The Sandpaper Blog

Sanding Hardwood Floors

2009-04-17T08:26:00.000-07:00

Preparing to Refinish a Hardwood Floor:

1. Inspect the floor carefully. Most oak floorings are 3/4" thick and can be sanded a number of times. Remove a floor register if possible, and measure the thickness of your flooring. If it is thinner than 3/4" you should consult a professional floor refinisher. Thinner floors must be refinished with the utmost skill and caution to avoid sanding through to the subfloor.

2. Try to remove the shoe molding, if applicable, so that you can sand all the way to the wall.

3. Inspect the floor carefully--tighten any loose boards and pull out or counter-sink any protruding nails or staples. Sanding exposed nails can produce sparks, which creates a fire hazard in the sander!

4. Check fuse supply as sander may overload the circuit in an older building.

5. Provide adequate ventilation.

6. Cover arches or doorways with a dropcloth or plastic covering. Stuff towels under bottoms of doors and cover all air vents.

7. Sweep the floor clean immediately before sanding.

Renting a Sander & Purchasing Sandpaper:

1. When you rent a sander, be sure you get the manufacturer's instruction manual and some hints and/or a demonstration from the store where you rented it. Be sure you also have any attachments, special wrenches and dust bags needed. Floor sanders are powerful machines and if not used properly can quickly gouge your floor beyond repair.

2. Purchase a dust mask and ear plugs if you don't already have them.

3. Purchase the appropriate sanding discs, sheets or belts to go with your sander(s). An average room will require 10 sheets, discs or belts of each grade. If you will be sanding more than one room, it is worth it to call ahead of time and order from a sandpaper supplier like www.abrasiveresource.com rather than the rental store. If you are only sanding one room, the quantity of paper needed is small enough to just buy the sanding supplies right from the rental store.

4. If you are refinishing an old floor and need to remove paint or sand cupped boards, start with a coarse grit like 16 or 20 grit and then move onto the 36 and 50 grit paper. If you are sanding an older floor that is in good shape, you may start with a 36 grit to just remove shellac or varnish. If you are sanding a new floor, simply begin with the 50 grit paper.

5. Your next sanding will use an 80 grit and the final sand can be a 100 or finer grit.

6. For a professional looking finish, use 2 different types of sanders--a large sander for the main area of the space and a smaller edge sander to get up close to the walls.

Sanding Hardwood Floors:

1. It's a good idea to practice first with a piece of your fine grit sandpaper just to get the "feel" of how your sander works. That way, as you are getting used to the process you are less apt to make a heavy gouge in the wood. When you feel comfortable, switch to the coarse grit to get started.

2. Your first process in sanding uses the coarse grit sandpaper. You are removing any previous stain, finish and discoloration as well as leveling the floor to a smooth surface. If the floor has warped boards or ridges where two boards come together, you may need to sand diagonally across the floor until smooth and then sand with the same grit again with the grain of the wood to get the sanding marks left by the diagonal sanding out.

3. Be prepared to change your paper regularly. The heat from the friction of sanding melts any old finish and this clogs up the sandpaper, making it ineffective. If you start to notice that the sanding rate is dropping, your sandpaper is probably clogged or worn out. Stop sanding and change your paper. If you continue operating with a worn out or clogged sanding paper you will eventually burn or damage your floor!

4. Follow the instructions for your particular sander. Let the sander pull you forward at a slow, steady speed. You can sand both forward and backward, but always keep the sander in motion.

5. Sand two-thirds of the floor in one direction(with the grain), then turn 180' around and sand the final third of the room with the grain. Overlap your back-and-forth passes to be sure you are sanding all areas thoroughly and to assure an even, blended finish with no sanding marks. Go forward and then return over the same area as you go backward. Move sideways in 3" or 4" increments to overlap each pass. Do not attempt to remove 100% of the old finish during this operation. Small residual amounts will be removed during your subsequent passes.

6. It's a good idea to vacuum the floor between each grit so that you aren't sanding random pieces of the coarse grit paper that may have shelled off during sanding into the floor with your next finer grit.

7. After you have done the main part of the floor with the rougher paper, use either a rented edge sander or an electric vibrating sander to sand where the floor meets the wall and in any other areas missed by the big sander using your next grit in the sequence.

8. After your 50 grit sanding, fill all dents, gouges and cracks still remaining with a commercial wood filler that is easy to sand and will accept a stain. If you have large areas that need filling, you will have to do this process twice, as the filler will shrink a bit when it dries. Allow extra time here for the filler to dry...

