Abrasives for resin inlays

[HF]

Hi,

I'm looking for some advice on which Festool abrasives to use. I want to use coloured resins inset into my wood furniture. Am I right in thinking that I have to sand the piece to a polished finish, to bring out the colour in the resin? Usually I finish my work on 220-240grit, but now although the wood is smooth the resin is still left looking very dull. Please advise on which abrasives to use as I have no experience on what to use past these grits.

Thanks
Grant.

 

[Holmz]

... I'm looking for some advice on which Festool abrasives to use...
...

"which Festool abrasives", narrows down the answers a bit.
You may want to know about other manufacturers abrasives, including polishes.

 

[semenza]

Hi Grant,

  Welcome to the forum!  [smile]

      Not something I have done but I bet at least one of our members will know. Sounds interesting please post some pictures of the work.

Seth

 

[Holmz]

Probably you want to go to at least 1000 gr and then use polishes.
I would try just the resin alone, and look at acrylic polishes.

Festool has similar to this (I think), so comceptually you need to the same work:

Whatever you use does not matter to much if it provides the result.

 

[semenza]

[member=63778]HF[/member]  Which Festool sander do you have?

Seth

 

[TylerC]

Welcome to the FOG, Grant. Thanks for making your first post.

I'm going to move this to the "How To ..." board, where you might get a bit more insight for a variety of members.

I'll also jump in tomorrow with a more "official" answer.

 

[HF]

Hi Seth,
I have a RO150 and ETS 150.

 

[Holmz]

... Please advise on which abrasives to use as I have no experience on what to use past these grits.
...

in the video they used 1000gr and then 2500gr, followed by polishing.

Hi Seth,
I have a RO150 and ETS 150.

the ETS 150 will take any paper in the 1000gr and 2500gr, but holes matching up helps for dust.

then the ro150 would work fine for the polishing. So you need polishing compound and the course and the fine polishing pads.

 

[Vondawg]

Welcome HF
I do quite a bit wood and resin (epoxy resin) work and before you go and apply a polish product on a piece you to plan on apply finish to, do a test piece, you can cause a lot of headaches, especially with resins, trying to finish over a polishing compound. Often times sanding to 220 is fine, even if it appears cloudy the final coat fills/coats and is perfectly clear. This is recommended practice by West System and System Three's-MirrorCoat. If you're just waxing, then my advise doesn't apply, but I would think sanding to say 600/800 would be fine to go to polishing. JMHO