Wet Sanding

[Paul Singer]

When you wet sand with BLO or anything else what kind of paper do you use. I tried wet sanding a walnut bowl with some regular 3m 120 grit and it fell apart as I was sanding. I was using Minwax Antique Oil. Wondered if that is just the way it is or is there a special paper. Then do you let it dry before sanding further?

[John Keeton]

Paul, I am sure there are many opinions on this, but I only wet sand at 400, and with that grit, I am using wet/dry silicon carbide paper. I apply the BLO to the piece, and immediately sand on the lathe.

Also, Antique Oil is a varnish blend. I have not used it to sand with, but I would imagine BLO, tung oil, walnut oil, or some of the other oils that do not have varnish resins in them would work better.

[David E Keller]

I use cloth backed paper from Klingspor when I oil sand, but wet/dry paper should work as well.

[Bill Davis]

I use a wet/dry paper to prevent the falling apart that you experienced.

The grit I use depends on the sheen/gloss/semigloss etc I want and the finish on the wood - I usually finish with lacquer but have wet sanded polyurethane too. Finer grit makes a more glossy finish. Too coarse makes it scratchy looking. Somewhere in between=just what I want. Experiment on a sample.

For lubricant I've used water and diluted mineral oil. I prefer oil. I dilute with mineral spirits (paint thinner) about 50:50 but more or less depending on...

Warning it can be very messy (IMO it is worth it) and not easy on irregular surfaces. I would consider a turned surface 'regular'.

P.S. Wet sanding makes the sandpaper last much longer so it saves sandpaper $!

[Steve Schlumpf]

I use the 400 or 600 grit wet/dry sandpaper for wet sanding. Used this process with Watco, Antique Oil and also poly but always by hand - never on the lathe. Also, when I am done sanding, I use a clean cotton towel (rag) and wipe all the excess finish off the piece. Nothing worse than creating a gummy mess!

[Paul Singer]

I guess I was sanding with too coarse of a paper. I was of the understanding that you wanted to create saw dust to fill the imperfections and the BLO or whatever you were using as a lubricant would mix with the sawdust and bond it in the imperfections. I was using 120 grit because it made more sawdust but I can see that it also creates some problems of its own.

Thanks for the input.

[Bernie Weishapl]

I generally use 400 or 600 grit wet/dry also. Mostly with AO or Seal-A-Cell.

[Bill Bolen]

I use 400, 600 and 1200. All is black paper avaliable at the autoparts store. Keep it good and wet. You can feel it starting to drag when the surface gets too dry. Off the lathe only also...Bill..

[Steve Vaughan]

I use Watco Danish Oil, soak on the first coat, let it dry for a couple days, then will soak it again and wet sand that coat with 400+ grit of that black silicon carbide paper. It's made for the wet application. I understand the creating the sawdust, but when you've sanded to some of those really fine grit, anything going backwards is gonna work against you. That 400 grit (or finer) paper will create the slurry you're talking about. Sand 'er up, and buff it dry, and smooth as silk!

[George Guadiane]

I power sand with the blue discs and nothing seems to damage them.

[Thom Sturgill]

I mostly use rattle can lacquer and wet sand with mineral spirits after applying sealer and as I build layers (every third or fourth coat usually). I use cloth backed 400 grit on the sealer and that is as fine as I sand the wood before applying sealer. (My sealer is thinned Deft brushing lacquer) Each sanding is generally two stages of wet/dry paper. For example the first couple of coats of lacquer would be sanded 600 & 800 and sanded to reduce 'orange peal' and to level any 'dimples' from the grain. After these are reduced, which may take multiple layers, I move up and sand 800 & 1000 grit. If the finish is smooth at this point I follow up with the cloth polishing pads - 1800, 2400 3200, 4000, 6000 & 8000 - then let the piece rest and cure at least a week and triple buff ending in ren wax. I sand either on or off the lathe depending on the piece.


3m wet/dry seems to work best - Norton Wet/dry seams to flake off more and the sanding solution needs to be kept clean as it is easy to get a groove cut in the finish. I keep a paper towel wiping the finish as I sand to capture any grit that might damage the finish. The polishng cloths are available at a number of wood working places and can last quite a while as you can clean them out.

[John Keeton]

Some great comments here!! Interesting techniques - some related to 'finish sanding' and some related to 'sanding the finish.'

[Wally Dickerman]

There's another kind of wet sanding that I've been using for many years. If you don't have the skills, or just don't want to take the time to really clear up all of the torn wood surface with tools, in a few minutes you can have the wood blemish free. 80 grit and oil will do an amazing job very quickly. Because the oil is clogging the paper, you won't see 80 grit scratches. More like 120 or even 150. Depends on the wood. I use the same oil that I use in my finishing. Try it, you'll like it.

Wally

[Pete Jordan]

I use the Mirka Abranet. It is easy to clean and reuse.