Okay. My MicroMesh Question.

[Allen Neighbors]

Aaron's thread about making MM last, and some of the answering posts, bring this subject to my mind: Wet Sanding
I just recently began turning pens. I also just recently got some MM pads. I bought the 3x4 inch pads and cut them each into four 1.5"x2" pieces.

Some of you said you wet sand with it, and that it helped to keep the MM in good shape. That sounded good to me.
I was turning a Big Ben pen in Cocobolo this afternoon, and wanted to wet sand it, but I also wanted to finish it this afternoon, because I will put it in the mail to my sister the first thing in the morning. So I didn't wet sand it.

My question, (relates to turning a pen), is this: How would you wet sand a pen, and then get it dry enough to put on a CA finish, without it taking you a long time?

[Bob Vallaster]

Wet doesn't mean water. I have used mineral spirits and various oils, but solvents need to flash off and oils have to cure before you can advance another step.
"I will put it in the mail ...first thing in the morning" and wet sanding might be mutually exclusive on this project.

BobV

[Scott Conners]

Wet sand using a drying oil such as watco danish oil, then ca finish over that. Mixed CA/oil finishes are pretty common, search for "ca finish" or "ca pen finish" for more info. They are usually put on by first oiling and then CA finishing while the oil is still wet. This assumes you want the color tone of an oil finish of course.

[David Walser]

Allen,

With wood, I start out with dry sandpaper up through 400 grit. I then apply a coat of thin CA glue to seal the wood and wet sand from there. (With open pored wood, I'll make a slurry of sanding dust and thin CA glue and apply that as the sealer. Sand through the CA to the bare wood, leaving the pores filled with CA/dust, apply another coat of thin CA and wet sand.) I may be wrong, but once the CA is on the wood it seems to act more like plastic than wood.

[Steve Trauthwein]

I don't use micro mesh on the raw wood. I believe it is over kill. I will sand the raw wood dry to 1200 grit. I micro mesh my super glue finish wet and this is easily dried with a paper towel before applying wax.

Regards, Steve

[Belton Garvin]

I don't actually wet sand bare wood either. I dry sand the blank, usually to 600 or 800 grit. Then apply several coats of thin CA followed by a couple coats of medium CA. Wet sand with MM from there to finish.

[John Terefenko]

I never wet sand wood. Wet sand acylics and dry sand wood. I agree about taking the grit too high on wood. Not needed. I dry sand to 800 grit and apply first coat of CA and sand with 1200 dry. wipe the blank down and start to apply 5 coats of thin CA. I do not use blo. Polish with acrylic polish and good to go.

[Paul Douglass]

I don't actually wet sand bare wood either. I dry sand the blank, usually to 600 or 800 grit. Then apply several coats of thin CA followed by a couple coats of medium CA. Wet sand with MM from there to finish.


This is pretty much my method. There is one other thing I started doing. Just before I start putting the medium CA on I pour a very small amount of thin CA in a container and dip the ends of the blanks in it. This seals the ends so water won't soak into the end grain when you wet sand. I have had that happen and the CA towards the ends of the blank lifted. That is not a good thing. It can also discolor the ends of the blanks.

[Bernie Weishapl]

I agree with Steve. I don't wet sand wood and don't go much above 600 grit. Haven't seen the need to especially if your final cut is with the skew. Now on acrylic bottle stoppers and pens I use the wet/dry sandpaper to wet sand with water to 1000 grit on these blanks which I saw Ed Davidson do. Really does a nice job and then buff.

[Allen Neighbors]

Thanks, everyone! Some different things to try. All comments appreciated.