Question about Wet-sanding Paper

[bigcaddy]

I've started on a surprise present for my brother and it's turned it quite a project with some obstacles I'm going to need some advise on to complete.

He's been looking for a humidor to store his cigars in but has had no luck or time to really find one. It seems that 3 children under the age of 5 will really eat up your free time quickly.

I had a spare "project" Dunhill box I picked up last year that really needed some attention so that's how this all got started.

The wood staining parts are familiar to me but I have been really struggling with getting a very high gloss shine with polyurethane. After some reading, I've decided I want to try my hand at wet sanding/buffing with compounds to really get a deep shine.

Does anybody on here have a recommendation for brands of paper/methods? The box is pretty close to being perfect but the lid, no matter how I apply the poly, gets a fine orange peel finish every time


Mirka seems to be the go-to for the serious woodworkers but it quite expensive and I would only need about 2 sheets for each grit.

Any input would be great. If you have some superfine wet sand paper laying around and I could buy a sheet or two, that would be fantastic

 

[Milton Shaw]

Auto body supply places will have wet or dry up to about 2000 grit, Should be able to buy it by the sheet, one sheet each grit from about 400 up should be all you need. And they will last you for a long time. Also they can be used for sharpening knives, and other wood working tools just use on a piece of plate glass. Lots of luck.

 

[PT Doc]

Rhyno redline is pretty great. Comes in grits up to 2500 is believe. Check ebay since many sellers make sets of paper in various grits.

 

[DWise]

This method has always worked for me. Used a foam brush to apply the Minwax poly and only brush stroke in one direction. I then use 0000 steel wool between daily coats.

 

[countryroad82]

For me in wet sanding paper I haven't found anything that lasts as well as 3M. Friggin' expensive compared to other brands but it lasts and cuts so much better IMO.

 

[PT Doc]

For me in wet sanding paper I haven't found anything that lasts as well as 3M. Friggin' expensive compared to other brands but it lasts and cuts so much better IMO.

I'm not sure what you are using the paper on but if it's metal, try a few sheets of Indasa Redline. It's made in Portugal and for steel, there is nothing better.

 

[skruft]

Well, you could wet sand, and be careful of the edges. Traditional woodworkers might finish up with pumice and then rottenstone.

Look at Klingspor for any abrasives.

 

[A_Pmech]

This method has always worked for me. Used a foam brush to apply the Minwax poly and only brush stroke in one direction. I then use 0000 steel wool between daily coats.

The correct solution.

The polyurethane will take weeks to cure to the point where it doesn't clog up sandpaper. Using wire wool, you can re-coat within hours using fast-dry polyurethane. Rub out the final coat lightly to de-nib and then polish by hand.

 

[jakemac]

This method has always worked for me. Used a foam brush to apply the Minwax poly and only brush stroke in one direction. I then use 0000 steel wool between daily coats.

The correct solution.

The polyurethane will take weeks to cure to the point where it doesn't clog up sandpaper. Using wire wool, you can re-coat within hours using fast-dry polyurethane. Rub out the final coat lightly to de-nib and then polish by hand.

Agreed.

Here is a picture of a workbench I did about a year ago, using Semi-Gloss polyurethane. Its 3 coats, allowing a full 24 hours between coats (longer in humid conditions). I used 0000 steel wool and a wipe down with a tack cloth between applying each coat.

Another method you can use is to wipe the case down with Boiled linseed oil, let it dry, steel wool, repeat. This could take a couple weeks to build up several coats.

A third method would be to build up coats of Paste Wax. Apply a thin coat, let dry, buff with a soft lint-free cloth, repeat until you've built up a good protective layer.

 

[rlitman]

The correct solution.

The polyurethane will take weeks to cure to the point where it doesn't clog up sandpaper. Using wire wool, you can re-coat within hours using fast-dry polyurethane. Rub out the final coat lightly to de-nib and then polish by hand.

I did a few pine floors in my house with poly.
First coat was a wax free shellac sanding sealer. It was dry in 30 minutes.
Second coat was aliphatic oil based poly. 24 hours and it was hard enough to sand using foam backed sanding pads. Yes, it takes weeks to reach full hardness though.

If I had gone with water based poly, each coat is hard enough to sand within a few hours.

The procedures for oil based and water based are very different. We need to know what poly you're using to give better instructions.

