Most used abrasive

[RossJarvis]

What's your most used grit size for abrasives? I've a Mirka Ceros 150mm thingy and a Festool Rotex 90 wotsit. Admittedly mostly used on paintwork followed by bare wood. I've found that 120 grit is my do-it-all grade and 40 and 320 is hardly ever used. In fact I tend to find 120 is just right for most jobs. I am not particularly impressed with Festool brilliant but love abranet (particularly for hand finishing). It's a bit dispiriting finding that you can normally only buy these abrasives in 50 or 100 packs at vast cost. A lot of finishing literature for wood recommends 220-240 grit, which is probably my second most used.

I'm sure it depends a lot on what sort of work you're doing and on some jobs I've gone all the way from 40 - 320 (and very occasionally up to 24000). But why can't you just buy smaller packs of the less often used grit?, at lower cost rather than having to buy reams of stuff you're not going to use.

And before any smart Alec points it out, I'm aware that Mirka and Festool already supply the rougher grits in smaller packs (not much cheaper than the others) and some suppliers will split packs. But aside from the rant on prices, I'm also interested in whether or not 120 - 240 grits will probably be useful for most jobs and may be a more or less universal grit.

If you're one of those people who think sandpaper has no place in a wood-workshop please note that I am making a rude sign at you.......unless you are someone who can make everything with an axe!!

 

[DrPhill]

I sand by hand and use fine grades to finish - my current timber comes up with a glass-like finish if I patiently work my way up through the grades. I got a couple of packs of these and am very pleased with them. I am not sure how well they would last in a a powered device though.

I do use the coarser grades (40 - 240) more than the finer grades - not many of my projects need a super-smooth finish since I am usually carving - but I do like to start my carving from a smooth surface as it is easier to mark out.

I am starting to uses rasps, files and rifflers more now, so maybe my use of sandpaper will diminish a little.

 

[John15]

I use 120 to 240 grit Mirka Abranet with the dust extractor pad. More expensive than other abrasives but lasts longer.

John

 

[nev]

Give the Rhyno-Grip Plusline a go, I don't think you'll be disappointed. Available from Richard Findlay amongst others.
It is velcro backed so may not be exactly what you're looking for but for anyone else looking for a decent abrasive that lasts...

 

[RossJarvis]

Give the Rhyno-Grip Plusline a go, I don't think you'll be disappointed. Available from Richard Findlay amongst others.
It is velcro backed so may not be exactly what you're looking for but for anyone else looking for a decent abrasive that lasts...

Thanks, that looks good

 

[thetyreman]

recently I used 80 grit on an old varnished bed, started off with 150 and it just didn't have enough grip because I was painting it with aldi chalk paint, I prefered 80 grit over 150 much more in this case. On most things though, I hand plane it where possible or scrape it with a no80 cabinet scraper, then go to 240 grit, it's rare I use higher grits than that, haven't found any advantage.

I recently prefer a hand planed surface so much more than a sanded one that I am considering not even bothering with sanding anymore, plus it would save me a fortune.

 

[RossJarvis]

recently I used 80 grit on an old varnished bed, started off with 150 and it just didn't have enough grip because I was painting it with aldi chalk paint, I prefered 80 grit over 150 much more in this case. On most things though, I hand plane it where possible or scrape it with a no80 cabinet scraper, then go to 240 grit, it's rare I use higher grits than that, haven't found any advantage.

I recently prefer a hand planed surface so much more than a sanded one that I am considering not even bothering with sanding anymore, plus it would save me a fortune.

I'd have to say a planed surface is preferable to me too. I find sanding is something I only do when some other kind of finish is going on. I recently used wood preserver on a redwood cill, a rub over with 120 made it a lot more absorbent. A planed surface is much more repellant of fluids.

 

[ED65]

I sand as little as possible but generally 150 would be my most-used grit. It's not the final grit I sand to most of the time but I do most sanding with it, followed by a few quick passes with something finer if I'm using a film finish.

I have recently been using 80 a lot more but sort of not for conventional sanding. I made a few custom sanding sticks, basically to mimic fine rasps, which I use to bridge the gap between coarser rasps and a double-cut file.

 

[Mr T]

Give the Rhyno-Grip Plusline a go, I don't think you'll be disappointed. Available from Richard Findlay amongst others.
It is velcro backed so may not be exactly what you're looking for but for anyone else looking for a decent abrasive that lasts...

I am a real fan of Indasa Abrasives who make the Rhyno line. Their Rhynolox sanding sheets cut amazingly and last much longer than others IMO. Especially the finer grits for sanding between coats, for instance they do not clog as much as Liberon and Mirka. For the random orbital I used to be a big fan of Abranet and still am but mainly because of it's good extraction qualities, I don't think it lasts as long as the Rhyno-Grip.

On bear wood I usually sand at 180 if I can't get a suitable surface from the plane then 500 grit between coats.

Chris

 

[No skills]

Around 120 is fairly universal I think, however a few nasty home tasks of late have me down to 40g belts and 50 grit disks...

 

[Matt@]

150 then 240

 

[ColeyS1]

120 grit, anything courser,drag it on concrete :lol:

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[jlawford]

120 and 240 using the excellent Hermes silicon carbide paper which I highly recommend.