Sandpaper- what do you use?

[Rick Lindstrom]

Years ago when I was building instruments, my favorite paper for finish sanding bare wood was garnet paper, and for sanding between coats of lacquer, a stearated paper called "Frecut" or something like that. It was a sort of grey color.

I haven't done any woodworking in a good many years, and now when I head out to the big-box home improvement place for sandpaper, my favorites are nowhere to be found, and I don't recognize the offerings that are available (things change- I know). I've seen purple paper, yellow paper, black paper that's not emery or wet/dry, etc. The only thing that looks familiar is the red abrasive that has evidently survived and is still being used on things like power sander belts and discs.

So- what are you using these days for sanding?

Rick

[sunburst]

For bare wood, I prefer garnet paper, for dry sanding finishes, I like the stearated "free cut" paper, for wet sanding finishes, water proof silicone carbide.

It's all still available, just harder to find.

[Dale Ludewig]

You can find a lot of sandpaper choices at auto supply stores, especially the non-chain store ones. At least you should be able to find the "free cut" and wet-dry. You won't likely find garnet there, as I don't think it is used in auto work.

[Paul Hostetter]

I really like Norton 3X. It has the best qualities of stearated paper in terms of not clogging, but much longer lasting because the backing paper is way better and the abrasive stays sharp. Norton even claims its zirconium alumina abrasive is self-sharpening. Not sure how that could work. Comes in 9x11 sheets, belts, whatever. It eclipses any commercial paper I'd ever used before, and it's easy to find.

[PaulD]

I just bought some of that new-fangled 3X stuff 'cause my old Aluminum Oxide (Norton Adalox) stash was getting low in some grits. Zirconia Alumina is probably a lot like Aluminum Oxide in that the particles are tough so they wear well, but when they fail they fracture and leave a fresh "sharp" particle (hence the self sharpening). I haven't used Garnet for years due to the fact that it just doesn't hold up as well as Aluminum Oxide or Silicone Carbide (the common dark-grey "Wet or Dry"). Garnet particles round off as they wear, so even if you've got a worn but unclogged paper with most of the grit attached it will not perform well.

One of the frustrations I faced at the local home improvement depot is that most of the paper I found doesn't tell me what they've used for abrasive. Is that a new trend? It used to be that only the cheap brands didn't say what they were... now that seems to be par for the course.

pd

[thistle3585]

The color of the sandpaper indicates the weight of the paper. I only have experience with Silver, A weight, and Gold, C weight. The A weight doesn't last near as long as C weight, so I routinely buy C weight. I buy 5" PSA sanding disks in rolls of 100 from Online Industrial Supply. I have found that they are the cheapest. I also buy stripping pads from them, similiar to ScotchBrite pads, which I use for scuff sanding in between coats of lacquer. They too are a fraction of the price, and their color indicates grit. I normally use green in between coats and burgundy before the final coat. They also have circular slotting saws. ONline Industrial Supply

[dunwell]

I've been using a couple sleeves of sterrated stuff from Don's Sandpaper for quite some time. Works pretty good for both the raw wood and light scuff sanding lacquer between coats but wears out pretty fast. But someone here in an earlier thread was raving on about the 3M Sandblaster stuff for lacquer so I just bought a small pack of that to try. Recommended! It really does not clog as easy and last longer than others I've tried. However I now see that Paul is recommending the Norton's so I've go to rush out and try to locate some of that. (Do you get the idea that Madason Avenue has me right where they want?) Paul, do you know if BORG (Big Orange Retail Box) carys that or do you order it from the web.

Alan D.

[PaulD]

I'm sure you meant the Paul who knows what he's talking about (Hostetter), but I bought my Norton 3X at The BORG. I'm sure one of the industrial abrasive suppliers could offer a better price in bulk... that's how I always used to buy when I did more woodworking.

pd

[Paul Hostetter]

I buy mine at MacBeath Hardwoods in Berkeley, which is a regular stop for me. OSH carries it too, I noticed, but I don't do BORG. 3X is so far beyond stearated paper I know I'll never bother with that again. It holds up to frets at least as well as the regular black aluminum oxide paper I used to use, which I now only bother with in the grits finer than the Norton comes in, IOW: 600 and finer.

The blue 3X 6x48 belts are the best as well, but they're really hard to get. Maybe BORG?? I don't even know where one is around here. I looked through the Online Industrial Supply site and saw only aluminum oxide. Done with that stuff.

