If you could only have 3 grits of sandpaper?

[Paul Hannaby]

I use from 80 grit up to 1200 grit but rarely the whole range on one piece!

The experts say you should never go up by more than 50% of the number to the next grit so from 120, no higher than 180 and from 180 no higher than 270 etc. If you skip grits the finer one won't take out the scratches left by the coarser one and the final finish will suffer.

I would also avoid using any abrasive waxes on open grained woods such as oak, ash, elm, chestnut etc. as it will get into the pores of the wood and you won't be able to get it all out.

There is no way I would limit my abrasives to just three grits I aim to produce the best finish I can and that wouldn't be possible with a limited range of abrasives.

I buy most of my abrasives in 2" wide rolls. I see most people who buy 4" rip it in half and I'm too lazy to do that!

[windfall]

Ok kewl, thanks for all your reply's.
So I now realise I asked a totally stupid question, a bit like "How were the heavy elements from iron to uranium made?"

So I have read through all the reply's and narrowed the answer to my question "If you could only have 3 grits of sandpaper?", down to these grits : P12 P16 P20 P24 P30 P36 P40 P50 P60 P80 P100 P120 P150 P180 P220 P240 P280 P320 P360 P400 P500 P600 P800 P1000 P1200 P1500 P2000 P2500

Of course I also need to take into consideration :

Wood type - and size
Lathe speed
Air density
Time of year
Position relative to the equator and full moon.
Mooring restrictions.
Observations of the position of nearby galaxies.
And my personal interpretation of the 2nd law of thermal dynamics.

This isn’t a criticism, it’s just a simple observation.
This is how I would have answered the question I asked. (but then again, if I knew the answer I wouldn't have asked the question)
Q : If you could only have 3 grits of sandpaper?
The three main sandpapers I buy the most of, are - ?? grit - ?? grit and ?? grit. So, if I could only have 3 grits of sand paper that’s what I would buy, and that's the reason I would buy them.

[bodrighywood]

If you are new to woodturning you will quickly realise that if you ask 10 woodturners a question you will get a minimum of 11 answers LOL.

pete

[windfall]

If you are new to woodturning you will quickly realise that if you ask 10 woodturners a question you will get a minimum of 11 answers LOL.

pete

Thats now my forum signature

[Twisted Trees]

This is how I would have answered the question I asked. (but then again, if I knew the answer I wouldn't have asked the question)
Q : If you could only have 3 grits of sandpaper?
The three main sandpapers I buy the most of, are - ?? grit - ?? grit and ?? grit. So, if I could only have 3 grits of sand paper that’s what I would buy, and that's the reason I would buy them.

Ok, I buy and use more meters of 120 and 180 Velcro backed Micra Abranet 50mm x 10m, but it would be an incomplete answer 

[Paul Hannaby]

The question is as unrealistic as asking if you could only have one woodturning tool which would it be!

[windfall]

The question is as unrealistic as asking if you could only have one woodturning tool which would it be!

Paul If I said "I'm starting out in wood turning, I can only afford to buy 3 chisels - which ones would you recommend?" You wouldn't think that was unrealistic would you?

BTW I did ask that question somewhere else and I was recommended these https://www.ukwoodcraftandcarbidechisels.co.uk/ I bought them, and other than a parting knife I've used nothing else even though I was given a load of chisels later on. I'm happy with my choice and over time as I expand my abilities to do more complex pieces I'll ask a whole separate set of questions on chisels.

But when I asked that question - I simply wanted to get going - I knew I'd screw up a load of scrap wood and I knew that would be part of the learning process. Now I have the confidence to turn some small pieces I wanted to know what people bought the most of in sandpaper to make a base for my sanding.

[The Bowler Hatted Turner]

There are many heads nodding sagely as they read your reply.

[windfall]

I don't want people thinking I'm criticising the answers I'm not - I've lurked for along time in here building up knowledge for the time I bought a lathe.
I do other stuff with wood and resin but wanted to move to turning as I really enjoyed it 30 odd years ago. So I do know a bit about wood finishing - but not in respects of turned wood.
And I have learned loads from the answers to my question that I'll use later on.

Some of the things I do

[otterbank]

Hi Windfall
 If you go with what Paul says about moving up no more than about 50% thro the grits, which I think is good advice. You can then decide at what grit you want to start with eg. 100, 150, 200.
As you improve you may want to alter your grit selection 120, 180,240.
If you use the 50% parameters you can make up your own mind what grit you need to start with and go from there.
Cheers
Michael

[willstewart]

FWIW I normally start at 120 or 180 and then use at least 240 and 400, with others at times depending on the wood. On an unpowered rotating bowl sander I have disks at 180 and 400.  But I still have some 80 paper which I bought early on and have yet to work out what do do with!

[Sandy]

Use it to scratch out this "over-long, over--running" post??

[Paul Hannaby]

If you could only afford three chisels I would suggest you buy some second hand tools and buy six instead!

[windfall]

I'll go back to only reading the forum, seems some people are a little delicate.

[The Bowler Hatted Turner]

Windfall I like your carvings very much.