Sanding question....

[Glenn Barber]

When sanding on the lathe, to avoid the concentric rings, at what point/grit do you usually begin to sand with the grain after turning off the lathe? I am thinking that after every grit may be the best, but is the extra time involved doing it that way really beneficial/needed?

Glenn

[Steve Vaughan]

I guess you're talking about the rings left by the sandpaper? Not sure what others might say/do, but I don't ever (well, I may have only a time or two in a specific area) sand with the grain on a turning. Well, I take that back...I have on a cane type of turning...
But, in most cases, I think that if you've done a good job with particular grit, then just move on to the next grit. They'll remove the rings from the previous grit sandpaper. By the time you work your way up to say, 400 grit, you're not going to notice the rings. Reverse sanding probably helps with that too...Hope that helps.

[Thom Sturgill]

With most woods, at grits 120 and below you are, or can easily be, shaping the wood so sanding with the grain to remove ridges can be very important if hand sanding, not needed if power sanding. Above 120 one starts smoothing the scratches left by the previous grit rather than shaping, so I would think cross sanding is less important. Also the finer the grit the less time should be spent sanding.

In practice, I tend to power sand starting at 120 or 150 most times but as low as 80 if required and shift to hand sanding at 150 and sand every grit both with the lathe on and off. I sand up to 400 or 600 grit with the last two being with either mineral spirits (for lacquer finishes) or walnut oil. I inspect carefully at his point to see if additional work is to be done. If I oil sanded I probably will buff next. For lacquer I apply sanding sealer and at this point I am no longer sanding wood, but finish (and sanding lightly) so sanding with the grain is unimportant.

YMMV

[John Keeton]

Glenn, if you fully sand through all grits, you shouldn't need to sand with the grain. There may be those rare situations, where this may not be the case, but it should be rare. Spend the most time at the heaviest grit, and successively less time at finer grits.

[Scott Hackler]

ditto.... and blow off your work in between grits. I will start sanding at 120 or 180 depending on final cut with the tools, then work up through the grits. I generally use 120 then 220 then 360 then 400. Then if I am turning acrylic, a finial or a pen, I work through several micro mesh pads up to 1500 or so. I will sand with the grain on some dark colored pieces, but usually not. Everything bigger than pen gets power sanded in both directions, with each grit.

[Montgomery Scott]

How would you propose to sand with the grain on a burl piece?

[John Keeton]

I should clarify, too, that I rarely power sand past 120. I usually use sheet sandpaper from 220 up and sand by hand with the lathe spinning, and many times will not power sand at all - starting at 150 with sheets.

[Scott Hackler]

How would you propose to sand with the grain on a burl piece?

You dont! With burl, you sand any way you want!

I might also add that the biggest mistake anyone can make whether power sanding or by hand is to not keep the sand paper moving. Well that and buying/using quality sand paper and use it like it is free and stop trying to get every grain of agrigate worth of use out of it. Know when its used up and THROW IT AWAY and get a fresh piece! (and just to clarify, the cheapo stuff at Walmart ISNT good sand paper!) But I will confess to liking 400 3M wet dry for hand sanding finials!

[John Keeton]

Good comments, Scott!

[Bernie Weishapl]

Also will add when power sanding at 320 or above slow your lathe down from say 500 rpm to 300 rpm and slow down your drill also. At 600 I will be sanding at 200 rpm with the drill at half speed. Keep your sandpaper moving and if it is a bowl sand less in the center. About the only time I sand with the grain with the lathe off is when turning pens.

[robert baccus]

IMHO you can power sand until ready for SS--220. A lot of RPM's does not scratch, pressure does. In fact it seems to be much cooler with all that air flying around. I go finer for oil or wax finishes and use good 3M sponges for working down SS and Laq. usually followed by steel wool/wax or auto compound for a gloss. This is for bowls and larger of course.

[Richard Coers]

Is the OP talking about spindle turning, or bowls? I'm thinking that he's talking about spindle sanding, or maybe pens. Any takers?

[Glenn Barber]

You are right Richard. My reference was to spindle oriented turnings (be it finials, handles, pens, eggs, etc). Pieces that have the grain running with the ways.

I have read, almost without fail, you should wipe off the piece to remove dust and then sand with the grain before moving on to the next grit. Just wondering at what grit most folks seem to start this process?

Lots of good info and tips from all that have responded so far. Thanks for the replies.

Glenn

[David C. Roseman]

Glenn, FWIW, I've found that wiping or blowing off and sanding lightly with the grain between grit changes can help on small spindle turnings from darker woods. Black Walnut, for instance. Bit of a pain to stop the lathe, but even after 400 and 600 grits, I can usually see very fine sanding circles if I don't take the time to do this. A few strokes with the grain seems to break the continuity of the micro circles enough that they aren't as noticeable to the naked eye. I don't think it makes the surface any smoother. Just scatters the reflected light more. I'll usually start sanding with the grain as early as 150 or 220. On bowls I think it's much less important, as others have said. Especially with power sanding.. But even then, on dark wood with tight, straight grain I've found it can sometimes help.

David

[jared herbert]

I power sand to 600, the last couple of grits very quickly and lightly. I was always getting the circles you mention, I sand by hand with the grain at 320, 400 and then with 600 after I take it off the lathe. seems to help a lot. Jared

[Montgomery Scott]

You dont! With burl, you sand any way you want!

I might also add that the biggest mistake anyone can make whether power sanding or by hand is to not keep the sand paper moving. Well that and buying/using quality sand paper and use it like it is free and stop trying to get every grain of agrigate worth of use out of it. Know when its used up and THROW IT AWAY and get a fresh piece! (and just to clarify, the cheapo stuff at Walmart ISNT good sand paper!) But I will confess to liking 400 3M wet dry for hand sanding finials!

It was a rhetorical question.

[Wally Dickerman]

When turning finials and other small spindle turnings I always sand with the grain with the finest grit

[robert baccus]

Listen to the greyhaired distingwished? gentleman of experience. He has done it, broke it, revised it and perfected it if we just listen.