9. Now use your 80 grit paper to smooth the latex floor filler and remove the scratches produced by the 50 grit sandpaper.

10. Hand sand all the areas your electric sanders could not reach--inside corners, around door casings and jambs, up to cabinet kick plates, etc.

11. Time for your final sand using a 100 or 120 grit sandpaper.

12. Vacuum the floor well--to be extra sure all the dust is up you may want to tack the floor clean with a paint thinner soaked towel wrapped around a push broom or swiffer. Now you are ready to finish!

If you have questions or comments, please call Abrasive Resource at 800-814-7358. We supply floor sanding supplies from our warehouse in NY and can drop ship to addresses anywhere in the United States.

"Quick-Ship" Programs

2008-06-06T09:59:00.000-07:00

As you're well aware, Abrasive Resource is all about quick shipping. We have always offered shipping options within 24 hours--even on custom sized belts and discs for those production emergencies that inevitably happen...

Now, our friends at Timesavers, Inc., a manufacturer of widebelt sanders based right here in Minneapolis with us, have introduced their Quick-Ship program. The company will ship spare parts on a "same day" basis, provided the order is entered by 11:00 am CST (our cut-off is 1:00pm CST, but they're close enough for our liking!) It includes parts on all 1100, 1200, 1300, 2100, 2200, 2300 and 3300 series sanders.

For more information, see www.timesaversinc.com/quickship

For a quote on widebelts that the Timesavers Sanders use, please contact us at abrasiveresource.com

Lathe Woodworking

2007-09-12T14:03:00.000-07:00

This idea was featured awhile ago in "American Woodworker" magazine and I was reminded of it the other day while watching a customer work on his lathe--sanding on a lathe can be hard on your fingertips!

To protect your fingers, cut the fingertips off a latex-dipped work glove and wear one or two of the fingertips while sanding. It serves a dual purpose--protects your skin and it also makes it much easier to hold onto the sandpaper. You can find these gloves at a hardware store for less than $10!

Safety Note: Don't wear the whole glove while working on your lathe. You could be seriously injured if the glove got caught on either your turning project or the lathe itself.

Drum Sanding

2007-06-28T08:36:00.000-07:00

Drum Sanders are sometimes called thickness sanders and are manufactured by companies like Performax, Powermatic, Grizzly, Woodmaster, Supermax, General International, Oliver and Delta. Abrasive strips are cut from a continuous roll of abrasive cloth and wrapped around the horizontal cylinder on an abrasive drum sander.

There are three different ways that you can cover the drum on your sander. You can always purchase precut strips that are the exact length you need, and they have the angled ends precut to the specification of your sander. This method is the most convenient, but also the most expensive!

An alternative is buying rolls and cutting your own strips. You can use a number of different width rolls, but the most popular and easy to use are 3" or 4" wide. The key is to trim the leading edge of the abrasive strip so that the angled edge is equal to the circumference of the drum. If you want to use a wider or narrower strip, the angle will change, but the length of the angled edge will not--always cut the edge equal to the circumference of your cylinder. The trailing edge of the strip should be cut as a mirror image of the leading end. Of course, if you always purchase the same width abrasive, you can simply use your old strip as a template to cut the new strips. The downside to using a 50 yard bulk roll of abrasive is twofold. First, depending on the length of the strips you require, you will mot likely end up with some "waste" at the end of the roll, that you can use up on a pad sander or by hand. Second, sometimes bulk rolls contain an undisclosed seam that must be cut out if you encounter it, and again, you experience some "waste" in material. Usually the cost savings for buying in bulk more than offsets any extra material you end up with.

Another method, and this is ideal for a one-man shop, is to order continuous sanding belts that are a few inches longer than the length you require. Most often, custom sized sanding belts can be made up in multiples of only three or four, which makes them less of an investment than a whole box of precut strips or an entire 50 yard roll! Once you receive the belts, simply cut the joint away and angle the ends to match the circumference on your cylinder.

Whichever technique you choose to wrap your drum, make sure that you use a high-quality, cloth backed abrasive with a resin bond. You do not want to use a lesser quality abrasive than you would use on a belt sander, so avoid shop rolls that are manufactured with a glue bond!

