I wonder what sandpaper other turners are finding "best". (Keeping in
mind that sanding on the lathe needs to be done at slower speeds so as
not to burnish the wood.)
I use Norton 3X a lot as it seems pretty versatile. (Available from
Home Depot)
Astradot from woodchuckers is the best with the rotational sander (It
has velcro backing) but it is expensive and I am not in Toronto so it
is not that convenient.
"SIASOFT" foam back pads are very durable but pricey too and I'm not
sure where to get them locally. (I got a small supply in Calgary from
Blackforest wood.)
I got some foam back sanding pads from Lee Valley but ended up sending
them all back as they just disintegrated on the lathe.
Busy Bee had some "machine sandpaper" in belts and circles a while back
as a packaged special and this was good but they do not seem to have it
anymore - I now regret not getting a lot more.

On 4 Jun 2006 05:25:28 -0700, "JD" wrote:

I wonder what sandpaper other turners are finding "best". (Keeping in
mind that sanding on the lathe needs to be done at slower speeds so as
not to burnish the wood.)
I use Norton 3X a lot as it seems pretty versatile. (Available from
Home Depot)
Astradot from woodchuckers is the best with the rotational sander (It
has velcro backing) but it is expensive and I am not in Toronto so it
is not that convenient.
"SIASOFT" foam back pads are very durable but pricey too and I'm not
sure where to get them locally. (I got a small supply in Calgary from
Blackforest wood.)
I got some foam back sanding pads from Lee Valley but ended up sending
them all back as they just disintegrated on the lathe.
Busy Bee had some "machine sandpaper" in belts and circles a while back
as a packaged special and this was good but they do not seem to have it
anymore - I now regret not getting a lot more.

http://www.woodworkingshop.com

Can't beat them for price or quality, IMHO...

As I learned from George, the "turners bargain box" is exactly that....

20 pounds of assorted roll ends for $30.... I just ordered another box because
we're moving out of the country, but I'm still using the almost 2 year old rolls
and I use a LOT of sand paper..
Mac

https://home.comcast.net/~mac.davis
https://home.comcast.net/~mac.davis/wood_stuff.htm

"JD" wrote in message
oups.com...
I wonder what sandpaper other turners are finding "best". (Keeping in
mind that sanding on the lathe needs to be done at slower speeds so as
not to burnish the wood.)

Well, no. Burnishing comes from heat, which is a friction byproduct. Since
friction is a product of the coefficient of friction - independant of
speed - and the pressure applied, the best way to think of the sanding
problem is one of minimum pressure. Paper might not bite as deeply if you
don't press, but that helps you two ways, it doesn't cut deep scratches with
those few maximum sieve size pieces of grit, nor does it bring the backing
into full contact, which will heat, harden and burnish the surface, leaving
those scratches standing out against a shiny surface.

In sanding, if you're making shiny, stop, set up the fiber with water to
break the case hardening and sand fresh. It's dust you should see, not
shine.

I use Norton 3X a lot as it seems pretty versatile. (Available from
Home Depot)
Astradot from woodchuckers is the best with the rotational sander (It
has velcro backing) but it is expensive and I am not in Toronto so it
is not that convenient.

I'm a devotee of the Power-Loc system, personally. There's no velcro to be
concerned with, the resin on resin full coat gives you a lot of use, and if
you sand with lathe on and the sander supported, you can sand with virtually
no pressure. Too aggressive to use with the lathe off.

"SIASOFT" foam back pads are very durable but pricey too and I'm not
sure where to get them locally. (I got a small supply in Calgary from
Blackforest wood.)
I got some foam back sanding pads from Lee Valley but ended up sending
them all back as they just disintegrated on the lathe.
Busy Bee had some "machine sandpaper" in belts and circles a while back
as a packaged special and this was good but they do not seem to have it
anymore - I now regret not getting a lot more.


For Velcro-backed, it's tough to beat the green stuff, whose name escapes me
at the moment, but is available at Packard Woodworks in USA. The back is
thick enough to insulate your plastic hooks, and the loops stay firm to the
paper. Best to switch mandrels with it, as it can be a chore removing it
from the Velcro.

