Favorite Sandpaper?

[lesharo]

What is your favorite sandpaper? I'm familiar with alot of them. Like many supplies; I've had difficulty in getting some (or all) supplies in the last year. I haven't been able to get 3M gold 400 grit sheets even from the biggest companies ( Paxton, etc). Maybe Jamestown has it.

I use only the highest quality, e.g. 3M Gold, Norton Champagne, Carborundum Premier Red (very very expensive). Not sure if the Premier Red is worth it. The discs can be gotten for the same as 3M ($50 box 100 I think). Sheets are very high, 75, 80 cents, even a dollar a sheet. Maybe less at right place.

Just placed an order with Online Industrial Supply for some Mirka Royal. Anyone have any experience? I'm not overly optimistic. They also carry Indasa Rhyno: have used some - okay. Used some Klingspor last year: moderately good, wouldn't say as good as the 3M standard, cheaper, but who cares? Easily available though. Warning: do not use the red discs; they look great, but clog and wear out instantly, at leat on paint. I used the white, forget the name, but I think it was aluminum oxide.

Premier Red: I especially like the 80, 120, even 220 in the sheets, very aggressive. I someimes wonder if the aggressiveness isn't just because it's actually a coarser grit then competitors. The discs didn't impress me as much, but would still depend on them. $50 a box is competitive whereas in the sheets; they are definitely more expensive than the 3M. Definitely would rate the Red better than the 3M in 80, 120, maybe 220.

The white silicon carbide seems to leave a silkier smoother finish than the aluminum oxide when sanding for a varnish finish coat. But I usually use the aluminum all around as it's more agrressive and longer lasting. The 320 White 3M does leave a nice finish though. I have used the 3M 400 Gold in place of the White 3M 320. Maybe I should try it. Thanks for any feedback.

[James McMullen]

I like the carborundum premium red myself. It really does seem to cut faster. Expensive it is, though.

[TerryLL]

Carborundum Premier Red is just about the most expensive sheet abrasive out there, and worth every penny. I've tried most other brands over the years and nothing I know even comes close. It cuts fast and clean and outlasts everything else. It's a bargain when you consider one sheet does the work of three or four sheets of most other brands.
The best, TerryLL

[Mrleft8]

Norton 275. It's about a buck a sheet at the store, but a quarter of that if you buy it from someone like Granger. And it lasts 4-5 times longer than any 3M paper I've used, including the champagne.

[Gold Rock]

I like Mirka Gold. Tried in 80 and 120, both great.

[lesharo]

Thanks for the feedback. let's hear some more. Will check out the Norton 275. Like the reenforcement for the Premier Red and the support for the Mirka Gold.

[jim_cricket]

We use a lot of Abranet in the finer grits, like 400, particularly between coats of finish. We use this in place of Mirka Gold on a 6" Bosch H&L random orbit. The dust extraction is excellent, and the discs last a long time. We also use Abralon foam backed pads, 1000 to 6000 grit wet, for polishing (on furniture primarily). This would be great for rubbing out trad. varnishes on those high end yacht interiors. These products are available at most industrial paint suppliers, which may be cheaper than the marine suppliers.

[Jay Greer]

3M makes a special circuit board sanding film that we order in bulk. The best grit for us is 120. The beauty of this sanding film is that it will outlast regular sand paper about one to fifty sheets. And, because it doesn't allow the grains of abrasive to flex, it cuts much faster and more efficiently. If you are interested, contact 3M directly as the stuff if not easy to find.
Jay

[mike hanyi]

abranet - by far the most efficient stuff.

A coworker sanded the entire freeboard of a 6mr class boat with one sheet! that was a varnished finish.

if you got slightly soft varnish or paint it is about the only stuff that will cut it. it will eventually load up but I had 4 pieces, when they were full i turned them around and blasted them clean with compressed air and went back to sanding.

its not cheap but it will well outlast normal abrasives.

the hand sander block with vacuum port can sometimes be more efficient then a small orbital.