For more information, give us a call at 800-814-7358 or visit us online at: www.abrasiveresource.com

Refinishing Wood Cutting Boards

2007-06-27T12:29:00.000-07:00

Sand your wood cutting boards once a year to get rid of stains & nicks! Just wrap a sheet of 120 grit aluminum oxide "cabinet" paper around a block of wood (which sands more evenly than using the paper alone) and give the board a good sanding. Use a rag (or compressed air, if you have access to some...) to clean the 120 grit particles off and resand your cutting board with a 220 grit sheet of aluminum oxide sandpaper. Once again, clean all the dust and particles from the wood and wash in hot, soapy water.

Once the board has completely dried, rub it with a food-grade mineral oil from the drugstore or hardware store to reseason. Let the oil soak in and repeat, until the wood cannot absorb any more oil!

To purchase sanding sheets, check out our online store at : http://www.abrasiveresource.com/

Finish Sanding Wood

2007-01-12T13:28:00.001-08:00

Make sure you know the type of wood you are finishing before you start sanding...the type of wood you are sanding has a direct relationship to the grit used for the final sand! Soft woods such as pine and fir & closed grain hardwoods such as cherry, maple, birch and alder should be sanded with a 150 or 180 grit prior to the application of a finish. Open grained hardwoods like oak, ash, mahogany and walnut can often be finish sanded with a 220 grit.

The coarser the final grit size used, the darker the finish when using stain. Conversely, the finer the grit size, the lighter the finish will be. This also comes into play when sanding end grain. Always sand end grain one or two grades finer than the rest of the wood. Because end grain will take stain more readily than face grain (like coarser finished wood), by sanding to a finer finish you'll close the grain up a little and it won't accept as much of the stain.

Always test your finish sanding on a scrap piece of wood if possible. This will determine the correct sequence of sanding steps you need to achieve the desired color. Unfortunately, once the stain or color has been applied to your work, the only way to get it back off is to strip or sand it off and start all over again!

Questions? Give us a call at 800-814-7358 or visit us online at: www.abrasiveresource.com

Sanding Plastic

2006-10-30T13:44:00.000-08:00

One of the biggest issues you must confront when sanding plastic is heat...sanding friction causes heat, and plastic parts absorb the heat. Metal parts also warm up from the sanding friction, but metal tends to reflect the heat back out again. Because plastic parts absorb heat, they can soften or even re-flow under power sanding.

Sanding plastic is a good thing--it effectively doubles the surface area, providing twice the opportunity for a new coating to adhere to the surface. Even a light scuff-sanding will help with adhesion...there are just more places for the new coating to cling to.

On the other hand, too much sanding can cause problems--like the "hairing" that you'll see when some plastics split and melt into hair-like strands. Too much power sanding can also cause thermoplastics to reflow. After a forceful sanding, the scratches are very evident. But walk away and when you return just minutes later, the scratches have disappeared--the heat melts them flat again.

The moral of the story is: always be careful on plastic parts. Turn the air pressure way down or even sand by hand to avoid heat buildup!

For more information on sanding plastics, check out our website at www.abrasiveresource.com

Polished Finishes on Stainless Steel

2006-09-28T08:14:00.000-07:00

The most popular finish in stainless steel fabrication is the No 4 finish--the easiest to maintain and one with a nice surface appearance. A No 4 surface is produced by cutting the surface with coated abrasive belts to remove a very small amount of metal without affecting its thickness. Because it is directional, it allows for easy matching of surfaces. The "official" definition of a No 4 finish is "a linearly textured finish that is produced with mechanical polishing. The average surface roughness (Ra) may generally be up to 25 micro-inches (0.64 micrometeres)."

The Specialty Steel Industry of North America has set guidelines for polished finishes on stainless:

No 3: An intermediate polished surface obtained by finishing with a 100 grit abrasive. Generally used where a semi finished polished surface is required. A No 3 usually receives additional polishing during fabrication.

No 4: A polished surface obtained by finishing with a 120-150 grit abrasive, following initial grinding with coarser abrasives. This is a general purpose bright finish with a visible "grain" which prevents mirror reflection.

With the introduction in recent years of non-woven abrasives, many fabricators are also using a medium non-woven belt to achieve the No 4 finish. If you have other questions regarding finishing stainless, please feel free to call Abrasive Resource at 800-814-7358, or visit us online at: www.abrasiveresource.com

Sanding Backing Pad

2006-09-14T07:30:00.000-07:00

A quality disc sander back-up pad should have:

1. A specially designed, environmentally friendly, molded polyurethane foam, that dampens vibration to prevent your tool from bouncing, yet is flexible and tough enough to withstand the rigorous operation of dual-action random orbit sanders. A permanent bond between the polyurethane and other components of the pad eliminates separation problems.

