Sanding and Micro mesh.

[steve w]

I was wondering who uses the micro mesh for sanding and is it worth getting or does it block up?

[GBF]

The best thing you can do is buy some and try it and see how it works for you.

Regards George

[Dave Brookes]

I saw an Austrian turner at the Toolpost Open House today (can't for the life of me remember her name) but she had made a sanding block out of polystyrene, hollowed the middle out and put holes in the base, attached  self adhesive Velcro to the base (where there weren't holes) to which she fixed Abranet.  She then used a camvac hose through a hole in one end and hey presto, no dust.
She sands at low speed and simply shakes the dust off the Abranet when she takes it off the block as she goes through the grades - quite an ingenious homer, and almost free!

I use Abranet a fair bit and find it lasts well, as long as you sand at low speed (I tend to sand at about 850rpm) and keep moving over the surface with even pressure.
Dave

[Eric Harvey]

I use micromesh wet,never blocks up then,you have to clean oil off in the washing machine or with methylated spirit though.

[steve w]

Thank you for the replies - i think i will get some as said no better way than to test it out, i hadnt realised you could wash it.

[z3ddie]

I bought some Abranet - having never heard of or used it before it was the only velcro backed one in Aximinsters that would fit my palm sander - this was for flat sanding a coffee table and I was that delighted with the results and lack of 'clog' I now use it on my turning - I find the sheets last ages as well, much longer than fabric or paper backed - one of the other good things on the lathe is you can see through where your working if trying to get a high spot out (caused by my rubbish sharpening technique!)

[fuzzyturns]

As George says, buy some and try it. I am using abranet for hand sanding as well as sanding with the power sanders or orbiting palm sanders, and it works very well. I find that nowadays I hardly ever go back to using sand paper. It's expensive, but well worth the money.

[Bryan Milham]

You don't say what you are going to do with it, Micromesh goes upto 12,000 grit.

1200 Grit abrasive is fairly readily available in sheet/roll form. 2000 grit if you look to the automotive paint trade. That should be fine enough for just about anything except acrylic work like pens.

[z3ddie]

Just made an accidental discovery with Abranet - waxing up a piece of work ran out of kitchen paper and used the back velcro side of an old sheet - great result! Really heats the wax into the wood - getting the most out of each sheet now