[lesharo]

Just used some Mirka Royal. I would have to say, "Avoid at all costs!" Total dog. I was using it to sand between coats on fresh Briteside paint. Gummed immediately. Didn't have 3M Gold in the same grit (320). Bought this crap (to the tune of $150!) cause I couldn't get the 3M Gold or comparable. Got out some 240 Gold and it cut easily and not a drop of gumming! Dog dog dog! I've got to learn to suck it up and pay the price for something that I know actually works. If it don't work; it ain't worth much is it?

[John P Lebens]

I've been using some Mirka Abranet 80 and 120 for "wooding" my mahogany. I'm using it with their dust collecting sanding block and it is working extremely well. The Abranet must last 5 times longer than traditional paper and it has not clogged. The dust extraction is extremely effective.

[pcford]

3M Gold pressure sensitive in rolls. Most paint shops use it here. Sheets are used very rarely. Mainly color sanding.

[P.L.Lenihan]

SIA Blue line,if you please

http://www.sia-abrasives.com/en/index.php

[robm]

Fuji Star is incredible. We once refinished all the wooden parts of a FG Lazy E (side deck knees and thwarts) with a quarter sheet of 100 grit I found in the dumpster outside Alder Bay Boats. Dave threw it away because he figured it was worn out...

It is not easy to get, though. There is no retail outlet that I know of.

Rob.

[keith66]

I use Mirka silver & Gold discs on my random orbital sander both are excellent, in my experience 3m is way overpriced & performs no better.

[Vinny&Shawn]

Originally Posted by keith66

I use Mirka silver & Gold discs on my random orbital sander both are excellent, in my experience 3m is way overpriced & performs no better.

I have to agree, have used both for years in the piano restoration business,and also use the wet or dry up to 2000 to help create mirror gloss in black and clear coat. We also use it in sanding and refinishing our vessel each season,holds up very well

[pcford]

Originally Posted by keith66

I use Mirka silver & Gold discs on my random orbital sander both are excellent, in my experience 3m is way overpriced & performs no better.

3M products are more expensive than the competition, but I have never been disappointed.

[Lew Barrett]

I like Festool's line of abrasives, but then if you use one of their sanders, you are pretty much relegated to their media. Still, with a vac attached, the stuff does last and last and last, and it is quite reasonably priced.

Otherwise, 3M works just fine for me when I am using a long board or a block.

[Wild Wassa]

Every now and again I build or make wooden bits to go on a yacht; like hand rails, bits for a companion way, ladders and storm boards or do complete cabin fit outs in timber ... when I do, I like to use those Norton's champagne coloured papers. I don't like to use anything else.

The thing I like about using the Norton's stuff is, that, I can rely on it ... to scratch the timbers how I like then to be scratched and how I remember that they scratch up. It is about getting accurate repeatable scratchings thanks to Nortons.

Warren.

[P.L.Lenihan]

YIPPY!! He's back! I hope you get back also to posting some glorious pictures too Warren, of your work on boats. A fantastic lesson on finishing and an inspiration for myself and others I'm sure!!


Cheers!


peter

[Wild Wassa]

Peter, thank you Mate. Thank you for your kind words. Cheers to you too. I hope that you are well ?

For nearly a year I've been working away from home. Working out in the boonies, west of the Great Divide ... rebuilding a boat. It has been most peaceful.

Warren.

[TonyH]

Too right Warren, it's nice to see you back. How's life treating you mate?

I'd love to hear more about the boat you've been working out. A year off working on a boat in the boonies sounds very nice.

Cheers

Tony

PS - I agree, Norton is my favourite sandpaper too. Stay away from that Prager garbage!

[pipefitter]

My favorite all around for soft(including wood) work has to be Norton's Norzon. I bought cases of this when I had the opportunity.

[Lew Barrett]

Greetings Warren!

