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Abrasive pad recommendations

Rennie Heuer

Rennie Heuer

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I've not a lot of experience with abrasive pads. Looking for fine or very fine for 'between coats' sanding. To be clear, I'm talking about those used for hand sanding. The 3M white, red, etc.

What do you use? What grits?
 
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3M Scotch-Brite Hand Pads for Woodworkers

Scotch Brite 6" x 9" flexible abrasive pads do a great job of smoothing finishes between coats and rubbing out final coats. The pads are much more durable than steel wool; they don't shed fragments, leave no oils behind (they're perfect for use with water-based finishes), and they can be washed and re-used as often as needed.

Pad Grades
Extra Coarse pads are very aggressive - similar to #4 steel wool. Use them for removing finishes, smoothing edges or removing heavy rust on steel or iron.

Coarse pads are fairly aggressive, and will cut finishes well enough to eliminate minor surface texture.

Medium pads are about equivalent to 0 or 00 steel wool, leaving a low satin sheen.

Fine pads are similar to 4/0 steel wool, polishing to a beautiful satin lustre.

For the smoothest job on flat surfaces, use a Hand Pad Holder. Pads can be attached or removed instantly, with no hardware to mar your finish.

I have used the grey (Medium) and the Maroon (Course) ones
 
I use Mirlon® pads. They come in three 'grits' - 360. 1000. and 2500. They're more flexible than Scotchbrite. The 360 is great between finish coats, and the 1000/2500 make rubbing out a finish fairly easy. since I seldom use a 'full gloss' on my stuff, I use the 1500 with some Renaissance Wax as my final.
 
I will add that I use the pads pretty much as Don described them.

However I use them much as I would use sandpaper with cling on/ hook and loop backing. I use them on my sanding pads with hook and loop backing, on my random orbit sanders etc. They work great and don't require any special preparation except to have them in place and against the material when you cut on the machine. If the machine is not on they will be thrown off.

You can cut them to whatever size and shape suits the job at hand. I have them cut circular for my sanding disc holders and rectangular and square for the various pad sanders I use. And you can wash them in the washing machine to clean the sawdust and grime out of the pads. I frequently vacuum the pieces with the shop vac while I am using them.
 
I pick up 1000, 1200 and 1500 PSA wet-or-dry when I find it on sale at Klingspor, Industrial Abrasives or other quality source. I use these for 'finishing the finish' on a cork, felt or even MDF block depending on how much deviation I want to allow on the top coat. Between coats I use gray non-woven pads, Liberon steel wool or 400 and up sandpaper (again from Klingspor or IA) depending on what I'm doing.

I find I buy abrasives all along the way whether I am in need or not. They are consumables and will get used so if I see a good sale on a 100 pack of PSA, 5" 5-hole discs I will grab them and use them as described above. If someone is selling a 50 pack of Norton's 'better' or 'best' paper as a loss-leader, I will buy it. In the long run I have probably spent way less on the amount of abrasives I have than if I had bought it as I needed it.
 
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