Barrym 8th July 2006, 10:51 PM Ok, I'm not a profession nor amature... I am a newbie and want to get started on a small project.
I want to have a mirror like polish on steel, so I looked around for sandpaper, namely 300, 600, 800, 1000, 1200, 1500, 2000 and 2500 (and 3000 where possible). I turned all the hardware stores around my area upside down but ended up with no luck with higher grits. (well, the highest I got was 1000 and the person in store thinks I'm going to polish diamond or something....)
I also checked on internet and found some on ebay, but the sellers are located in HongKong or USA..... :( ... I guess it's not worth the trouble for me to turn purchasing sandpaper into an international affair, but I'm currently left with little option.
I need some help finding supplier for sandpaper, I hope I can order them online, and in small quantity.... after all, I'm a newbie and only have one project in foreseeable future..... Thanks in advance.
eddie the eagle 8th July 2006, 10:53 PM Supercheap Auto, Barry.
They stock up to 2000#
Cheers,
eddie
Dean 8th July 2006, 10:54 PM I regularly buy up to 1200 grit from SuperCheap Auto Stores, and I'm sure they occasionally have 2000 grit too. Might be worth checking your local store.
Ticky 8th July 2006, 11:00 PM Speak to your local Crash repair guy & find out where he gets his
Barrym 8th July 2006, 11:12 PM Thanks guys for your quick replies, I really appreciate it.:)
Any chance of getting sandpaper above 2000 grits online in Australia? :confused:
ss_11000 8th July 2006, 11:13 PM and seeing as though your in sydney, at auburn, there is a carbatec that sell up to 2000 grit
you can order online at www.carbatec.com.au (http://www.carbatec.com.au)
hope this helps...
ps...only bad thing is if u dont pick it up its $8 for postage up to 1 kg
goku 8th July 2006, 11:55 PM I found many of the paint dedicated places carry small sheets of 2000. Warning, any finer than 2000 wont show on most steels. If you want more than the mirror finish that you get with 2000, use toothpaste (cheap stuff contains a mild abrasive), it works extremely well. What metal are you polishing up? Are you hand rubbing or belt sanding or orbital?
I regularly work 52100 and 1050.
I belt sand to 600 (dry), orbital 800, 1200, 1500, 1800, 2000 (always wet)then hit it with the toothpaste and buffing wheel, then finer compounds of buffing paste. Then finally orbital rubber pad. Just have to go slow as not to burn yourself or mark the steel with a rubber burn. Then finally I oil them cause high carbon steel rusts quick otherwise, but they make a special cloth these days. Haven't tried it.
Titanium wont take such a polish but its not really a steel either. Stainless, the same applies.
Hope all this helps. If you want to know more, feel free to pm me.
Cheers
Barrym 9th July 2006, 12:21 AM Thanks ss_11000, I will probably purchase a few sandpaper from carbatec.com.au :)
Goku, I'm polishing steel similar to 1050, I will probably purchase a Japanese vee sander and will only rely on hand polish. I will pm you for more info.
Thanks again guys. You really made my day. :)
ss_11000 9th July 2006, 12:24 AM glad to help
Doc Carver 10th July 2006, 11:05 AM Hi Barry
I came across Shell-Lap Supplies Pty Ltd when I was looking for ceramic media for cleaning rifle and pistol cases in a tumbler. I have just purchased some 3M 0.3micron Lapping Film from them for tool sharpening. They also have Wet & Dry papers. Here is a link http://www.shell-lap.com.au/cgi-bin/search.cgi?id=143802109123171152488331&category=Wet+%26+Dry+Sanding+Sheets
Regards Doc Carver
Wongo 10th July 2006, 11:33 AM 2000 grit!!:eek: :eek: How fine do you need mate?:cool:
Try the back of the wet&dry sandpaper. I am serious, there is not much difference.:)
eddie the eagle 10th July 2006, 11:53 AM After 2000#, I think the next grade up is brasso or silvo, Barry. Give it the final polish.
Cheers,
eddie
RufflyRustic 10th July 2006, 02:44 PM Hi Barry,
I get my sandpaper from Supercheap - they charge $1 a sheet which is the best price for quality in my area.
I'd also suggest you consider UBeaut's Book of Finishing and their EEE wax followed by their Traditional Wax. The EEE contains Tripoli powder and I suppose a Q&D description is it's a cutting compound, and the T.Wax puts a great lustre on the piece.
Cheers
Wendy
durwood 10th July 2006, 06:21 PM You can get abrasive paper up to 20,000 (yep twenty thousand) it was designed to be used to remove scratches in the canopies of jet planes which are perspex. By the time you get to 10,000 the surface is pretty shiny 20,000 and you think you are using polish. It was available as a kit in auto shops but I havn't looked for it for a few years so don't know who has it now. Might try Sydney Automotiver Supplies.
After 2000 you need to swap to some metal polishing gear(.as you need to get past scratching the surface). they polish brass, copper and aluminium etc with a cloth wheel and paste blocks with fine grit such as tripoli in them. Any metal polish supplier will have the right gear.
If its an object that is easily handled you can get an arbout to go on a bench grinder, if its too big to take to the bench grinder you can use a drill or a polishing buff. An angle grinder will probably to too high a speed for the pads and and may overheat the metal.
Only problem I see in spending time polishing steel is its going to rust quickly unless you coat it with something -wax or clear paint.
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