Best deals on MicroMesh?

[Greg O'Sherwood]

I've only bought from my local store, but their markup on MM is huge. I really want the 9 grit packs that go from 1,500 to 12,000 (really).

Where do you find the best prices? I'd rather not buy huge rolls for $170 ea, but large sheets would be fine if economical.

Oh, I know that MM lasts almost forever, but I want to stock up. By the way, do you use detergent when washing your MM in a sock or old hose?

Gregory of SherWouldLikeAGoodDeal Forest

:befuddled:

 

[bad]

Hi Greg:
Try just googling micromesh and see what links you get. You can then compare prices. Or you might want to try ebay.

 

[W3DRM]

And, if you find a great price, post it here so we all know about it!

 

[thewishman]

Woodturningz.com has it on sale now.

 

[hewunch]

Yeah, Woodturningz has the sheets, big pads and small pads.

 

[wdcav1952]

I have bought from these folks in the past. I know one of the sides of the sheet of mm is 6 inches, but can't remember the other.

http://www.internationalviolin.com/SearchByCategory.aspx?CategoryCode=49

 

[woody350ep]

IIRC, Arizona Silhouette is where I got my set of non-backed. It was 10-12 bucks or so. Just recently I bought this.

http://www.woodpenpro.com/bushings_...oded_micro_mesh_large_3x4_polishing_pads.html

cut the sheets on the bandsaw to make 2"x3" pads and you just got 2 sets of MM for less than $9 each. Happy Happy. Now I have a set of non-backed for various, a set of backed each for raw wood and finished polishing.

 

[Greg O'Sherwood]

Do you guys really use it wet for acrylics? I haven't been. I do follow up with scratch remover and polish, though...

 

[keithkarl2007]

yeah woodturningz is offering 3 different sets for something like $33

 

[GoodTurns]

woodnwhimsies.com (tim & Tracy are members here) have packs or individual sheets...$11 a full set IIRC...good folks, quick service

 

[Glass Scratcher]

Do you guys really use it wet for acrylics? I haven't been. I do follow up with scratch remover and polish, though...

Yes, wet for plastics. Use the sponge for a backer. From 1500 to 4000 grit sand with the lathe spinning then turn the lathe off and sand at an off angle, from 6000 to 12000 just sand with the lathe on. Take your time and you won't need a scratch remover.

 

[Russianwolf]

woodpenpro has the padded variety. The 3x4 pads are double sided and cost $17.50 per set. And he has them color coded too.

 

[dntrost]

WoodnWhimsies! THey have great service and the best price I have found.

 

[mwildes]

I've bought mine from this eBay seller. $12.95 for a 9-sheet set, plus $5.00 shipping. Seller may combine shipping on more than one set.

http://cgi.ebay.com/MICRO-MESH-FINI...14&_trkparms=72:1205|66:2|65:12|39:1|240:1318

 

[hughbie]

wet sanding with MM is the only way to go.....itt shines beautifully! that's all i've ever done......i even wet sand with mm on wood after i start a CA finish......CA - plastics......really ain't much difference

wood-n-whimsies.......fantastic people.....

 

[jhs494]

I've bought mine from this eBay seller. $12.95 for a 9-sheet set, plus $5.00 shipping. Seller may combine shipping on more than one set.

http://cgi.ebay.com/MICRO-MESH-FINI...14&_trkparms=72:1205|66:2|65:12|39:1|240:1318

This is also wood-n-whimsies. They sell on e-bay.

 

[NewLondon88]

Do you guys really use it wet for acrylics? I haven't been.

Definitely. Do you have those little lines on the pads where the sanding
material is missing? You know .. the spots where the heat melted through
the pad? The friction can melt the pads in a fraction of a second.

Wet sanding can help in a couple of ways.
1. The water keeps the heat down. The heat can melt your pads as well
as distort your blanks and mar the surface. Water helps disperse the heat
so it isn't concentrated in one spot.
2. The water transfers heat to your fingers (if you don't use a backing pad)
and this heat transfer is a good 'early warning system' that you're about to
do some damage.:tongue:

My pads sit in a bucket of water and only come out when I'm going to
use them or wash them. Change the water when it isn't clean.

Every so often I'll bring them to the sink and hit them with a little dish
soap and a fingernail brush to keep them clean. Rinse well and then let
them sit in the bucket of clean water.

 

[TellicoTurning]

Do you guys really use it wet for acrylics? I haven't been. I do follow up with scratch remover and polish, though...

I use the little sanding pads from PSI, haven't bought the big sheets of MM yet, but I do use one set of them to sand acrylics and antler wet, then follow with plastic polish.

I also wet sand my CA finish... I use the medium CA and put 5 or 6 coats on each pen, then wet sand followed with plastic polish.

 

[Texatdurango]

In an IAP thread a few years ago some great prices were mentioned. Although the vendor has raised their per sheet prices to $4.75, if the sheets are still 6" x 12" as described in the following thread, that would put a 3" x 6" sheet around $1.18 or a set of 9 for around $10.68.

Aside from the slight savings to prices mentioned above, the main benefit would be able to cut the strips any width you like rather than the 3" width which seems a bit large to me. I personally like a 2" wide strip.

http://www.penturners.org/forum/showthread.php?t=9728

 

[Greg O'Sherwood]

Every so often I'll bring them to the sink and hit them with a little dish
soap and a fingernail brush to keep them clean. Rinse well and then let
them sit in the bucket of clean water.

I heard that washing them in the clothes washer was preferable, though it was on a website that sold 'em, but not positive. I like the bucket idea, makes sense and would be a time saver. I may use a spare sharpening stone batch I have, it's sealable.

All, thanks for sharing your wisdom yet again, I am going to buy a few more sheets and try 'em wet.

Gregory of SherGetSomeGoodAdviseHere Forest

 

[danroggensee]

http://www.stewmac.com/shopby/product/3711 take a look here I just order some to try out. For 8.88 a set if you buy more then 3 sets.

Let me know what you think.

Dannie

 

[Brandon25]

nuther vote for Wood n whimsies