How many sandpaper grits?

[Tom Conger]

I am on a shop cabiniet/tool cabinet building binge at the moment and one cabinet I just thought of was for sandpaper.

Idea is to simply make a box with a bunch of dividers for separating the grits. Now the question is how many different dividers?

I have 60,80,100,180,220, and 400. But during a project I will normally just use 100 and 220.

So I was just curious what some of you use on a normal project...

[Lars Thomas]

You have the low end covered pretty well. But you might want some finer grade paper for turnings, rubbing out a finish or sharpening tools. If you could, double the number of compartments - you will fill them. Don't forget a place to put the paper for your ROS (or similar). Lars

[Bob Winkler]

I use 60, 80, 100, 150, 220, 320. Seems to work ok for me. I also keep an extra slot for the misc very high end grits (1000, etc)- all lumped together.

[Jim Becker]

I largely use 100, 120, 150, 180 and 200 for woodworking flatwork...and some 320 or 400 wet and dry if I'm just doing an oil/wax finish. (Skipping from 100 to 120 to 220 will very likely leave scratch marks that will become noticable during the finishing process)

[Frank Pellow]

Grits is only one consideration. I have about several different types of sandpaper (e.g. paper or cloth backed, stearated or not, sander that the paper fits).

As far as grits, I just checked and I have 24, 36, 40, 50, 60, 80, 100, 120, 150, 180, 220, 240, 280, 320, and 400. It sounds like I am operating a sandpaper store, dosen't it.

[Andy Fox]

Well, maybe the root of most fine dust anyway.... :D

I've been trying to use a hand-held card scraper more. I really need to get a holder and learn to burnish it properly though.

[Todd Burch]

Tom, make double what you think you need. http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=7742&highlight=sandpaper+cabinet

Todd

[Doug Shepard]

Tom, make double what you think you need. http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=7742&highlight=sandpaper+cabinet

Todd

I'll second that. I've got 2 of these store-bought types and allready have most of the trays doubling up and storing more than one grit
http://www.tools-for-woodworking.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=3180

[Barry O'Mahony]

I typically use 80, 100, 120, 150, 180 and 220, which is why I love my hook 'n 'loop ROS. 'often might skip the 80 if the jointer and planar left it smooth.

[Roger Everett]

I have a divider box, though upright, wall mounted, as you're considering making and I generally have 80 to 1500 or 2000 in stock, it also has a section for PSA rolls and and add-on for my flappers and DP drum sanders, and on the top I keep extra belts and a board with my tadpoles.
Roger

[Burt Waddell]

As a rule, I stock 80, 100, 120,150, 180, 220, 320 and 640. But with that said I mainly use 180. I'll use the 180 at a rate of at least 10 to 1 over any of the others.

[Paul Prescott]

Might consider this do-it-yourself. I built one and love it:

http://www.runnerduck.com/sand.htm

[Frank Pellow]

Might consider this do-it-yourself. I built one and love it:

http://www.runnerduck.com/sand.htm
Nice cabinet design Paul! It makes me wish that I needed such a cabinet, so that I could build one like yours.

[Tom Conger]

I built one similar to that last night, but I have no pictures so I can't prove it. I made it with 5 shelves. Not enough. Ah well, beats the pile they were in.

Two more cabinets to go and my shop renovation will be done. All of this is in preparation for the large blue and gray box sitting in the middle of my garage that says something along the lines of Delta 22-580. But I have been told by LOML that it is not there until Santa delivers it to under the tree.

I had no idea that Santa pre-stages gifts prior to delivery.

[Mark Valsi]

For the tops of most of my boxes, I sand to 32,000 grit !!!

That's not a joke. I forget the name of the discs i have for my ROS, but they go from 1500 to 32K

[Brett Baldwin]

With 6 billion plus people to get to in one night, I'm not surprised he's strategically staging the bulky items.

[Tom Conger]

For the tops of most of my boxes, I sand to 32,000 grit !!!

Wow. Didn't know they went that fine.

That about the the roughness of paper? :D

[Lee Schierer]

I normally have 60 or 80, 120, 150 220 and 320 on hand. The 320 and 60 get used the least. I normally sand 80, 150, then 220.