• December 2025 Turning Challenge: Single Tree! (click here for details)
  • Congratulations to Bob Henrickson, People's Choice in the November 2025 Turning Challenge (click here for details)
  • Congratulations to Steven Gordon for "Dropped Ice Cream Cone" being selected as Turning of the Week for December 9, 2025 (click here for details)
  • Welcome new registering member. Your username must be your real First and Last name (for example: John Doe). "Screen names" and "handles" are not allowed and your registration will be deleted if you don't use your real name. Also, do not use all caps nor all lower case.

Sandpaper at the lathe

Greg Carles

Greg Carles

Joined
Aug 22, 2022
Messages
192
Likes
452
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.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_9394.jpeg
    IMG_9394.jpeg
    482 KB · Views: 40
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).



IMG_5666.jpgIMG_5667.jpg
 
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.

lathe_wall_IMG_5749.jpg

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.

lathe_wall_papertowel_IMG_5.jpg

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.

1759502595731.jpeg

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.

1759502917489.jpeg

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.

1759503228126.jpeg
 
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.
 

Attachments

  • 1759536315396.jpeg
    1759536315396.jpeg
    418.2 KB · Views: 32
I don’t use anything and get in a mess, but one of our club demonstrators has a piece of wood with saw cuts in it to hold his sandpaper. Each slot marked with the grit size.
 
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.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_0626.jpeg
    IMG_0626.jpeg
    702.7 KB · Views: 34
  • IMG_0625.jpeg
    IMG_0625.jpeg
    734.9 KB · Views: 34
  • IMG_0628.jpeg
    IMG_0628.jpeg
    891.9 KB · Views: 35
  • IMG_0624.jpeg
    IMG_0624.jpeg
    820.5 KB · Views: 34
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.
1000015565.jpg
 
Last edited:
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.

20251004_144300.jpg

20251004_144308.jpg
 
Another vote for the "rip from a roll" approach. Been a fan of - Klingspor "Bargain Box Cut Offs" rolls. Inexpensive, cloth backed, very happy with the quality. The 20# box I got had a variety of Med/Fine from 100 - 600 grit rolls (crap shoot on what you get but I'm set for a long time). Mounted on a bar above the lathe, quick & easy to just rip a piece off. I usually wrap a piece around a small chunk of sponge for contours and to prevent hot spots. Will also wet sand with these if working with a hybrid resin piece.
 

Attachments

  • 20240512_201538_min.jpg
    20240512_201538_min.jpg
    462.2 KB · Views: 26
  • 20230616_133821_min.jpg
    20230616_133821_min.jpg
    192.7 KB · Views: 28
Last edited:
Steve Tiedman said:
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.
View attachment 80154
Click to expand...

This is pretty much what I do. But I buy similar size (3" wide?) cloth backed rolls of 120 and 240 grit at Harbor Freight. Easy to tear off the width and length I want. Takes care of about 90% of my sanding needs.
 
This topic reminded me it was past time to do some organizing, some of the 5" sandpaper stash I found had a 1997 Klingspor receipt but was still good in sealed plastic bags. 5" and 3" done, 2" to go. The K1C got a workout, I tried to used every spool of filament at least once. All but one, green ABS from 2013, was good. You can tell which one it was.


1760386021605.png1760385745165.png
 
A bit late but I use the Woodturners Wonders RoLoc system so I drilled 2 inch holes in a 2x4 plus a deeper hole for thescrew shaft. View attachment 80410

As for storage I have trays in a cabinet drawer

View attachment 80411
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top