Hi John

I get my sandpaper from stockroom supply, they sell klingspor hook and
loop in rolls for the drumsanders, it comes in 2" 3" 4" and more widths
and 5 yards long or 50 meters etc, I just cut them to size, that way
cost is in the 6 to 10 cent a piece mark.
they also have foam pads etc, have a look, I find them good to deal
with.

http://www.stockroomsupply.com/Sanding_Rolls.php

Have fun and take care
Leo Van Der Loo

JD wrote:
I wonder what sandpaper other turners are finding "best". (Keeping in
mind that sanding on the lathe needs to be done at slower speeds so as
not to burnish the wood.)
I use Norton 3X a lot as it seems pretty versatile. (Available from
Home Depot)
Astradot from woodchuckers is the best with the rotational sander (It
has velcro backing) but it is expensive and I am not in Toronto so it
is not that convenient.
"SIASOFT" foam back pads are very durable but pricey too and I'm not
sure where to get them locally. (I got a small supply in Calgary from
Blackforest wood.)
I got some foam back sanding pads from Lee Valley but ended up sending
them all back as they just disintegrated on the lathe.
Busy Bee had some "machine sandpaper" in belts and circles a while back
as a packaged special and this was good but they do not seem to have it
anymore - I now regret not getting a lot more.

JD,
I've tried a lot of different sandpaper and have come to the conclusion that
the Norton 3X is by far the best for non-powered sanding. The stuff cuts
faster, clogs less and lasts longer than any other paper out there. I have
25 lbs of Klingspor (bought one of those end roll boxes a few years back)
but hardly ever touch it since I've found the 3X. Now if they'd only make
it in discs (or if I could get unlazy enough to make my own).
Tony Manella
ndd1"at"prolog.net (remove "at")
http://home.ptd.net/~ndd1/
Lehigh Valley Woodturners

"JD" wrote in message
oups.com...
I wonder what sandpaper other turners are finding "best". (Keeping in
mind that sanding on the lathe needs to be done at slower speeds so as
not to burnish the wood.)
I use Norton 3X a lot as it seems pretty versatile. (Available from
Home Depot)
Astradot from woodchuckers is the best with the rotational sander (It
has velcro backing) but it is expensive and I am not in Toronto so it
is not that convenient.
"SIASOFT" foam back pads are very durable but pricey too and I'm not
sure where to get them locally. (I got a small supply in Calgary from
Blackforest wood.)
I got some foam back sanding pads from Lee Valley but ended up sending
them all back as they just disintegrated on the lathe.
Busy Bee had some "machine sandpaper" in belts and circles a while back
as a packaged special and this was good but they do not seem to have it
anymore - I now regret not getting a lot more.

George, Please elaborate some more on the Power-Loc sanding system. I
tried searching for that name with no luck.
Thanks, Butch T.
George wrote:
"JD" wrote in message
oups.com...
I wonder what sandpaper other turners are finding "best". (Keeping in
mind that sanding on the lathe needs to be done at slower speeds so as
not to burnish the wood.)

Well, no. Burnishing comes from heat, which is a friction byproduct. Since
friction is a product of the coefficient of friction - independant of
speed - and the pressure applied, the best way to think of the sanding
problem is one of minimum pressure. Paper might not bite as deeply if you
don't press, but that helps you two ways, it doesn't cut deep scratches with
those few maximum sieve size pieces of grit, nor does it bring the backing
into full contact, which will heat, harden and burnish the surface, leaving
those scratches standing out against a shiny surface.

In sanding, if you're making shiny, stop, set up the fiber with water to
break the case hardening and sand fresh. It's dust you should see, not
shine.

I use Norton 3X a lot as it seems pretty versatile. (Available from
Home Depot)
Astradot from woodchuckers is the best with the rotational sander (It
has velcro backing) but it is expensive and I am not in Toronto so it
is not that convenient.

I'm a devotee of the Power-Loc system, personally. There's no velcro to be
concerned with, the resin on resin full coat gives you a lot of use, and if
you sand with lathe on and the sander supported, you can sand with virtually
no pressure. Too aggressive to use with the lathe off.