2. A rugged thermoset fiberglass epoxy backing, that withstands the abuse of heat, flexing and impact, to keep the pad running flat and true for a long time. Aluminum backings bend from impact and lose their flatness, while heat and flexing cause molded plastic backings to warp, distorting the face of the pad. A pad that is not flat causes vibration--which fatigues the user and compromises your finish.

3. Full 1/2" diameter vacuum holes that match the industry standard in sanding discs and allow maximum performance of your tool's vacuum system.

4. A durable welded and plated stud assembly. Welding assures a permanent alignment between the pad and the tool. Plating assures easy pad removal by preventing corrosion.

5. A stud assembly that is rigidly attached to the backing with four rivets. Stud assemblies that are molded in place can loosen and strip causing poor performance and difficulties when removing the pad from the tool. A large, flat, raised steel washer with a four rivet attachment forms an ideal distributor of stress. This assures perfect alignment with all tools, and allows the pad to remain in service for a long time.

6. An embossed vinyl facing or hook facing that is intimately molded with the polyurethane to create a permanent durable and flat surface. Embossed vinyl facings offer maximum adhesion with PSA style paper while operating the tool, yet allow quick and easy replacement. Quality hook facings also offer secure adhesion yet quick and easy removal.

7. Strict tolerance on weight, balance, roundness, and flatness. A pad that is not the correct weight, out of round, out of balance, or not flat causes vibrations which fatigue the user and prevent creating a professional finish. Strict tolerances assure you that each pad performs consistently for a long time.

Abrasive Resource carries back-up pads in stock for same day shipping in both the embossed vinyl facing for PSA or the hook facing for hook-n-loop discs. Check out our website at: www.abrasiveresource.com

The History of Abrasives

2006-08-29T12:55:00.000-07:00

Think of a product. Any product. Somewhere in the making of that product an abrasive application takes place. The use of abrasives goes back almost since the beginning of recorded history. Prehistoric men, for example, sharpened their tools and weapons by rubbing them together.

Stone used in building the Pyramids of Egypt were smoothed with a naturally "bonded" abrasive--sandstone! Around 2100 B.C. a creative Egyptian engineer mounted a circular wheel on a crude sort of lathe and ground bronze tools and ornaments, launching the art of cylindrical grinding. During the Middle Ages, armor and swords were ground and polished. The first recorded manufacture of coated abrasives goes back to the 13th century when the Chinese used natural gums to bind crushed seashells to parchment.

At the turn of the century, coated abrasives took a giant step forward with the development of the new electric furnace grains, silicon carbide and aluminum oxide. Over the years, sanding became even more popular as a number of new products emerged on the scene and on the production line. Sanding had an impact on all these products--wood and metal as well as glass. Henry Ford, for example, did more for the metal grinding industry than anyone in history.

Ford realized that an ounce of extra weight in any part acted and reacted upon every part. His demand for light parts of great strength created the first big tonnage of alloy steels, whose sensitivity to heat treatment not only fulfilled his requirement of strength without weight but called for grinding to finish instead of cutting with metal tools.

Through the Industrial Revolution, the post-World War II economic boom and a surging economy in the 1990's, abrasives have always been a part of the production process, and they will continue to do so in this millennium.

Information for this article was taken from Chapter 1 "The History of Abrasives" in the Abrasives Product Training Manual published by the Industrial Distribution Association awhile back. The IDA has now merged with the Industrial Supply Association. To learn more about this resource for distributors, visit www.isapartners.org. For more information on abrasives and sandpaper, please check out our website at:
www.abrasiveresource.com

Metal Finishing

2006-07-19T15:41:00.000-07:00

There is an excellent article in the archives at the website for the e-magazine "The Fabricator". It's called "Choosing the right coated abrasive for plate finishing applications". I'll tease you with a little bit here, but make sure you check out the full article at www.thefabricator.com

Ceramic aluminum, a sharp microcrystalline grain, cuts aggressively under light to moderate pressures. Its quick cutting capability makes it suitable for grinding stainless steel, titanium, and high-nickel alloys. It works well on applications in which high rates of stock removal are required under light pressures, such as when plates require rounding or dimensioning. Ceramic aluminum’s microcrystalline structure gives it a very long life. It is temperature-sensitive, meaning that removing heat from the cut extends the life of the grain. Quite often ceramic products require grinding aids to reduce heat.

