# Sanding your pen



## pilot1022 (Jun 9, 2007)

When you sand your pen before adding your finish what products do you use?


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## thewishman (Jun 9, 2007)

Wood pens: sandpaper up to 400 grit, finish with plexiglas, and then MM

Acrylic pens: sanpaper to 400, MM, Kit brand car scratch remover

I use the MM sheets cut down to 3" squares, wet with water. I guess that means my answer would be #4.

Chris


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## leehljp (Jun 9, 2007)

Usually fine and very fine sandpapers and some other sanding pads found here in Japan.


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## TBone (Jun 9, 2007)

I didn't vote because I use abranet and micromesh both


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## Fred (Jun 10, 2007)

I turn with a "scary sharp" 1" oval Sorbey skew tool, sand with fresh cut pieces of 100, 120, 150, 180, 220 grit sandpapers, wiping clean between each change in grit, then finish with every step of MM there is. 

I also very, very often burnish the wood with a piece of clean cardboard box. (Try it folks!) My sanding speed is between 350-800 RPM. If the material gets hot I slow the lathe down. If it gets hot when sanding, then most often you are fouling your sandpaper and it is then just burnishing the surface. 

Just remember that your finish is ONLY as good as the surface that it is being applied to. []


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## Tanner (Jun 10, 2007)

I put none of above as it is a couple of the above.  Abralon 180 then 360, then into the Micro Mesh to 12,000, then Novus #2 Fine Scratch Remover, then Hut Ultra Gloss Plastic Polish and finish with TSW.  I do this on everything.


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## AFTim (Jun 10, 2007)

I just got my 3-wheel buffing system for on my lathe...how did I live without this thing!!!!! I've gone back and refinished all my non-pen items yesterday and have a lot of pen disasembling to do today.


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## bob393 (Jun 10, 2007)

Abrenet and CA/BLO.


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## stevers (Jun 10, 2007)

Sand paper up through MM and then plastics polish.(for CA finish and plastics)


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## keithz (Jun 11, 2007)

no vote,  I sand 180, 220, 320, 400, then MM to 12000.  This is for wood.  I have not done any acrylic as yet.

keith


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## alamocdc (Jun 11, 2007)

I chose none of the above. I usually start with 320 grit sand paper and go through 12000 MM using sheets (not pads).


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## beamer (Jun 11, 2007)

If my tool control allows, I start with and end with MM.

If not, I'll pull out some 320 or 400 grit and give it a nice quick smoothing. This takes but a second or two and a 1x3 strip of 400 grit lasts ... well, i dunno how long they last, i tend to lose them before I determine they're used up.

That's what works for me


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## chigdon (Jun 12, 2007)

I sand with 440 and 600 only, CA finish, sand with 600 then micromesh 1500-16000.


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## Pipes (Jun 12, 2007)

320 400 grit paper and all the MM there is :O) []tried wet sanding plastic for me it is a waste of time I get just as good a shine with out the dang water .


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## lwalden (Jun 13, 2007)

on most materials I use abranet, starting at either 120 or 180 grit, up through 400, then switch to MM, 1500 through 12000. When using mixed materials (usually bloodwood/maple or bloodwood/holly for the Texas Flag pens, red dyed maple/holly for Ken's stars and stripes kits, or blackwood/holly for the piano pens) I only use abranet up through 320 in order to minimize contaminating the lighter wood with sanding particles from the darker wood. I'll use a dipped lacquer finish, knock down any rough spots with the buffing wheels after coat 2, put on two more coats and return to the lathe for wet sanding starting with 2400MM up through 12000.


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## woodmarc (Jun 14, 2007)

I didn't vote either as I, like most, use a combination depending on type of material.
Most woods, sandpaper to 600 grit, non abrasive woven pads (00 - 0000 SW equiv). MM between coats of finish, finally a beal buff.

For acrylics, The PSI pads (wet), 20/20 plastic polish, caranuba.


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## Geo in Winnipeg (Jun 14, 2007)

Abranet then MM. Add water for acrylics.


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## Jim in Oakville (Jun 21, 2007)

Turn with a skew, wet sand with Abralon 500-1000-2000-4000, then MM 6000-8000-12,000, then Novus 2 polish, I use this for stabilized woods and acrylics and plastics.

Wood is 320-400-600, finish.


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## ashaw (Jun 22, 2007)

Use Abranet sanding mesh first to get the surface free of machine marks and smooth.  Then MM for the final polishing.


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## Rudy Vey (Jun 22, 2007)

Abranet mesh from the group buy here, then all grits of MM. Acrylics and stab wood will be finished off with Novus plastic finish.


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## eastbay (Jun 23, 2007)

I usually sand to 600 and then go to 1500 and never use steel wool and depending on the wood ill use CA or a simple beeswax finish finely buffed in to the wood 2 coats.


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## tipusnr (Jun 28, 2007)

Kind of a trick question for me.  How I sand and what I sand with depends on the material I am using and the finish I am looking to achieve.  I am not always going for a glassy look.  Sometimes I prefer a more natural sheen or even a rustic look that's not much more than weather sealed.

But that's me...your mileage may vary!


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## BigRob777 (Jul 5, 2007)

Well, I use fine sand paper and then micromesh sheets, not pads yet (I haven't opened the package yet).  I sand 320, 400, 500 or 600, 1,000 and sometimes 1,200, then the last 4 or 5 MM.  After I apply the finish, I just use the last 6 or 7 MM.  Of course, I'm not famous for my finishes------yet.[]
Rob


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## redfishsc (Jul 6, 2007)

I make wood pens in batches. I sand each on the lathe to 400 and seal with two CA/blo coats and then spray the whole batch with conversion varnish. I spray satin. If I want gloss I micromesh them.


Acrylics, I sand up to around 600 with silicone carbide wet sanding (water), followed by Turtlewax "green" polishing compound, followed by Brasso. Perfect gloss every time.


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