outfeed and with an additional wood base does same for my bandsaw. Third the top is formica and I use it as a gluing station as glue doesn't stick to the formica.

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