grit

[roxylass]

i cant purchase 1200 sandpaper over here, so if i rub two pieces of 600 together will it give me the equivalent.

[Olson Burry]

lol. No.

Try a model shop or something, it is about.

[raimundo]

If you use the 600 until its quite worn, it will leave a finish much like the 1200. Grit breaks down as you use it. and becomes finer, however, worn 600 paper may still have larger grit in it that would have the effect of leaving tiny scratches on the fine surface that would not be there if an uncontaminated (no large grit mixed from whatever source, bad handling or just picked up at the workbench)

[freakparade3]

While your addition is sound this will not work. A+ for creativity.

[Engineer]

Very funny, I like the thought - Use them to sand each other down...!

If you do need to sand finer, you can use old engineers tricks - I'm assuming it's wet-and-dry paper you have (the black stuff, not the yellow stuff just for wood). Sandpaper for wood tends to fall apart when wet, but the black wet-and-dry doesn't. That allows you to get away with these "quick-an-dirty" tricks!

Apply washing-up liquid liberallt over the paper and replensh it occasionally, it's very roughly equivalent to adding perhaps 200 to the grit size. You will get a lot finer finish with it. If that's still not fine enough, get a fresh pice as fine as you can get it and rub a bar of soap across it. You will need to really work it into the paper and replenish it often, but you can get an amazingly fine finish that way if you are careful with it.

[freakparade3]

Very funny, I like the thought - Use them to sand each other down...!


Apply washing-up liquid liberally

Engineer, Engineer, Engineer........ I know you engineering types like to over complicate things but couldent you just have said "soap"?

[Engineer]

Nah, it only makes it look like anyone could do my job then!

[unlisted]

Very funny, I like the thought - Use them to sand each other down...!


Apply washing-up liquid liberally

Engineer, Engineer, Engineer........ I know you engineering types like to over complicate things but couldent you just have said "soap"?

Hey at least he did not refer to it by the actual England name "Fairy Liquid"



Oh wait, I'm NOT joking, thats what its called over there..

[Olson Burry]

You don't have Fairy Liquid over there?

It's a brand name, like a hoover is a hoover even though it's made by someone else.

Generic brands would just be washing up liquid and it is quite different from soap

[Engineer]

Well, since you all must know, I use Asda's own brand as it's pretty good, but cheap <grin>!!!

[Olson Burry]

Ecover!

[chev49]

Ramundo is right of course.... Even with soap, you can have the larger grit scratches coming through.. for a test, try wearing out a 36 grit sanding disc & then sand something that needs 400 grit... see the scratches (with or w/o soap)
Sandpaper is so cheap, just get the proper grits to finish down to the proper level for your project....

[unlisted]

Everyone is thinking about this the wrong way..

A few questions for the OP:

1. What is the highest grit available to you? (can you get 1000 grit?- if so, there ya go)

2. Ebay? It would probably be cheapest for ya. Or some other online shopping place.. I find it difficult to believe all of Scotland does not have 1200 grit sandpaper...

3. You could just ask in the BST if anyone would be willing to ship you some in a bubble mailer, I cannot see shipping costing much, nor would the sandpaper from USA, etc... But I would recommend ebay or local online purchases for cost effectiveness.

[roxylass]

thank you all for your good advice,a very kind gentleman has said he will send me some.
roxylass.

[chev49]

FYI - You can get 2000 grit at McGuiers for 68 cents a sheet. I usually stop some where around this grit & use machine compounds for a smoooooooooooth finish. You can also make 12,000 grit by cutting a 2000 grit piece of paper into 6 pieces. It's just hard to rub all their surfaces together at the same time.