"SIASOFT" foam back pads are very durable but pricey too and I'm not
sure where to get them locally. (I got a small supply in Calgary from
Blackforest wood.)
I got some foam back sanding pads from Lee Valley but ended up sending
them all back as they just disintegrated on the lathe.
Busy Bee had some "machine sandpaper" in belts and circles a while back
as a packaged special and this was good but they do not seem to have it
anymore - I now regret not getting a lot more.


For Velcro-backed, it's tough to beat the green stuff, whose name escapes me
at the moment, but is available at Packard Woodworks in USA. The back is
thick enough to insulate your plastic hooks, and the loops stay firm to the
paper. Best to switch mandrels with it, as it can be a chore removing it
from the Velcro.

Tony,

I've had good results with the rolls from Klingspore with the backing for hook
and loop mounting. I buy the 3" rolls and simply cut it in 3" squares. I use it
on either a 2" or a 3" disk without rounding the corners and find it works very
well, no need to cut it out round. I can't seem to lay my hands on the
Klingspore catalog at the moment, but the paper I'm talking about is different
that their old stuff. I find it works very well. We bought a box of roll ends
having several different grits and found it works very well. I use it both as a
hand held paper and on sanding mandrels in the drill chuck.

Fred Holder
http://www.fholder.com

In article , atsymbol says...

JD,
I've tried a lot of different sandpaper and have come to the conclusion that
the Norton 3X is by far the best for non-powered sanding. The stuff cuts
faster, clogs less and lasts longer than any other paper out there. I have
25 lbs of Klingspor (bought one of those end roll boxes a few years back)
but hardly ever touch it since I've found the 3X. Now if they'd only make
it in discs (or if I could get unlazy enough to make my own).
Tony Manella
ndd1"at"prolog.net (remove "at")
http://home.ptd.net/~ndd1/
Lehigh Valley Woodturners

"JD" wrote in message
roups.com...
I wonder what sandpaper other turners are finding "best". (Keeping in
mind that sanding on the lathe needs to be done at slower speeds so as
not to burnish the wood.)
I use Norton 3X a lot as it seems pretty versatile. (Available from
Home Depot)
Astradot from woodchuckers is the best with the rotational sander (It
has velcro backing) but it is expensive and I am not in Toronto so it
is not that convenient.
"SIASOFT" foam back pads are very durable but pricey too and I'm not
sure where to get them locally. (I got a small supply in Calgary from
Blackforest wood.)
I got some foam back sanding pads from Lee Valley but ended up sending
them all back as they just disintegrated on the lathe.
Busy Bee had some "machine sandpaper" in belts and circles a while back
as a packaged special and this was good but they do not seem to have it
anymore - I now regret not getting a lot more.

"TonyM" tonym.le(atsymbol)comcast.net wrote in message
...
JD,
I've tried a lot of different sandpaper and have come to the conclusion
that the Norton 3X is by far the best for non-powered sanding. The stuff
cuts faster, clogs less and lasts longer than any other paper out there.
I have 25 lbs of Klingspor (bought one of those end roll boxes a few years
back) but hardly ever touch it since I've found the 3X. Now if they'd
only make it in discs (or if I could get unlazy enough to make my own).
Tony Manella
ndd1"at"prolog.net (remove "at")
http://home.ptd.net/~ndd1/
Lehigh Valley Woodturners
=================
Tony,
They don't do the 2 &3 discs, but they do have larger discs . I use the 5
inch for my orbital sander. They also have 5 & 6 inch sizes that I've seen.

Ken Moon
Webberville, TX

On the other end of the spectrum, I can recommend what NOT to get,
under any circumstances. DON'T buy dollar-store sandpaper. I thought
that I found a cheap solution, but boy, was I wrong. That stuff wore
out quickly (which I was expecting). The really irratating part was it
left sanding streaks all over the piece that I couldn't get out. I
threw away about 100 sheets of that worthless crap. I learned the hard
way that 'you get what you pay for'. I had to spend a few days away
from the lathe because of my head hurting from pounding it against the
wall.