Zirconia alumina, although less expensive than ceramic aluminum, also is a single crystal that is very tough and sharp. In fact, this grain is so tough that it withstands heat very well. However, a common problem with zirconia grain is glazing, which occurs when the grains dull from insufficient grinding forces. Rubbing the dulled grains causes the metal to adhere to the tips of the grain. Reducing glazing requires heavier grinding forces to fracture the grain and enable resharpening. Therefore, zirconia lends itself to the higher temperatures and heavier pressures that are present in high-stock-removal applications.

Zirconia’s advantage over ceramic primarily is its performance in high-heat and heavy-pressure applications, such as those characterized by mechanically applied pressures that generate a large spark array. The heavy grinding pressures effectively resharpen the grain, promoting long wear life without adverse effects from the high temperatures. Plate examples are power-pack grinding of castings and automated grinding of fixtured tools.

Aluminum oxide is a single-crystal grain used in most polishing applications because of its durability and longer service life than silicon carbide’s. This grain is less tenacious than ziconia and therefore requires less pressure to prevent glazing. Soft metals, such as aluminum and some carbon and stainless steels, usually are good candidates for aluminum oxide grain products. For the most part, these metals are not as sensitive to the heat that is sometimes generated by the aluminum oxide grain because of its crystalline structure.

Silicon carbide, also a single-crystal grain, is the sharpest and hardest of all grains, but it is also the most brittle of all, resulting sometimes in a short service life. This grain’s advantage is its ability to work well on very hard, tenacious metals such as titanium, cobalt, and INCONEL® alloys. Silicon carbide’s sharp shape and extremely hard properties make it the most suitable grain to work on these metals. Conversely, the “blocky” nature of aluminum oxide grain renders it incapable of penetrating these surfaces efficiently, causing higher heat generation and resulting in a shorter service life.

In addition, because of silicon carbide’s sharp, slender shape, it produces a brighter finish profile on stainless steel and some carbon steels.

You can subscribe to The Fabricator by going to: www.thefabricator.com
For more information on sanding and sanding products, check out our website
www.abrasiveresource.com

Sanding Wood

2006-07-19T15:15:00.000-07:00

I thought we had one of the only blogs that extolled the virtues of sandpaper. Well, while doing an Internet search I ran across another blog where the writer sings the praises of sanding! It's called "Stay of Execution" and this entry is from awhile back, but let me share a little bit of it with you...

I don't do it much, but there's something that I've always loved about sanding wood. I like the repetitive back and forth, feeling the slight scrape beneath my fingers. I like seeing the soft tracks that the sandpaper leaves in the wood, a dusty faded trail. I like touching the wood and feeling its texture, the rough spots that you haven't gotten to and the smooth powdery feel where you have already been. The wood dust on your fingers and even the way it tickles your nose a bit...

Isn't Sherry a good writer? She has captured the emotions behind sanding wood--a tactile, artistic sense of accomplishment! To see the whole entry, visit her blog at:
Stay of Execution
For more information on sanding and sanding products, check out our website
www.abrasiveresource.com

Woodworking Dust Masks

2006-06-22T13:33:00.000-07:00

Never say "no" to a dust mask. Among woodworkers, the chances of developing nasal and sinus cancer run up to 40 times greater than non-woodworkers. Although researchers haven't identified the exact cancer-causing compound, some evidence points to the dust generated from sanding wood with a high tannin content, such as chestnut, redwood, western red cedar, hemlock and oak!
Always use the dust collection option on your sanders and work in a well ventilated area. The inhalation of fine wood dust from sanding can have many effects on the respiratory tract, including: a runny nose, violent sneezing, stuffed up nose, nose bleeds and even nasal cancer. Asthma is another concern...most wood dusts can irritate the respiratory tract provoking asthma attacks in those individuals that develop allergies to wood dust.

For information on Wood Toxicity, check out the following links:
1. www.woodturner.org and look under "Resources"
2. Greater Vancouver Woodturners Guild Wood/Dust Toxicity Article

If you are interested in purchasing a new dust mask or respirator--do your research. Face masks depend on good contact between the skin and the mask for their effectiveness, and you want to find a style that is comfortable to work in! A few of our customers have recommended the masks made by www.aosafety.com

For more information on sanding and sanding products, check out our website
www.abrasiveresource.com

Paint Your Car At Home

2006-06-20T09:13:00.000-07:00

Did you see the April, 2006 issue of Car Craft Magazine? The cover story is "Paint your Car at Home", and it's all about how expensive it is these days to do paint and bodywork on a car. The author, Jeff Smith, writes:

"Today, the cost of materials can easily run $2000 and up if you want to use top-notch materials and do the job right. Labor cost? Expect to pay $60 per hour minimum. So, this leaves the budget-beleagured car crafter with one alternative--do it yourself. You've probably heard all this before, but it demands repeating. The key to a quality paint job is all in the prep work before any color ever finds its way onto the car."

