Thread: Micro mesh

I do micro mesh on timber pens but it is on top of layers of CA, so not really what you're looking for sorry

I know that one of the other forum members HazzaB uses the MM on his pens before he does the CA finish. I think he goes all the way through the pads and he does it dry from memory. (Sorry Harry if I've misquoted you)

cheers
WH

Unless you are top coating the wood blank with CA you DO NOT EVER want to use water with MM on a finish. Do not use MM to finish a wood pen that is not top coated. Get some sandpaper. You can get automotive sandpaper that can get you to 1200 grit. ll that is needed. Just remmember to sand with the grain after each grit size. Shut the lathe off to do that.

hi there, I use mm on some hard, close grained wood eg ebony etc. I start sanding with 400 grade aluminiun oxide through the grades till 800 wiping down with a dry rag after each grade. then onto mm starting at 2400 again thriugh the grades until 6000, I do all sanding/mm dry. If using an oily wood a quick wipe down with an acetone dampened rag then a thin coat of sanding sealer, let that dry and a light buff with 8000/12000 mm then several caots of carnuba wax and finish off with micro crystaline wax. using this method I find I get a smooth deep shine yet still retain the warmth and tactile qualities of the timber. On softer woods Idont bother with mm until after I have applied a ca finish.

I use MM dry on all my wood pens. This is a Russ Fairfield technique. Use all the grits and get an ultra smooth finish on the wood before you apply the CA and it causes the wood grain to pop and helps gives it the deep finish look.
A great CA finish should almost look like you are looking through a magnifying glass at wet wood. MM before CA, MM on the CA, and a fine grit buffing are required to get this finish.

You can get Wet N' Dry (silicon carbide) sand paper up to 2000 grit ISO/FEPA grit designation at any serious hardware/auto part store.
Micro Mesh 1500 leaves a "scratch pattern" equivlant to ISO 400 grit wet n' dry.
MM 4000 is ISO 1500.
By the time you get to the 12000 MM, you are in the realm of glass polishing compounds.
With 2000 grit silicon carbide wet n dry, you can sand to the point you need a magnifying glass to see any surface scratches.
You can wet sand some of the oily woods, ebony, cocobolo, bocote....
A little hint old head wood turners will remember....save some of the finer shavings and sanding dust, and with the lathe on med to slow, take a handful of the shaving/dust mix and grasp the wood blank, apply slight pressure by squeezing and "burnish" the wood blank with the mix, you will be startled by how smooth the blank gets.
You can use 0000 steel wool to polish the wood, but remember it will grab and small defect so use caution.
Always wipe the wood blank down with either a ready made tack cloth, or use a quick dry solvent like lacquer thinner or denatured alcohol to remove any finger oil and debris/sanding dust.
here is a link to compare MM grits to ISO standards...
http://www.sisweb.com/micromesh/conversion.htm

Hey There,

I do MM timber blanks all the way to 12000, then do my CA finish, and as ststed above the results are good. If I was to use any other finish I would sand to about 600 or 800, then apply the said finish, then you have to wait till that sets and then polish, sorry I am too impatient for that, I only like to visit the lathe once for each pen. Also I must admit that I am usually using Hard woods and Burls, so maybe I'm spoilt a bit.

HazzaB