[Candyfloss]

I'm still working on what's good (& available here in NZ), but I can tell you what's bad. Never use a Zinc Stearate paper under a polyurethane finish. Causes fish-eye.

And thanks for all the recommendations. I've got some research to do.

[Wild Wassa]

TonyH and Lew, Cheers. It is good to hear from long term Forumites. It's feels as though I haven't been away from the Forum.

Lew, I haven't seen that Norton's paper, I'll see if it's available here. I now understand what the difficulties are like for remote and isolated builders, isolated from regular major supplies. Not being able to run off to a chandler or a supplier of fasteners with ease for a rare bit adds a large degree of difficulty to even the simplest of jobs.

Tony you might not like the boat I've been rebuilding, but thank you for your interest. She is a Court 650, a 6.5m sieve impersonating a boat. The boat only just managed to keep the seafood out when I started working on her. The owner is happy to have the work done on her, so am I happy to be working full time.

Sanding boats in the bush is good fun but having to work around several dust storms has been an extraordinary experience.

Like getting huge amounts of sanding dust on the boat day after day, but a few shades redder than Mahogany dust.

Warren.

[240sxguy]

Great thread guys!! Very useful information to have before I attack my thompson this winter.

[Lew Barrett]

Warren, so good to have your ornery self back!

Nobody paints a rig like you do....nobody! Stick around, old pal. Missed y and good to have you home!

[ccx2]

Ive been using Norton 3x to sand cured epoxy and need to buy more for ive run out. How does the Norton compare to what has been compared on this thread? Its all ive used and seems to work great but will try others if they are easy to get local.

[TerryLL]

Originally Posted by ccx2

Ive been using Norton 3x to sand cured epoxy and need to buy more for ive run out. How does the Norton compare to what has been compared on this thread? Its all ive used and seems to work great but will try others if they are easy to get local.

I used the Carborundum Premier Red for years and consider it the best, but it's spendy and sometimes hard to get. I switched to Norton 3X last year and find it almost as good as the Carborundum, and it's readily available and less expensive. I buy it in 100-sheet sleeves, so the price is about 45 cents a sheet.

[David G]

My favorite sandpaper BY FAR is the type I just set down because I'm done with that phase of the project

Seriously, though, I have - for many years - used Klingspor products. They hold up fine, are better than most of what my distributors carry, are available in a wide range of products, and are semi-reasonably priced. I have NOT done extensive research, however. Some of the suggestions above might even inspire me to flirt with some other types.

[TimmS]

Originally Posted by Lew Barrett

I like Festool's line of abrasives, but then if you use one of their sanders, you are pretty much relegated to their media. Still, with a vac attached, the stuff does last and last and last, and it is quite reasonably priced.

Otherwise, 3M works just fine for me when I am using a long board or a block.

Exactly my thoughts. the Festool sander/vac system is second to none.

[yzer]

I have a 26' 50's Chris-Craft Cruiser. A guest once called it a "Marilyn Monroe boat" and I think she was right in one respect: the boat is all curves.

So I don't get to use the long board all that often: just for hull sides and sometimes on the cockpit deck. Everything else is done with a heavy rubber hand block. I don't even have an orbital sander.

Choices of sandpaper are like choices in varnish. Individual techniques require different materials.

A roll of 3M Gold is my favorite for the long block.

The favorite here is Ali-Gator-Grit 220 aluminum oxide. A 25-sheet box will last me two years. I use fairly light pressure on the blocks but move quickly. With frequent clearing this sandpaper will last me 10 or 15 minutes before replacement. One thing I'm picky about is the backing weight: I like the C-weight paper. There are lots of rounded shapes, small areas and nooks and crannies on a cruiser so I often sand with only folded paper pieces held by the fingers.

Oh yeah, I have launched several rubber hand blocks into the slough over the years. Better than deep-sixing an orbital sander I guess... only the hull gets painted on the hard.

I usually use 120 or 150 grit for the polyurethane topside paints and use aluminum oxide for it as well.