sanding/polishing? help please.

[thededer]

ok so i just picked up some 400 wet and some 600 wet sand paper from home depot is this any good? and can someone please give me a quick how-to for sanding my street sweeper bristle picks. thanks

[amlwchlocksmiths]

i just use sand paper,wet and drys,but it takes a while

[thededer]

i just use sand paper,wet and drys,but it takes a while

Really? I know you just sand them but i have never used wet sand paper and i need to know if starting at 400 wet is ok for my pretty good condition street sweeper birstles

[amlwchlocksmiths]

you can get all the way to 2000's.im really not sure where to start.sorry i didnt read the post properly.
i would say start at 600s or 800s but somone mite have a better idea.why not try it on a bit you have no use for ?

[thededer]

well if i have no use for the 400 wet i could return it and save 5 bucks right so i think ill wait for some more input

[unlisted]

How polished do you want them to look? what is the condition of the current metal stock you are using?

Can you post a (clear) image of the metal stock, and I can give you some tips from that?


Cheers,

[raimundo]

3m wet or dri sandpaper has corundum grit. this is fixed to the paper with a glue, Used dry this grit will break off the paper and stay on the sanding stick for a while, breaking down into finer grit as it crushes against other corundum grit.

Norton sandpaper does not cut steel as well, even though it is black grit.

Wet sanding keeps the fine dust from going into the air, it creates a slurry of the grit that stays on the paper longer and will break down into finer grit so that you may believe that the wet process makes a better surface, but it works the same in wet or dry, the difference is dust control and that slurry.

If the grit is fixed to the paper with water soluable glue, the grit that is wet may readhere to other surfaces.

it does not take much water, only a few drops acually, in fact when I do it, I use spit. this has a different viscosity and will be less likely to spray off the sanding tool in fine drops. also its more efficient to apply.

[criminalhate]

If I were you I would go back to the store and buy some 200 grit or even 100 grit paper also. You can use the 400 grit to start with but it will take a really long time to get the metal smooth. 600 wet puts a nice shine if you take your time.

[thededer]

ok i already have 100 grit that the teacher from woodshop let me take and i bough some norton 400 and 600 wet

[thededer]

darn this no edit button system! i forgot to mention that i have gotten the pick pretty smooth with the 100 grit and i will post good pics later.

[thededer]

just wondering i have 3 25 cm street sweeper bristles and 1 thats a bit shorter for the 25 cm ones is it possible to make 2 picks out of one of them with a nice sized handle made from heat shrink tube? or will i have to trim them and only make one pick from each

[unlisted]

it all depends on you, and what you are wanting to make/use.

Experiment, trust me.

[thededer]

im so sorry i forgot to paste the link viewtopic.php?f=4&t=48017

[unlisted]

Again, it all depends on what your comfortable with using.. I know people who like their pick handles to be 15" long.. don't ask me why, they just do.

I also know others who swear by short and stubby- their picks are only the length of a credit card- total.

Making the shrink wrap handles is really easy, you just cut the tube to the lengths you want. So, the shrink tube question is moot..

[thededer]

well i compared it to a pick that has a handle and i have just enough material to cut in half to have a comfortable pick