What Kind of Sandpaper?

[James White]

I am looking to make an on line purchase of sandpaper. So I was wondering what kind should I get. Both for scary sharp and for general woodworking. For scary sharp I was thinking of getting AO up to 2500. But for woodworking I am unsure about what kind I should get. AO or Garnet? I only have less than $80 to spend. So I was going to go with http://www.supergrit.com/products/products_sheets.asp
Since they sell by the ten pack and $10 flat rate shipping. I am open to any other vendors who will sell small quantities.

James

[Brian Kent]

I'll be watching for answers for the woodworking sandpaper. For sharpening I highly recommend the 3M microabrasives:

http://www.toolsforworkingwood.com/Merchant/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=toolshop&Product_Code=ST-MAF.XX&Category_Code=THS

Any of the combination sets are good.

Brian

[george wilson]

I bought some FUJI brand 2000 grit silicon carbide paper from Supergrit. I gave a few sheets to a neighbor machinist who runs a machining dept. at NASA. He said the guys liked it better than the American paper they had been using. Grit was more consistent. This is not a blanket endorsement of all of Supergrit's products,which are just about all imports. The FUJI paper I got was in the smaller sizes of sheets. I do not know if they still sell the same brand in 2000,or 2500 grit.

I got some 280 grit garnet paper from them. The grit was not extremely evenly spread on it. Sort of in rows,where there were rows of denser,and then lighter grit distribution. I used it anyway. Might even get some more.

[James White]

I'll be watching for answers for the woodworking sandpaper. For sharpening I highly recommend the 3M microabrasives:

http://www.toolsforworkingwood.com/Merchant/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=toolshop&Product_Code=ST-MAF.XX&Category_Code=THS

Any of the combination sets are good.

Brian

Hi Brian,

Your recommendation brings up another question for me. I had planed to get these films in the future(funding issue). I was assuming these were for refining the edge even further than what was possible from 2500 grit AO. However I see in the quote below references to water stone grits. So the question is, is 1200 grit water stone=to 1200 or 1500 AO paper?

"The silicon carbide films we offer cut faster than their aluminum oxide equivalents, although on the very finest grits both the 1 micron and the very fine .3 micron aluminum oxide sheets will leave a better edge. In general, a good sequence of sharpening is 15 micron (similar to a 1200 grit waterstone), followed by 5 (similar to a 5000 grit waterstone), followed by either the 1 and/or the .3 Micron Aluminum Oxide (similar to an 6000 or 12000 grit waterstone respectively). We use the 40 micron size (similar to a 400 grit waterstone) for really rough blade shaping and doing the backs of old blades when we first get them. Typically, shaping and forming the wire edge of the blade is done on the courser grits, so by the time you switch to a finer grit, the blade really just needs a few strokes. Therefore, the coarser grit sheets get used up faster than the fine grit sheets. "

In regards to woodworking. I guess what I would like to know is the advantages/disadvantages to AO vs Garnet.

James

[Brian Kent]

On my chart, provided by someone here on the Creek, the 1200 waterstone is between 1200 and 1500 sandpaper, which either means I can't help you or it's close 'nuff.

[James White]

Thank you Brain. Anyone want to take a stab at the AO VS Garnet question?

James

[Matt Benton]

Here's what I got, Silicon Carbide paper up to 3000 grit:

http://www.onlineindustrialsupply.com/wetordrysash.html

I got 50 packs of 150, 1000 and 3000 grits, works well...

[glenn bradley]

I use the 3M that Brian mentions from tools for working wood on my scary sharp setup.

[Doug Shepard]

If I've got got a choice on garnet vs AO for wood, I'd go for the garnet for 150, 180, & 220 grits and maybe 120 too. I just think it leaves a nicer surface quicker. I'm not sure it matters much for the lower grits and the garnet might wear out a bit quicker. For scary sharp I think the AO would probably hold up longer.

[george wilson]

Aluminum oxide and garnet are both for wood. I use garnet just because I like it better,no other reason. Been using it all my life.Ao is supposed to be more durable,and probably is. I have bought a whole bunch off of ebay,but haven't used it yet.

[M Toupin]

I was wondering what kind should I get.

Each has it's trade off. Pick one depending on what's important to you.

http://www.supergrit.com/downloads/SGcatalog08_page4.pdf

I prefer aluminum oxide for wood and silicon carbide for metal.

Mike

[John Keeton]

I also get mine from http://www.onlineindustrialsupply.com and use AO up through 220, then SC up to 2000 - 7 grits total. I use the AO only to work a new edge, and usually go straight to the 1200, then 2000 to touch up.

Works great, and the best prices I have found in the 50 pks. I get nearly a mirror finish with the 2000, although I am sure going higher may help some. But, I suspect after the first 5 minutes, we would both be working with the same edge.

As I recall, it was free shipping. I ended up getting extra of the 150 and 220 for use on finishing. Figure I have enough of the other grits for a decade of sharpening with 3 strips per sheet of paper!

[Andy Pratt]

I'm sold on the norton 3x Al-ox sandpaper. Lee Valley has it here: http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=51545&cat=1,42500

It really does last a lot longer, it's not hype. I couldn't pull the numbers off memory but I did a few comparison calculations/tests a while back and it turned out that this versus the flimsy-backed garnet paper I was using was saving me at least 25% in cash, and also a ton of time in swapping it out on sanding blocks. Also, it follows curves a lot nicer in hand sanding or lathe work.

I'm using up the last of my garnet paper right now and I'll never buy it again after using this.

If this is all you will have for sanding (i.e. no drum sander, ROS etc) I would get the following:

60 grit - 10
100 grit - 20
150 grit - 20
220 grit - 20
400 grit - 10

That puts you right around $80 with their quantity discounts, I haven't ever had a need to buy the in-between grits.

Edit: I haven't done scary sharp so I can't comment on sandpaper for that, these grits and quantity ratios would be what I would want for general hand sanding.

Hope this was helpful,
Andy

[James White]

Thank you all for your comments. I feel much better informed. Now I just need to make up my mind on how to spend my sandpaper budget.

James