Sanding between coats

[Jonathan Harvey]

Quick question. I am working on a bottle stopper and am finishing in a polyurethane. When sanding between coats what grit do you guys use. I sanded up to 1500 when I originally finished the stopper but what do you use between coats (I would assume 1500) but I don't know.

Thanks in advance

[Ron Journeau]

I use 0000 steel wool, very lightly, but it makes a mess that must be cleaned up very well before your next coat of poly is applied....hope someone has a better idea...for both of us:)

[Paul Heely]

I use micro mesh on my pens, which are finished with poly. If I have to sand between coats I start with 2400 or 3200 MM. 2400 is roughly equivalent to P1500 and 3200 is a bit finer than P2400. Does not make any mess. I don't know if you could fit the MM into the tight areas of a stopper, guess that would depend on the design of the stopper.

If you come up with somethign that works well please post it. I have a couple of dozen stoppers to turn and finish and haven't worked out all the details yet.

[Richard Madison]

Jonathan,
Years ago when I was finishing with polyurethane, once the piece was fairly well sealed with a few thin spray coats I used to wet sand very gently with 600 between coats. Clean off w/ a wet cloth, blow dry with hair dryer, and spray the next coat. Way too much work for stoppers. Or anything else these days. Used to think I would live forever and could spend weeks finishing a piece.