What Grit of sandpaper

[Younka]

Just wondering what grit of sandpaper everyone uses on there wood pens? I use up to 2000 but wondering if i should go up to 2500 or even 3000 grit.

 

[Joe Burns]

Depends on the finish. I start with 220 and go to 600 grit. Then micro-mesh to 12,000 after applying a CA finish.

 

[Younka]

Do you know what grit the 12000 micro-mesh would be around?

 

[SCR0LL3R]

They don't list a direct equivalent to 12000 grit on this chart but this compares the different grit units.

http://www.turningwood.com/images/sandpaper/grit comparison chart.pdf

I have never tried sanding CA with just sandpaper but I would expect 2500 grit could be fine enough if you were to use a plastic polish afterwards. They do sand differently though.

 

[jaywood1207]

Just wondering what grit of sandpaper everyone uses on there wood pens? I use up to 2000 but wondering if i should go up to 2500 or even 3000 grit.

Is that before a finish? I'd be worried that you make it so smooth that there is nothing left for the finish to grip to.

I go up to 400 with regular paper then switch to these http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/page.aspx?p=51566&cat=1,42500 and use the 150, 220, and 320. I don't know if it is a different rating system but with these the 400 regular paper seems to be the same as the 150 pad so I don't feel I'm going backwards after the 400 regular. After the 320 pad I put on my CA finish.

After finish I hit the CA with 320 and 400 regular paper then switch back to the pads and then go with 2 rounds of plastic polish and then onto the white diamond on the buffing wheels and it's done.

 

[mredburn]

I have done finishing with both Micro mesh to 12,000 and up to 2,000 grit sand paper. You get the same results. Final polish after either of those is a plastic polish for the finest swirls. I doubt that anything above 2,000 grit will yield any results.