The article goes on for 6 more pages, detailing every aspect of painting your car at home, with lots of good, detailed photographs. Best of all, what a pleasant surprise to find Abrasive Resource listed at the end of the article as one of their material suppliers! Since they gave our website a "shout out", we will do the same...

If you are interested in purchasing a back issue of Car Craft Magazine, simply go to www.carcraft.com and click on the link for "Back Issues". Click on Car Craft in the left navigational bar and then scroll down the page until you find April, 2006!

The sanding discs used for refinishing the '65 El Camino in this article can be found at www.abrasiveresource.com

Abrasive Belt Burning

2006-06-16T10:41:00.000-07:00

The Wood Machinery Manufacturers of America have a new e-mail newsletter called "Productivity Tips". It is going to be a series of six e-newsletters dedicated to helping professional woodworkers improve productivity, quality, safety and ultimately, the bottom-line of their businesses. It is presented in a Q & A format and the answers are supplied by resident experts of WMMA companies.

Here's a question that particularly caught our attention:

Q. My abrasive belt is loading up and burning quickly, what am I doing wrong?
A. You're either trying to remove too much stock for the grit of belt you are using, or you are running the feed too fast. Basically, there are three types of belts, including: abrasive planning (grits from 24 through 60), light calibrating belts (grits from 80 through 120) and finishing belts (grits from 150 through 220 or more). Each grit type is designed to remove a specific amount of stock at a certain feed rate.

For instance, a 100-grit belt can remove 0.025 inch on oak at 20 feet per minute. If you push beyond these parameters, the belt will load up and burn your product. A rough guideline is to use abrasive planning belts if your stock removal is 0.060 inch or more, calibrating belts for stock removal from 0.012 inch to 0.050 inch and finishing belts for no more than 0.005 inch stock removal (at around 20 feet per minute).

The expert in this case was Tim Mueller, Marketing Director at Timesavers, Inc.

If you would like more information on the Wood Machinery Manufacturers of America, their website is at www.wmma.org

If you are interested in obtaining high quality sanding belts for woodworking, visit our website at www.abrasiveresource.com

Flap Disc

2006-05-23T11:18:00.000-07:00

A Flap Disc is the ideal tool for stock removal, grinding and blending of welds, castings and other metal finishing applications! They are available in 4", 4-1/2" and 7" diameters to fit on an angle grinder and grits 40, 60 and 80 are by far the most popular. Abrasive Resource stocks these heavy duty overlap discs in a premium closed coat blue Alumina Zirconia grain designed for metalworking.The backing is made from either a non-flexible, consumable fiberglass in a conical, T-29 shape or a semi-flexible plastic backing on the flat, T-27 shape.

There is a great time savings to be realized from using flap discs compared to the old two-step method of first using a grinding wheel for rough work, then changing to a finer sanding disc for finishing and polishing. A flap disc goes from rough grinding to fine finishing in one operation with a significant reduction in downtime.

For more information on flap discs, or if you would like to try a box out in your shop, visit Abrasive Resource's Online Store at: www.abrasiveresource.com

Solid Surface Polishing

2006-04-28T13:19:00.000-07:00

When it's time for the Solid Surface Fabricator to polish up the workpiece, he needs to choose between a matte, semi-gloss or high-gloss finish. Whether they are working on a huge retail store or a small bathroom vanity, the process is the same.

The blue aluminum oxide products designed for solid surface sanding from sia Abrasives are available through Abrasive Resource in discs, strips, rolls, sheets and belts of all sizes and configurations. By using this "systems approach" with the same blue line abrasives from beginning to end you maintain a consistent, high-quality finish.

Matte: 120 grit, 180 grit, 280 grit and a maroon siascuff disc
Semi-Gloss: 120 grit, 180 grit, 280 grit, 400 grit and a grey siascuff disc
High-Gloss: 120, grit, 180 grit, 280 grit, 400 grit, 600 grit, 1000 grit and a gold siascuff disc

Why choose sia Abrasives for all your solid surface finishing needs? With more than 125 years of abrasive technology, sia Abrasives is the world's third largest manufacturer of coated abrasives and was recently named an "Approved Vendor" by Dupont on Corian products.

