Fine grit sandpaper for pens?

[Martin Shupe]

Brace yourself, stupid question coming up next.

I have been dabbling in turning pens with my boy, and from what I have read, you need to sand to something like 12,000 grit to get a good finish.

So, I figured I'd use the stuff I bought at the auto shop for paint and pinewood derby axles. However, I had a problem. It is black sandpaper, and, you guessed it, leaves black on my pens.

So....I would be interested in knowing which exact brand you all use to sand your pens and in which grits. Is 12,000 overkill?

Feel free to tell me sources of supply, if you don't mind.

I am using Hut Crystal Coat as a finish, if that matters. I am trying to stay away from CA glue, but would also welcome any other suggestions for finishes.

[David Fried]

I had the same experience with black sandpaper even after chatting with another customer at Woodcraft who warned me!

I sand to 400 and then use Micromesh, which I purchased at Woodcraft. I bought the Sanding Kit which is the sandpaper and a foam block. They now offer a pen turners kit which has sandpaper pads. It's a little less money. I occasionally wash my MicroMesh in the sink and it has lasted a long time.

Dave Fried

[Bernie Weishapl]

Martin, I do pens, bowls and boxes so far. I sand most generally to 800 grit. Very seldom do I go above that but that is just the way I do it. I don't see much change when going any higher. I get my sandpaper from HD and the higher grits in the auto section of wal-mart. Lots cheaper than Woodcraft, Rockler, etc. After I sand to 800 I use EEE-Ultra Shine Paste wax from Penn State Industries. It contains tripoli. If you sand to 400 grit and use this it takes it to the same as using 2000 grit. They told me 800 grit takes it to the same as 4000 grit.

[Bruce Shiverdecker]

To go to the higher levels, you need something like Micromesh. It's available from woodworking sources.

Bruce

[Blake McCully]

Martin,
If I were you, I'd get a set of micro mesh. They're available all over the place. Check a bunch of your sources on the web, they'll definitely be cheaper than Woodcraft.

I'm not into a real shiny finish for my pens except for the acrylic ones. I just sand to 400, then I buff with my beall system. It puts on the kind of finish I'm looking for and as far as durability, seems to hold up fine. Since ALL finishes wear off in time, I go along with a lot of the British turners, the best finish is no finish.

That said, when I use the stabilized burl blanks from BB at AZ Sil, I sand to 400 then use micro mesh from 1500 to 12000. Nothing after that. Seeing as how there is no real finish, there is none to wear off. Now, when I do acrylic, I usually just start with the micro mesh, but I use it wet. Puts an awesome shine on it. When you are using wet mm, be sure to put something on the ways of your lathe so they don't rust. Also, make sure your mm is really saturated. Then I finish it up with some acrylic polish a friend gave me, he got if from CSUSA. Just put a dab on a paper towel, and run it on the blank while the lathe is running. Then find a dry spot on the towel and buff it up a bit. Works great.

[Bob Noles]

Martin,
If I were you, I'd get a set of micro mesh. They're available all over the place. Check a bunch of your sources on the web, they'll definitely be cheaper than Woodcraft.

I'm not into a real shiny finish for my pens except for the acrylic ones. I just sand to 400, then I buff with my beall system. It puts on the kind of finish I'm looking for and as far as durability, seems to hold up fine. Since ALL finishes wear off in time, I go along with a lot of the British turners, the best finish is no finish.

That said, when I use the stabilized burl blanks from BB at AZ Sil, I sand to 400 then use micro mesh from 1500 to 12000. Nothing after that. Seeing as how there is no real finish, there is none to wear off. Now, when I do acrylic, I usually just start with the micro mesh, but I use it wet. Puts an awesome shine on it. When you are using wet mm, be sure to put something on the ways of your lathe so they don't rust. Also, make sure your mm is really saturated. Then I finish it up with some acrylic polish a friend gave me, he got if from CSUSA. Just put a dab on a paper towel, and run it on the blank while the lathe is running. Then find a dry spot on the towel and buff it up a bit. Works great.

Blake.... I like your thinking on the "no finish" comments.

[Steve Hayes]

I've found 2000 grit at Wal-Mart in the auto section.

[Mike Vickery]

http://www.woodchipshome.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=WC&Product_Code=MMKG1&Category_Code=MM8
http://www.arizonasilhouette.com/Micro_Mesh.htm
In my opinion micro mesh gives a result in rubbing out a finish that I have not seen equalled by any other method. I do not see as much difference on sanding the wood. I used Klingspore sandpaper for my high grits (1000. 1500, 2000)previously and it worked good.

[Kurt Forbes]

some tripoli and white diamond used when buffing the pens work almost as well as Micromesh.

You can actually add tripoli to your friction polish.

[John Hart]

Here's something readily available Martin

It has 7 different grits From around 220 all the way up to about 12000

They are $2 at the drugstore. They work great if you don't get them hot.

32462

[Bob Noles]

Here's something readily available Martin

It has 7 different grits From around 220 all the way up to about 12000

They are $2 at the drugstore. They work great if you don't get them hot.

32462

John,

Thanks for the reminder on those. I have alerted the wife to look for some "next time" she goes to the drug store..... I should have some by tomorrow :p

[Corey Hallagan]

Good tip John! Thanks!

Corey

[Richard Gillespie]

Martin;

I also ran into the black rub off with silicon carbide paper. I switched to the red aluminum oxide in grits 120, 220, 320, 400, 600, 1000, 1500, and 2000. I've been getting very good results with this grit selection. I tried the fingernail files and was not very impressed. They work great on flat profiles but not all my pens are done that way. After sanding through 2000 grit, on dark woods, I use a burnish made from a crushed, dissolved tripoli stick.

My source for sandpaper is the Red Hill Corp. in Gettysburg, PA., supergrit.com.

I know you said you wanted to avoid ca glue. I have to tell you that the finish on my pens has improved greatly when I started using it. I use the thin, odorless stuff in two coats, sanded and cleaned with DNA. This is then followed with a coat of gloss lacquer.

One caution about ca glue. It will take your skin off. I had it happen for the first time today. Got a spot about half the size of a dime on my index finger that is very clean and pink.

[Earl Reid]

I have tried everything that most of the others used. On the last 5-6 hundred pens, I used a max of 600 grit and then used a brown paper bag cut into strips, doubled and using a lot of pressure on the blanks for about 1 min. and the 2nd highest speed on the lathe. I then apply the Hut finish. I finally polish it with a soft rag, using very light pressure.
I think the results are much better and I save a lot of money on sand paper.
Earl