Author Topic: Sandpaper  (Read 5818 times)

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Offline Badger

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Re: Sandpaper
« Reply #15 on: May 19, 2014, 09:56:32 am »
  I spent a good share of my youth working in furniture factories sanding tables and chairs. We seldom went past 220 grit for finishing. I believe cherry was one of the woods we went to 320 with. The important thing is finishing with each grit you are using going with the grain and removing all the dust. I have also found the more expensive 3 m sandpapers are also the most economical to use as they tend to last a lot longer than the cheap papers. Garnet papers are also best to use in the final fine grit sanding stages.

Don Case

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Re: Sandpaper
« Reply #16 on: May 19, 2014, 12:34:07 pm »
Is there any danger of screwing up the back using sandpaper?

Offline Del the cat

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Re: Sandpaper
« Reply #17 on: May 19, 2014, 01:35:43 pm »
Depends what you mean by sandpaper! Cheap old fashioned sandpaper is useless.
I use Wet or Dry paper for finishing, usually 240 is fine enough, (400 on horn and the a buffing wheel with compound) I take out the tool marks first with a cabinet scraper as it is much more effective than sandpaper.
Del
Health warning, these posts may contain traces of nut.

Offline Del the cat

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Re: Sandpaper
« Reply #18 on: May 19, 2014, 01:37:34 pm »
Is there any danger of screwing up the back using sandpaper?
Don't think so if you go along the grain... If you want to screw it up, you'll need an angle grinder ;) >:D
Del
Health warning, these posts may contain traces of nut.

Offline Sidmand

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Re: Sandpaper
« Reply #19 on: May 19, 2014, 02:14:47 pm »
I can't offer any better advice than what has already been given, but I CAN offer a warning: don't buy your sandpaper from Harbor Freight!  That is by far the worst sandpaper I have ever used, and I have used a lot.  That crap will tear almost immediately., whether you are using a block, sponge, your hand, whatever, it's going to tear.  I can't remember the brand off the top of my head, but it didn't seem to matter; I bought a couple of packs of different grit and different brand thinking it was a bargain, it is not.
"Criticism is something we can avoid easily by saying nothing, doing nothing, and being nothing." --> Aristotle

Offline Carson (CMB)

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Re: Sandpaper
« Reply #20 on: May 19, 2014, 02:17:55 pm »
Like others, I use a cabinet scraper and then go right to 150, then 220. 

John Strunk turned me on to 3m clothe backed abrasive paper.  Lasts a long time. 
"The bow is the old first lyre,
the mono chord, the initial rune of fine art
The humanities grew out from archery as a flower from a seed
No sooner did the soft, sweet note of the bow-string charm the ear of genius than music was born, and from music came poetry and painting and..." Maurice Thompso

Offline bow101

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Re: Sandpaper
« Reply #21 on: May 19, 2014, 04:32:48 pm »
  I spent a good share of my youth working in furniture factories sanding tables and chairs. We seldom went past 220 grit for finishing. I believe cherry was one of the woods we went to 320 with. The important thing is finishing with each grit you are using going with the grain and removing all the dust. I have also found the more expensive 3 m sandpapers are also the most economical to use as they tend to last a lot longer than the cheap papers. Garnet papers are also best to use in the final fine grit sanding stages.

220 is par for the course. Its also the finish coats that are important like sanding between coats.  I have done 4 coats of clear and sanding after second coat and maybe third.
I usually use 80-120-220  for final sanding.  Lately I use a very course file for getting out the blade marks or rasp marks. Sure saves on sandpaper and endless sanding by hand which is not my favorite thing... >:(
"The privilege of a lifetime is being who you are."  Joseph Campbell

Offline George Tsoukalas

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Re: Sandpaper
« Reply #22 on: May 19, 2014, 10:01:58 pm »
Yes, you can Don. Yoiu do not eant to go through a ring. Jawge
Set Happens!
If you ain't breakin' you ain't makin!

Offline Cloudfeather

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Re: Sandpaper
« Reply #23 on: May 20, 2014, 10:47:41 am »
Speaking of burnishing. I just burnished(for my first time) a bow that I'm making for a friend, using deer antler. Any tips on how to keep from creating those tiny divots? Am I pressing too hard?