For more information, contact Abrasive Resource at 800-814-7358 or visit their website at: www.abrasiveresource.com

Sharpening Scissors

2006-04-19T11:10:00.000-07:00

Here's an idea from our "alternative uses for sandpaper" file. To sharpen scissors, simply cut through a piece of fine grit sandpaper! Its gritty surface is SOS for dull scissors and restores the blade to like-new quality so you can snip with ease. For more information on sandpaper and abrasives, check out the Abrasive Resource website: www.abrasiveresource.com

Swirl Marks

2006-03-31T08:09:00.000-08:00

Swirl marks are, unfortunately, inevitable when you sand with a disc sander. The good news is that there are some tips and techniques to make them less noticeable.

1. Use a disc sander with a vacuum attachment. You want to eliminate as much of the stray grit and dust created as possible while you are actually sanding.

2. Use graduated sandpaper grits. For the best finish you should not skip intervals (even though that is a common practice!) Swirl marks left by a 120 grit disc, for example, won't be as easy to remove with a 180 grit paper as with a 150 grit.

3. In between each grit change, blow off your workpiece with an air gun to clean any stray grit off your work.

4. Don't press down on your sander! Let the weight of the sander do the work--simply guide the sander.

5. Finally, your last step is to hand sand with the same grit you last used on your disc sander. Always use some sort of a block for even pressure and lightly sand in the same direction across your work piece.

Before finishing, set your work light at a low angle across the sanded surface. Wipe with denatured alcohol and any remaining swirl marks will be revealed...
Questions? Comments? Feel free to contact us at:
www.abrasiveresource.com

Wet or Dry Sandpaper

2006-03-30T11:56:00.000-08:00

Here at Abrasive Resource, we sell sleeve after sleeve of waterproof silicon carbide paper. It's used in almost all of our markets--automotive & marine, cultured marble, woodworking, metalworking, stone, glass, plastic and even rubber!

The history behind this versatile abrasive is an interesting one. A man named Francis Okie, a printing ink manufacturer in Philadelphia, had an idea for a new type of waterproof sandpaper. Okie's idea was for a revolutionary new sandpaper that could be used with water or oil. Wet abrading would reduce the dust hazards created from some of the dry sanding applications and also create a smoother finish.

Francis was so confident of the cutting power of his wet or dry sandpaper, he supposedly kept a piece of it in his club locker and shaved with it before golfing!

In 1921(85 years ago!)the 3M Company purchased the rights to waterproof sandpaper from Mr. Okie for $1.00.

Are you using the black SC waterproof paper in your shop? We carry several different brands and would be happy to help you determine which would be best for your application...

Contact Abrasive Resource at: 800-814-7358 or check out our website at: www.abrasiveresource.com

How To Sand Moulding

2006-03-29T10:55:00.000-08:00

Of course, large production shops have expensive machinery that will sand moulding. For the smaller woodworker, however, there is an easy and basic technique for sanding by hand.

Take a piece of the molding and glue some 80 grit sandpaper to it. Then take some foam insulation board and rub it over the profile, allowing the sandpaper to shape the foam board, creating a reverse pattern.

Once complete, glue a piece of sandpaper (now in the proper grit for finishing) to your new foam board sanding block!

For information on sandpaper sheets that you could use, check out our website at: www.abrasiveresource.com

Sandpaper Ballet

2006-03-03T10:54:00.000-08:00

Sandpaper is not just for smoothing...it's also used in making music!

Are you familiar with the American composer Leroy Anderson? He was best known for his short, light concert music pieces that are still played at pop concerts around the world. He's probably most well known for the songs "The Syncopated Clock" which was the theme music on The Late Show years ago and "The Typewriter" which included the sounds of a real typewriter in the music.

My favorite however, is of course, The Sandpaper Ballet. Written in 1954, Anderson tries to imitate the sound of soft-shoe dancers as they hoof-it across the old wooden stage that's been sprinkled with sand. The story goes that he rubbed 3 different grits of sandpaper on a block of wood during the piece to get the desired percussive sounds.

Go to Amazon.com and listen to a sound clip. Sandpaper Ballet is #17 on the list. It'll make you smile and maybe even buy the whole CD to listen to!
Leroy Anderson Favorites
If listening inspires you to buy your own sandpaper, visit our website at www.abrasiveresource.com

Planing Wood

2006-02-27T08:49:00.000-08:00

Believe it or not, sometimes sanding works better than planing wood. Straight, clear grain is easy to plane. You can take a deep cut at a high feed rate and produce a fairly smooth surface. Figured wood, however, doesn't have a consistent grain direction--it presents both end grain and long grain on its surface. Because of this, it is difficult to plane. The planer knives tend to lift the end grain and tear it out, leaving the surface chipped and gouged. When this is the case, plane the stock until it is slightly thicker than needed and then sand to its final thickness!