But if you're looking to put on a final gloss polish using sandpaper, yeah, you've got to let it really harden first. Intercoat sanding, not so much.

 

[Givl Reggin]

I have been really struggling with getting a very high gloss shine with polyurethane.

You need to let the finish cure and harden -- this is true for anything from lacquer to polyurethane and can take up to 30 days or more. You need to do this before you start any sanding or polishing.

 

[Beaumont67]

Nothing pops wood grain like EarthPaint BIO POLY NT oil finish !!
- almost to a 3D effect
http://www.earthpaint.net/product_bioPoly_NT.php
Bio Poly NT is an all Natural Wood Finish. It is one of the most beautiful natural wood finishes available today. The exquisite character of wood is brought out for full illumination. No plastic barrier is created on the surface. Bio Poly uses advanced technology to make the wood itself part of the coating. This is done by coalescing rich tree resin, plant oils and minerals within the freshly saturated wood. High surface density means there is more resin per square inch in the wood. Resin goes deep into the wood fibers and creates a 3D effect within the grain that is captivating and alive. The wood grain seems to move when different light shines in. This always brings rich ambiance and character to any space.

Before - raw hardwood:


After - Hickory planks refinished with EarthPaint products:
a) floors sanded via rental machine
b) wood sealed with Bio Poly NT (thinned down 20%, with their CITRUS solvent)
c) high gloss topcoats with MOUNTAIN urethane (also thinned down 20%, with the same CITRUS solvent)...3 coats applied with a lamb skin flat mop head.
note) Harbor Freight 6" variable speed electric D/A, used to sand between coats / with gray Scotchbrite pad (like 320 grit)

^^^^ Also did curly maple & cherry window & door jam trim with above products, just used a foam roller or foam brush.
- if I want a satin finish, I use Bona waterbase urethane
I seldom use 0000 steel wool, don't like the black fibers, to potentially contaminate wood / sooner use fine auto body premium paper or Sotchbrite instead.

 

[BikerDad]

I've started on a surprise present for my brother and it's turned it quite a project with some obstacles I'm going to need some advise on to complete.

He's been looking for a humidor to store his cigars in but has had no luck or time to really find one. It seems that 3 children under the age of 5 will really eat up your free time quickly.

I had a spare "project" Dunhill box I picked up last year that really needed some attention so that's how this all got started.

The wood staining parts are familiar to me but I have been really struggling with getting a very high gloss shine with polyurethane. After some reading, I've decided I want to try my hand at wet sanding/buffing with compounds to really get a deep shine.

Does anybody on here have a recommendation for brands of paper/methods? The box is pretty close to being perfect but the lid, no matter how I apply the poly, gets a fine orange peel finish every time


Mirka seems to be the go-to for the serious woodworkers but it quite expensive and I would only need about 2 sheets for each grit.

Any input would be great. If you have some superfine wet sand paper laying around and I could buy a sheet or two, that would be fantastic

If you're really getting orange peel, then you've got silicon contamination. The best (only?) solution is to strip the top down completely and remove the contamination, then refinish. Before refinishing, you need to identify WHERE you're getting the contamination from. Is it in the finish? On the wood? What type of poly are you using, waterborne or oil?

beware, for finishing is one of the Dark Arts.

 

[rlitman]

Silicone causes fisheyes, not orange peel. Orange peel is caused by too thick a coat, which dries on the surface before the bottom (actually that's more of a wrinkling issue), or by droplets that start to dry before they coalesce and level.
http://pc.dupont.com/dpc/en/US/html/visitor/s/trouble/PDSG_OrangePeel.html
This could be fixed in a number of ways, but a thinner that is less hot is probably the best choice (xylene for example, if the paint is compatible).

If you're using a water based finish, stearates (the white stuff in some sandpapers that prevents clogging), can cause fisheyes too (again, not orange peel, which is a failure in drying). The solution is to not use stearated paper, or to clean the surface with a mineral spirits soaked rag (and allowing it to dry completely) before applying a water based finish.

As stated above, for a glass smooth finish, you must let the surface completely harden before wet sanding. That takes a LONG time, unless you go with heat curing, or a 2-part epoxy finish. You could for example finish the surface in West System epoxy (that goes on clear), and wet sand it a day later.