Stearated Sand paper

[Byron Trantham]

Does anyone know if Norton 3X permium aluminum oxide sand paper is stearated? I can't seem to get an answer on this. Thanks.

[glenn bradley]

From their tech notes:

Premium heat-treated aluminum oxide abrasive, P-graded
3X longer product life and 3X faster cut rate than conventional aluminum oxide products
Consistent surface finish
Exceptional performance on all surfaces and coatings
Flexible, fibre-reinforced backing
Excellent life, flexibility and tear resistance when folded
Non pigmented, waterbased stearate (anti-clog) coating, open coat
Best resistance to clogging and loading during sanding
No color dye in coating process
No chance of color transfer to workpiece
No finish contamination

Most questions about stearates relate to possible finishing problems. I have used 3x for years and never had a problem but, that is just me. Others may report otherwise depending on their finishing protocol(?).

[Byron Trantham]

FINALLY a definitive answer. I had gone to their site but obviously didn't get to where I needed to be. I too, have been using 3x for years with WB finishes. I have had occasional problems that I couldn't account for. I am anxious to see what others have to say. Thanks for your help.

[joe milana]

I am curious to what types of problems you have encountered and attributed to stearates. I have recently experienced some cracking/peeling on some acrylic painted beaded face frame cabinets. I used a 3m sanding sponge on the beads between coats.

[glenn bradley]

FINALLY a definitive answer. I had gone to their site but obviously didn't get to where I needed to be. I too, have been using 3x for years with WB finishes. I have had occasional problems that I couldn't account for. I am anxious to see what others have to say. Thanks for your help.

Ah, this now prompts me to add more info so that I don't give a false impression; most of my finishing falls into two categories (with some rare exceptions):

- Oil based finishes like BLO or Danish followed by shellac and paste wax or (very, very rarely) poly.
- Very thin shellac as a seal coat followed by whatever comes next.

I mix my dyes with DNA, not water, so this along with my other protocols may account for my lack of unexpected behavior.

[Arthur Travers]

See FWW 211(April 2010) article by Jeff Jewitt..Claims that they do not effect Waterborne coatings..

[Jeff Jewitt]

Sanding sponges contain no stearates. Cracking/crazing is due to the finish drying too fast, applied too heavy or used under certain sealers (like shellac). High moisture content can also do it.

What was your finish schedule?

[joe milana]

Sanding sponges contain no stearates. Cracking/crazing is due to the finish drying too fast, applied too heavy or used under certain sealers (like shellac). High moisture content can also do it.

What was your finish schedule?

I'm surprised the sponges don't contain stearates. The ones I use are the purple 3m "pro grade" from the borg.

"High moisture content can also do it" - You mean moisture content of the wood?

Finish schedule was sand to 220 (sponges on the face frame beads. Two coats of undercoater, two coats of pigmented acrylic, two coats of clear acrylic with croslinker added. Wood was hard maple.

I'm thinking maybe the primer went on a little dry (dry spray?). Where the finish peeled, it peeled CLEAN off. I've since changed to a larger tip and am having much better results with the undercoater.

[Scott Holmes]

Joe,

You said "Two coats of undercoater"

What did you use for an undercoat?

[joe milana]

Joe,

You said "Two coats of undercoater"

What did you use for an undercoat?

I used general finishes enduro acrylic undercoater (primer) followed by their pigmented acrylic and topcoated with their clear acrylic.