Finishing - Sandpaper progression

[markchamness]

I'm preparing a solid-birch cabinet for finishing.  I can't afford to purchase every grit available, so I need to make strategic choices.  I'm planning to use the RO 150 for most of the sanding using Random-orbital mode with Rubin sandpaper.  How many grits can I skip?  For instance, is the following sequence too ambitious?

1. 50 grit
2. 100 grit
3. 180 grit

 

[mwhafner]

Depending on the condition of the stock, I generally go with 80 (in both rotary and orbital modes), 120, and 180. 3

You can purchase the small packs of paper, which are only $4 or $5.  That is what do with grits that I don't use that often.  I buy the bulk packs of 80, 120, 180, and 220.

 

[nickao]

50 to 100 is to big a jump, IMHO. 100 to 180 is to big a jump, IMHO.

 

[Notorious T.O.D.]

My old rule of thumb is that you should at most skip one grit in the sequence....so that would be like 80, 120, 180.  If you need to remove some heavy marks or tearout then you would go with 50 first then 80, 120, 180 to finish out.

Best,
Todd

 

[nickao]

Festooljunkie.com sells sandpaper for the Festools  by the sheet.

Festool sandpaper by the sheet-free shipping over 25.00

 

[nickao]

I really never had a plywood that required an 80 grit let alone a 50 grit. What kind of Birch ply would require that? If it is solid Birch unless it was purchased in the rough(and even then after planing it does not require an 80), 50 is still a very rare occurrence for me.

I do use down to 24 when leveling and shaping. I consider 50 a roughing and shaping grit, isn't it?

 

[markchamness]

Truth be told, I tried to clean-up the face of several solid panel glue-ups with a Lie-Nielson low-angle Jack plane (sharpened to a 50 degree bevel).  The grain in the wood changes direction from board to board, so I got tear-out.  I've given up on hand-planing and now plan to resort to the Rotex and 36 grit to fix the tear-out.

 

[Warrior]

Yikes, sorry to hear about the tearout. It is hard to to a glue up and have all the boards' grain directions be the same and have a pleasing grain match. For that reason I always flatten glue ups by sanding.

Unless the tearout is very deep starting with 50 should do it. I like to use the Rotex in rotary mode only for the intitial grits of 50, 80, 120. Then switch to the RS2 or 150/3 for 120 again, 180, 220. Grain raise with DNA/H2O in 50/50 mix then final sanding at 320 with the 150/3. then you are ready for finish.

Eiji

 

[Wonderwino]

Some dealers may sell abrasives by the sheet.  I know festooljunkie.com does. 

I am just finishing a project that required a lot of sanding, which I started with my RO125 FEQ to prep the wood and am using an ETS125 EQ to sand the finish.  The Rotex is much harder to control on vertical surfaces and takes a larger stroke.  The ETS is much lighter and takes a smaller stroke.  I would confirm Eiji's procedure above andyou definitly want the smaller stroke of the 150/3.

 

[Jim Becker]

I use 80 (if necessary and it often is not), 120, 150, 180 and I'm done. Rarely do I use 220... This is with my 150/3. I leave the Rotex in the case for heavy duty jobs as I find the 105/3 more comfortable for general sanding.

 

[tvogel400]

Mark

You can set you Lie-n low angle jack to take a really small cut- close the throat and set the blade really short. Remember the low angle jack was designed for

end grain-set small enough, with enough work+time you should have a sandable surface.

50 grit is really knarley I personally would rather look at the tearout than the huge dish you will probably grind with a grit that heavy.

Honestly I have been here before, step back breathe deep and look at it from several angles.

Good luck

T-bone

 

[nickao]

tvogel400 you are right.

Some tear out can be filled and played with to look almost undetectable, but a dished out area, especially with any kind of shiny finish, looks like crap and can not be repaired short of re-sanding the entire surface to a thinner thickness(if that makes sense)  .

 

[Notorious T.O.D.]

Perhaps a sharp scraper would clean up the tearout without dishing the surrounding surface.

Todd

 

[nickao]

I am so glad I have a drum sander to sand after glue ups.

 

[Notorious T.O.D.]

Yep...I would not trade my wide belt sander either...  I know why they call the one brand "Timesaver"

Todd