Sanding to thickness takes longer than planing, but it's gentler on the wood. The abrasive does not lift the grain like planer knives and consequently there is no chipping or tear out. This allows you to surface thin and highly figured wood as well as rough, resawed and glued-up stock. Use only a coarse abrasive for thicknessing--no finer than a 50 grit and a stationary sander that allows you to adjust the height of either the table or head in small increments. A wide belt sander or drum sander such as the Performax are the most popular choices to use as a thickness sander.

Don't try to remove too much stock at once; the machine will bog down and the abrasive will clog. Remove a maximum of 1/32 inch at a time from softwood and narrow hardwood boards--1/64 inch from wide hardwood boards. When surfacing rough or uneven stock, carefully adjust the machine to remove the high spots first.

Always use a cloth backed abrasive with a resin bond. In recent years, the tough, blue zirconia abrasive material (that was originally engineered for metal grinding) has become popular for abrasive planing. Otherwise, the tried-and-true material is always Aluminum Oxide. In addition, a cloth backing that contains polyester will help provide strength in this more aggresive application and the resin bonding system in the abrasive can withstand the higher heat levels that will develop with this operation.

For smoothing, you can use finer grades--step up your grits slowly until you reach 100 grit! For more information, visit our website at www.abrasiveresource.com

Abrasives Manufacturer Tips for Proper Abrasive Storage

2006-02-16T12:02:00.000-08:00

It's true. Failure to store abrasive products under the correct conditions can lead to breakage or warping, which leaves your coated abrasive disc or belt in a weakened or ineffective state. Here are some tips from a few of the major abrasives manufacturers:

1. Store all coated abrasives in areas that maintain a 40-50% relative humidity and at 60-80 degrees F. Humidity issues can cause cupping of coated abrasive products. In addition, if a sanding belt is in too high of humidity you can experience tracking or creasing issues and if stored in too low of humidity, the tape joint can dry out over time and break.

2. Abrasives should be kept in their original packaging for storage and cartons should be kept at least 4" away from damp or cold walls and floor where they might absorb moisture.

3. Abrasive storage should also be in a place that is out of direct sunlight, away from open windows and doors as well as radiators, steam pipes, furnaces and exhaust vents.

4. Precondition abrasive belts prior to use by removing from the carton and allowing to adjust to the ambient air. They should be rolled up and stored on their edge on a clean shelf or draped over a large cylinder, such as a gallon can or a flanged hanger of the type used for garden hose. NEVER hang a belt from a peg or nail--the back will crease and the abrasive may crack. This is especially important for wide belts, which should be removed up to 24 hours prior to use.

5. Rotate your stock--first in and first out!

Of course, always follow any abrasive manufacturers storage instructions included with the product. Questions? Feel free to visit us at www.abrasiveresource.com for more information...

Finishing Drywall

2006-02-15T11:27:00.000-08:00

The "fuzz" that is associated with sanding drywall is a constant battle between the sanding guys and the painters...who should take care of that fuzz? Our Online store at www.abrasiveresource.com sells 9" discs in both PSA and hook-n-loop that can be used on the power sanders most often used in finishing drywall. The sanders typically use an 80, 100, 120 or 150 grit (depending on the tape job!) and the painters are using a 220 to sand after the prime coat is applied.
Here are some ideas to eliminate the fuzz, suggested by the very people who are dealing with it on a day to day basis. If you have other ideas, please e-mail us here at: mail@abrasiveresource.com,

Finishing Dry Wall
1. Try to keep the sandpaper off the drywall paper and you won't have the fuzz!
2. Take a soft bristle floor broom to the surfaces after the final sanding and prior to the first coat of paint, which removes the particles from the "fuzzed" paper face. This will allow the paint to lay the damaged paper down and flow across the surface more efficiently.
3. Another way to clean the surface and lay the damaged paper down is to wipe the sanded areas with a damp sponge before painting.
4. Use a quality primer.
5. Prime coat should be rolled or sprayed and back-rolled. This lays down the sanding lines and adds a small amount of stipple for good coverage.
6. Check the directions on the paint can. Most are clearly marked "sand between coats".