[buddyellis]

I bought some 320 grit (is the 320 grit a light yellow?) of what I believe was that norton paper from a local lowes, and it was simply the best paper I've ever used. It was fairly hard to clog, even when sanding 'not totally cured' oil varnish and even shellac to some extent (that #### sticks to anything unless its completely cured). It really, really kept its cut for a long time. I wish I could find the stuff again, I've been looking for it locally for a couple months, but now that I think I've found out what it was I may just have to order some online.

Thanks PH!
-b

[amowry]

I have rolls of Klingspor p-grade self-adhesive paper that I use for all sorts of stuff. I stick it to eraser sanding blocks, wood sanding blocks, sanding sticks for inside scrolls, credit cards for tight corners, etc. I hardly use any regular sheets of paper any more, because I'm so addicted to this stuff.

[Michael Lewis]

Klingspor has just about any sanding abrasive in rolls, sheets, discs, belts, etc. that a wood shop could use. It took me a while to get used to the feel of the backing paper but now think it is great. I haven't yet tried the 3X stuff Paul H. is recommending.

[Bluetickhound]

And now, from the grooveyard of forgotten hits comes this resurrected thread... the conversation concerning HHG lead me to a site where it was stated that stearated sandpapers and HHG don't mix. What say you Cafe members?

[Marty Jacobson]

I use the Mirka Bulldog Gold sandpapers (also called Goldflex, proflex, and some other names). They are technically stearated, but they contain such a small amount that they were once advertised as stearate-free and Target Coatings recommends them for use on their waterbased finishes.
Also, Southern Paint and Lacquer sells a whole ream of 50 sheets for $25. Can't beat that.
I use them for sanding finishes and bare wood, regardless of the glue used.

[sunburst]

I use garnet paper for wood, stearated paper for finishes. I seldom, if ever, deviate from that, though I've had no problems with finish or glue adhesion in the past that I can attribute to using stearated sandpaper.

[Bluetickhound]

Thanks guys! I'm probably overthinking and obsessing needlessly about this build but I'd hate to have a glue problem that could have been avoided...

[pfox14]

I am never disappointed with any 3M product I use, whether it's their sandpaper, which is one of the company's original products, or adhesives, etc. I love their wet or dry paper (not sure what mineral it is) and I usually get the really fine grits at a local auto-body supply place. I also like Norton and Carborundum. I also get a brand of adhesive backed rolls called Rhino-Dry. Good stuff and cheap.

[hpd1]

http://www.klingspor.com/
I used to buy my stuff from them.

[belbein]

http://www.klingspor.com/
I used to buy my stuff from them.

I second the motion. A very talented turner friend of mine turned me on to Klingspor. It's the best sandpaper I've ever used, ever. Way better than all the other stuff mentioned, for my style of sanding (whatever that means). The best thing is that Klingspore periodically sells a box of assorted sandpaper pieces for under 100. My turner buddy told me that it lasts him a year ... and I split a box with him and it's still lasted me close to a year. I can't recommend it highly enough.

[sunburst]

Agree with the above. 3M, followed by Norton, Klingspor if you can afford it. Lately, my local stores have started carrying "Gator Grit" or some such, and I privately refer to it as "Gator ##it". I like to support local retailers, but if I can't get quality sandpaper I'll just have to go elsewhere.

The stuff that they apply to the sandpaper, the "stearate", I suppose, is sort of like soap. It fills the voids between the individual grits on the sandpaper so that dust can't pack in there as easily, and the dust that does pack in there is packed against a non-stick substance so the paper is slower to glog. The soap gradually wears off on your work, and if there's enough of it there it can interfere with adhesion of glues and/of finishes. We wouldn't rub a bar of soap on a surface we were preparing to glue, now would we?

[Rick Lindstrom]

In the years since I opened this thread, the sandpaper game has continued to change a lot. The scary thing is that I started the thread because I was launching into my first guitar build in about 20 years, and today that guitar is about 90% complete and is firmly on a back burner. I did make a scratchbuilt A style mandolin and many radio controlled aircraft in the interim, so it's not like I'm a total slacker. I just can't seem to get interested in finishing that guitar, or there are things that interest me more. I really should get going on it though because I'm getting old and would like to play it in this lifetime. It should be obvious to readers of this forum that I am a hobbyist builder and don't do this for a "living" like I once did.

Anyway, I was investigating a blade sharpening attachment for my WorkSharp tool the other day, and happened to run across several recommendations for a company that is noted for its great prices and service on abrasive belts, and which will make custom belts at a very good price. They also sell other types of abrasives as well:

http://www.econaway.com/

Just wanted to share the find