# lubrication for "wet" sanding



## ibgugs (Dec 22, 2005)

I was wondering what others used as the lubrication for wet sanding I have tried mineral oil, Tap cutting fluid, Tri-Flow super lubrication and Empire Wood Cutting Lubricant 

bob


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## driften (Dec 22, 2005)

I just use water.....


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## Rifleman1776 (Dec 22, 2005)

Water. Just dipped my Micro Mesh in it.


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## dfurlano (Dec 22, 2005)

Water, usually old.


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## DWK5150 (Dec 22, 2005)

Water


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## ibgugs (Dec 22, 2005)

I guess I was going to high tech and over looked the very basic
thanks
bob


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## gerryr (Dec 22, 2005)

I used to use water until I had problems with a couple of blanks absorbing it and developing huge "pimples."  I switched to odorless mineral spirits and haven't had any problems at all.  I use a small sheet of Viva, folded to about 2x3, and hold it against the back side of the blank and the MM on the front side.  Also keeps the wood cleaner than water.


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## btboone (Dec 22, 2005)

Water with a little dishwashing soap like Dawn, or WD-40 both work well for sanding.


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## Mikey (Dec 22, 2005)

I only wet sand acrylics and use water. Wood products get sanded with dry MM up to 12,000, and if there is a finish applied, I may take some auto polish to the blanks after that.


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## dubdrvrkev (Dec 22, 2005)

I just lightly mist the MM with water, but only after there is a base of finish (CA) established.


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## Ron in Drums PA (Dec 22, 2005)

I think sanding wood with water is a sacrilege[}]

Sometimes I sand dry, other times I use DO, and once in a while I'll use minerial spirits. 

I have used mineral oil a few times, but found out that I need to let the wood sit for a week or so before I could apply any other finish. Minerial oil never dries.

I was on another wood turning site and there was a discussion on using WD-40.


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## btboone (Dec 22, 2005)

I was thinking of acrylic with the WD-40 or water with soap.  Something to make it just a bit more slippery than plain water.  It also keeps the paper cool.  I used to sand titanium sheet to mirror finish with 400 grit paper on a hand sander and a spray bottle of water & soap mixture.  It takes just a drop or two of liquid soap in a spray bottle full of water.  It works well on acrylic and CA finishes.  I imagine either wouldn't do so well on raw wood.


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## ashaw (Dec 22, 2005)

If you are using water on oak or simular wood with high tanins use distrill water.  Because tap water will have mineal traces in it and will react with the tanins.  Hard leason learned when I was doing some case work.


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## driften (Dec 23, 2005)

Maybe its just me, but when someone askes about wet sanding I assume its not wood being sanded. 

I should try adding the soap to my water though. I bet that works much better!


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## Randy_ (Dec 23, 2005)

I would think that using soap, WD-40, mineral oil or any other oil, or anything that doesn't totally evaporate will leave some type of residue on/in the wood that would interfere with adhesion of the final finish.  It would seem like anything other than water or DNA would be a problem??  What am I missing??  Thanks.


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## driften (Dec 23, 2005)

I don't see any reason to wet sand wood...... I can see wanting to wet sand CA, but not untreated wood its self. Acrylic and other blanks of that type should be wet sanded to keep the heat from melting the material and floating away the dust.


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## Mattmck (Dec 23, 2005)

For my customers who want the 'natural wood feel' finish, I can wet sand wood with BLO.. works great, but you have to clean it off your MM before it dries. DAMHIKT.  if you are a CA-BLO'er, then you are OK also, as long as you are comfy putting CA on top of wood that is loaded with BLO.  (I know some do it the other way).  Thanks to Fangar, I am not using BLO with my CA finishes anymore, and loving the results. 

I wouldn't ever wet sand wood with water either, as some have said.  You have to be careful with DNA, because that is some NASTY stuff.  Read the MSDS if you are bored (or don't want to go blind).  I did just make a pen out of white oak for a customer, and they wanted it to smell like a whisky barrell.. I wet sanded with Jack Daniel's.  Man, that's alcohol abuse.


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## wood-of-1kind (Dec 23, 2005)

> _Originally posted by Mattmck_
> I wet sanded with Jack Daniel's.  Man, that's alcohol abuse.



Matt, you must mean that's a waste of alchohol (Jack Daniel's) rather than abuse.[]


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## TomServo (Dec 24, 2005)

Matt: Jack is what, 60% water?  you're halfway to wet sanding with water...


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## arjudy (Dec 24, 2005)

Good old dihydrogen oxide, also known as water.


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## TomServo (Jan 1, 2006)

Does anyone find that the wood gets soft when they sand with water? I'd think that would be a problem with some woods in particular.


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## jdavis (Jan 2, 2006)

water is the best


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## driften (Jan 3, 2006)

> _Originally posted by TomServo_
> <br />Does anyone find that the wood gets soft when they sand with water? I'd think that would be a problem with some woods in particular.



You don't wet sand wood. People wet sand the finish over the wood and would not have a problem with wood getting soft since the wood never comes in contact with water. Only the finish. Normally most people only wet sand acrylics and other non-wood materials.


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