Brent wrote:
On the other end of the spectrum, I can recommend what NOT to get,
under any circumstances. DON'T buy dollar-store sandpaper. I thought
that I found a cheap solution, but boy, was I wrong. That stuff wore
out quickly (which I was expecting). The really irratating part was it
left sanding streaks all over the piece that I couldn't get out. I
threw away about 100 sheets of that worthless crap. I learned the hard
way that 'you get what you pay for'. I had to spend a few days away
from the lathe because of my head hurting from pounding it against the
wall.

A Wally goodie? At least thats where I got it. A definate waste of money.

"butchtippitt" wrote in message
oups.com...
George, Please elaborate some more on the Power-Loc sanding system. I
tried searching for that name with no luck.
Thanks, Butch T.

First thousand and four
http://www.packardwoodworks.com/Merc...bholdext-power
Mind the wrap.

Also look at the flex edge setup for sanding where the curvature is fast.
It's still ahead of the Velcro in service life, but gets inside boxes and
such. I love it for the bowls of the spoons I carve. You can use it lathe
off, with caution, and it's _extremely_ fast.

Ideal situation is to use the flexible shaft, I have discovered. Allows you
to set the handpiece on the toolrest, and use the whole setup like a 2"
rotating scraper. Low pressure preserves the shape of your piece while
clearing dust better than pressing and resanding, both desirable outcomes.
Prolong the life of even these disks by sanding in the center inch or so on
convex surfaces. Can't escape sanding on the rim on concave.

http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx?familyid=945 This is good, but the
gray-handled one at LV was a three-year user for me too. MUST have
bearings, not bushings like those that you find at Menards. Old washing
machine motor works for power, makes almost no noise, so you can keep your
muffs off, and stays clean away from the business end.

Thanks Fred & Ken

"TonyM" tonym.le(atsymbol)comcast.net wrote in message
...
JD,
I've tried a lot of different sandpaper and have come to the conclusion
that the Norton 3X is by far the best for non-powered sanding. The stuff
cuts faster, clogs less and lasts longer than any other paper out there.
I have 25 lbs of Klingspor (bought one of those end roll boxes a few years
back) but hardly ever touch it since I've found the 3X. Now if they'd
only make it in discs (or if I could get unlazy enough to make my own).
Tony Manella
ndd1"at"prolog.net (remove "at")
http://home.ptd.net/~ndd1/
Lehigh Valley Woodturners

"JD" wrote in message
oups.com...
I wonder what sandpaper other turners are finding "best". (Keeping in
mind that sanding on the lathe needs to be done at slower speeds so as
not to burnish the wood.)
I use Norton 3X a lot as it seems pretty versatile. (Available from
Home Depot)
Astradot from woodchuckers is the best with the rotational sander (It
has velcro backing) but it is expensive and I am not in Toronto so it
is not that convenient.
"SIASOFT" foam back pads are very durable but pricey too and I'm not
sure where to get them locally. (I got a small supply in Calgary from
Blackforest wood.)
I got some foam back sanding pads from Lee Valley but ended up sending
them all back as they just disintegrated on the lathe.
Busy Bee had some "machine sandpaper" in belts and circles a while back
as a packaged special and this was good but they do not seem to have it
anymore - I now regret not getting a lot more.

A Wally goodie? At least thats where I got it. A definate waste of money.

No, I don't even go to that evil place anymore. This was at an actual
dollar store, GreenBacks I believe.

On Tue, 6 Jun 2006 06:49:35 -0400, "George" George@least wrote:


http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx?familyid=945 This is good, but the
gray-handled one at LV was a three-year user for me too. MUST have
bearings, not bushings like those that you find at Menards. Old washing
machine motor works for power, makes almost no noise, so you can keep your
muffs off, and stays clean away from the business end.

George... how do you attach the flex shaft to the motor?

I'm using a shop built flex coupler that pretty much sucks right now...


Mac

https://home.comcast.net/~mac.davis
https://home.comcast.net/~mac.davis/wood_stuff.htm