Thread: how do you sand a pen??

Make sure you get good sandpaper .... after you have tried the good stuff you will never go back. I once used the black wet and dry from Supercheap but have been able to get hold of some cheap Hermes brand stuff ..... the same as sold by Jim Carroll .... lasts abouth 10x longer then the supercheap stuff and much nicer to use.

Personally, if paper doesn't have markings I won't use it. It's probably cheap stuff and not worth using, trust me on this!

By sponges, I gather you mean the handpads like Hermes Webrax and 3M Scotchbrite pads?

From memory, Hermes webrax is colour-coded along the lines of: Olive = 80, Brown = 280, Reddish = 360 and Grey = 1500.

I forget what the scotchbrites are... I haven't used 'em in ages. But it shouldn't take much to work out, by simply sanding different parts of a spindle with known grits (like, start at 120 at one end and work to, say, 800 at the other) and then, with the finest pad sand again from the 800 end and work back. It'll be fairly obvious what grit range the pad is... it'll make what you've done with finer grits worse whlie improving the finish of the parts done with the grits lower than it. Then use the next finest pad and see what it does.

Easier done than explained.


And Stinky is spot on about Hermes paper. It's my favourite but only goes up to 600g. And doesn't include 480g, dammit. I buy either Norton or 3M wet'n'dry for the other grades... but I get 'em through a panel-beater mate to get 'em cheap. (Hint, hint. )

Dont mess with cheap sand paper.
dont buy it from the hardware, and abrasive supplier is better.
The foam pads are probably the ones designed for the auto trade that are sandpaper with a bout 4mm foam backing.
I was using nonwoven abrasive (scotchbrite) on my pens but I find paper give better results.
I find that skipping 1 gritt is fine mostly, it happens prety quick on a pen anyway.
EEE ultrashine rocks!

cheers

But Stirlo, if you mean that you tore up a it of paper (that did have numbers on it) well, you should write the grit on as soon as you have torn the paper...

As for explaining why I start with such high grits, basically more out of habit than anything. I have started at 400 before and not noticed any difference (on a well-turned piece), but my paper is stacked in order, so I tend to use it in order (even if only very briefly).

Cam

I bought a rotary sander (lathe type) after reading so much about them.
I thought that a lot of this was bull s### and decided to try it then give it a bagging.
Well, I tried it with 80-120-180-240-320 and I am happy with the bagging Neil gave it, nice little glossy U Beaut one with two cute little handles.
It works, and it works quickly and gives a smooth finish that I couldn't achieve with a straight abrasive on a block.
I finish off with EEE paste and shellawax of choice depending uipon the project.
Neils assures us that 320 on the disc is about the equivalant of 1200 straight(I think).
Yesterday I spun up a handle for a tool, took about 10 minutes from square block to handle, sanded through all grits and finished with Shellawax cream.

Originally Posted by CameronPotter

But Stirlo, if you mean that you tore up a it of paper (that did have numbers on it) well, you should write the grit on as soon as you have torn the paper...
yeah, i do do that now because i figured out that one. but i found an old piece unused that looked liked 180 but felt like 320

but my paper is stacked in order, so I tend to use it in order (even if only very briefly). i find thats the best way too.

Cam

Old torn bits you just throw away. If you don't know what it is, it isn't worth keeping.

Originally Posted by CameronPotter

Old torn bits you just throw away. If you don't know what it is, it isn't worth keeping.

fair enough