Sanding question

[Jonathan Harvey]

So lets say you sand a form to 1500 and then apply a finish. You go to put on your second coat but need to sand in between coats so what grit do you use? 1500? I assume steel wool would be to abrasive? Thoughts?

[John Keeton]

Jonathan, other than an ebony or blackwood finial, I have never sanded that high on a turning, or on flatwork. I usually stop sanding at 400, and if I sand out lacquer, I will sand at 600 to level it, followed by 0000, and then triple buffed.

However, there are a bunch of folks on here that have done way more finishing of forms than have I. This is probably like most topics - everyone has a different way of doing it.

[David E Keller]

I generally stop at 500 before finishing unless it's a particularly dense wood such as ebony/African blackwood/desert ironwood. In that case, I often use micromesh pads to 12000.

Between coats of finish, I usually use a scotchbrite pad to level the previous coat but only when I feel it is necessary.

[Ryan Baker]

1500 is too fine if you are using a film finish. The finish needs something to "tooth" onto. 400-600 is plenty far enough. You didn't say what type of finish you are using, but you shouldn't need much sanding between coats -- even with polyurethane, which is probably the worst. A very light use of a fine abrasive should be more than enough -- just to keep things smooth. A final buffing will take care of anything else.

[Brendan Stemp]

I think the basic answer to your question is go 1 grade higher than where you finished, just to be on the safe side. Or, if you finish with 500 for example then use a worn 500 to cut back the nap.

[Bernie Weishapl]

I never sand any of my turnings past 400 grit. Don't see a need to. I sand finishes with 600 grit or steel wool to level or take of nibs.

[Rob Cunningham]

I sand raw wood up to 400 and use a used piece of 600 for inter-coat sanding if necessary.

[David Woodruff]

I guess one more opinion won't hurt. I sand the bare wood to 800 using a Mikwaukee Angle Drill, Reversible, Variable Speed. I reverse both the lathe and drill to affect a counter rotation of sanding pad to work piece. I then will hand sand with 800 to straighten out the swirls and usually will finish with 1000 and 1200. Then apply vinyl sealer. I will prepare the vinyl surface with 1200 -1500. I only sand between coats when necessary to flatten runs. I try to build up 8 to 12 coats. The secret here, at least for me, is to get the final coats near perfect. Many would say and have that I am finished at this point. Nay, I say, I forget the vessel for a month or more for the coating to "harden" and then start wet sanding with micromesh at 2400/3600 finishing up with 8,00 or 10,000 depending on level of gloss desired. I buff out with Tripoli and apply Renaissance wax and buff that with a clean wheel. For a super gloss I buff with sub-micron Aluminum Oxide slurry. One absolute to a superb finish is "flatness with no sanding artifacts" regardless of gloss level.