the sanding pads. synthetic

larry merlau

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Delton, Michigan
do any of you use the gray or maroon or green or white pads for finish sanding or wood sanding...? and do you use them on the RO sander or just by hand. whats your take on them. tried using some this wknd and they fell apart:( tried using then with water as a lube and mineral spirits.. same affect they were hook and loop versions. didnt stay put well at all.
 
Lathe speed on high, light pressure by hand only Larry, let the lathe do all of the work. :rolleyes::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::wave: Other than my smartalec comment, I am sorry, I have nothing else to offer, hope others come to your aid (cause I sure didn't!). Have a good week.
 
I use Micro Mesh on my pens. Have had the set for several years and it is still going strong. Have to wash now and then.
As stated, care must be used with slow speeds and a light touch. This is a plastic material and heat will destroy in seconds.
I also use the white, sorta, scotch brite type pads. They are supposed to be about 400 grit.
 
I use the maroon or grey between coats on shellac and poly, and the grey to knock down the sheen of gloss to 'satin'.

I also use the grey or white to apply wax.

I've tried the green and maroon on bare wood, but the wood fibers tend to get caught in the pads and either tear out the wood, or tear up the pad.
 
I use the pads all the time. They are better to use between coats of finish than steel wool-no small pieces of steel -. The gray synthetic is about the same as 0000 steel wool.

Regards
Jerry
 
Lathe speed on high, light pressure by hand only Larry, let the lathe do all of the work. :rolleyes::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::wave: Other than my smartalec comment, I am sorry, I have nothing else to offer, hope others come to your aid (cause I sure didn't!). Have a good week.


While in school (although it was in the "Dark Ages") it was pounded into my head to turn fast and sand slow, Always been my practice and always with good results. Sanding a high RPM creates more of a buffing effect than sanding. Polishing the crowns yet leaving the valleys alone. Sanding is intended to remove the crowns to the same plane as the valleys.

As for the pads, I also use them to scuff between coats, (Scotchbrite pads, that is) also when the nitty gets down to the gritty try a piece of Brown (grocery sack) paper as a final polish abrasive.
 
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I have heard that the maroon pads sometimes stain the work, but I haven't used them.

I have some gray pads cut for 5 inch ROS but they are pretty coarse.

I use the white 3M pads a lot... after sanding to final finish (often 600 or 800 grit) I go over with the white pads which get into the pores that may be a little shiny yet, and to get into the corners.

I have had good luck tossing a rectangular pad on the work and dropping a ROS on it, with the vacuum sucking like it does when sanding - normally I just leave the last sanding sheet on the sander (abranet) and it controls the white pad just fine. I do very little hand rubbing.

A friend that tried to copy my technique couldn't control the pad - it kept slipping out, and the sanpaper would bugger his work, so he glued a white pad onto a dead sheet of sandpaper, and it works for him. You can buy the pads cut to fit a ROS, with cloth on the back to catch the hook and loop of the sander, but they cost more.
 
jim are you using pads or sheets? of the scotchbrite stuff?

I buy the 6 X 9 pads at Hartville Hardware, and cut them into 2 X 6 or 3 X 6 strips.

I've also cut some into 5" circles for use with the ROS. They work pretty well for that, too - but mainly as a polishing pad.

Charlie: FWIW, I've never had one of the maroon pads stain anything. YMMV...
 
i pushed to hard with one of the gray circle ones jim and got a burn or stain and had a whale of a time gettin it fixed. didnt dare put it back on.. used it by hand after that episode.. i had three white one disegrate the cloth backing that was on them to hold to hook and loop.. will have to try the sand paper trick and cut my own..but i dont need it taking off and leave me sanding the finish with old paper either?????
 
I use the white pads between coats of wipe-on or sprayed finish to knock down the dust nibs. I either do it by hand or I attach it to my 2" ROS. The hook and loop pad on the sander grabs the abrasive pad great. I'll use the gray ones if I need to remove more material, but usually I'll just use sandpaper instead.
 
I use the gray pads to sand between coats of shellac or to knock the gloss off a too-shiny finish. I use the white ones as Vaughn does; for nibsor to take a too-glossy surface down to a lesser degree than the gray.
 
Charlie: FWIW, I've never had one of the maroon pads stain anything. YMMV...

Neither have I, Jim. I see that warning note occasionally from some expert I respect, and filed it away in the back of my mind. Now I can't find the quote or the circumstances that it applied to (may have been rubbing bare wood rather than rubbing out a finish). Since I haven't felt the need for maroon pads, I haven't had a problem, but I also haven't gotten any to experiment.
 
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