Using a wet/dry sandpaper on synthetics?

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I prefer zona paper, which starts at 600 equivalent and goes up to ~25000 or so.

I wet sand 400 & 600 then move to zona. Then finish with maguires (I'm testing another finish as well, but it's expensive so unsure). Also do the same for CA.
 
For preparing both Wood and Plastic Blanks for finishing, I dry sand with sandpaper based on the roughness left by the tools when I finish turning with carbide tools. Typically it is pretty smooth to start with so I sand with 400 grit, 600 grit, and 800 grit before applying a finish. It is very rare that I start with anything lower than 400 grit, and sometimes I even start with 600.

After Finishing and on unfinished Plastic Blanks I wet sand using the Micro Surface pads. I often use the 1500 (Brown) pad two times to start off with - To facilitate this I actually have two 1500 pads at the top of my stack. Then I progress through the pads to 12000 (Gray). Depending on the result I may buff with PSI's Blue Compound on a Sewn Cotton Wheel followed by polishing on a "no compound" Loose Flannel wheel.

This is a grit chart that I made a few years ago based on the CAMI (Coated Abrasive Manufacturers Institute) scale and various published Micro-Mesh and Micro Surface charts for regular Micro Surface pads for Plastics like Urethanes, Wood and Wood Composites. Some of the missing data has been extrapolated.

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Dave
 
For preparing both Wood and Plastic Blanks for finishing, I dry sand with sandpaper based on the roughness left by the tools when I finish turning with carbide tools. Typically it is pretty smooth to start with so I sand with 400 grit, 600 grit, and 800 grit before applying a finish. It is very rare that I start with anything lower than 400 grit, and sometimes I even start with 600.

After Finishing and on unfinished Plastic Blanks I wet sand using the Micro Surface pads. I often use the 1500 (Brown) pad two times to start off with - To facilitate this I actually have two 1500 pads at the top of my stack. Then I progress through the pads to 12000 (Gray). Depending on the result I may buff with PSI's Blue Compound on a Sewn Cotton Wheel followed by polishing on a "no compound" Loose Flannel wheel.

This is a grit chart that I made a few years ago based on the CAMI (Coated Abrasive Manufacturers Institute) scale and various published Micro-Mesh and Micro Surface charts for regular Micro Surface pads for Plastics like Urethanes, Wood and Wood Composites. Some of the missing data has been extrapolated.

View attachment 390422

Dave
So the "grit" numbers on micro mesh are not the same equivalent as sandpaper?
 
So the "grit" numbers on micro mesh are not the same equivalent as sandpaper?
No they are not. I get mine, called Micro Polish Pads, from Turners Warehouse. I cut the 4" x 3" sheets so I wind up with four complete sets of 1.5" x 2" pads. The adjusted cost winds up being $3 per set - not too bad compared with the 2" x 2" pads from other sources that cost $12 to $22 per set according to Google AI. - Dave
 
When working with pure synthetic (as opposed to wood or hybrid material blanks), I sand dry up through 400, then sand wet with 600 and 1000 (just plain water). Everything from that point forward is applied with shop towels (scratch free, micro magic, novus, ren wax).
 
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