Dry sanding paper

[andeep]

Its time to do the bodywork and spray my 1989 E30. I've done painting in the past with great results, but used crap cheap paper and that has been very frustrating.

So its time to invest in some proper quality paper and sanding blocks.

There are so many different blocks and papers available today, its confusing to pick one!

What are everyones recommendations for blocks and paper?

Durablock? Abranet? Velcro paper? Sticky paper?

 

[richie00boy]

I think if you want to sand dry you need to use a vacuum block, not just because of the mess but more because it reduces clogging and marking. I think Abranet is the only one available. Even without the vacuum block it is good material, but you would be wasting a massive benefit by not using the vacuum block.

Go for the "pro" size block (125mm long) as the sheets are a lot cheaper. It's also worth getting the long block (420mm long) and the sheets to go with it for larger areas.

 

[andeep]

For curved areas, can the abranet paper be wrapped around a round stick and used like that? The velcro aspect of it won't affect it from being wrapped around various objects to sand different contours?

Also what would be recommended for wet sanding? Would something like a durablock be good?

What is 'production paper'?

 

[richie00boy]

The velcro on Abranet is not thick like on the cheap papers, you can wrap it round objects.

 

[anjum]

An air powered (or a good bodyshop electric one if you can afford it) orbital sander is a good investment. Plus a few grades of disc.

 

[andeep]

Yep I will get a 6" air DA. I have a smaller 2/3" inch one for when I am doing the engine bay, got some Mirka Gold discs for it.

What are the sheet equivalent of an aluminium oxide DA disc such as Mirka Gold? Would it be production paper?

 

[Bobo]

What is 'production paper'?

I'm sure someone will shoot me down. But the production paper I remember from years ago was just for doing really coarse stuff, you'd only use it for rough rubbing down of filler, from what I remember anyway.

 

[the snooper]

I'm sure someone will shoot me down. But the production paper I remember from years ago was just for doing really coarse stuff, you'd only use it for rough rubbing down of filler, from what I remember anyway.

you've got it

 

[andeep]

Thanks for the help guys.

What would be the wet equivalent of dry sanding? I've heard some people say that its double the grade e.g. 180 dry (aluminium oxide paper) is the same as 400 wet (wet/dry silicon carbide paper)?

 

[richie00boy]

In theory the P rating is supposed to be consistent, so whether it is used wet or dry is not really relevant - the size of the grit is the same. It's just using wet has a lubricating effect so where you may have had to use P800 dry you may get away with P600 wet because it won't mark as bad.

 

[andeep]

Surely it would be the other way round? Wet sanding is more coarse that its dry P number?

On nearly all of the high build primer tech sheets I've looked it they say something along these lines:
Wet sanding = P600-P800
Dry sanding = P320-P400

??

 

[keithski122]

He's right, wet sanding gives you a smoother finish but you will get wet sanding slop everywhere.Dry sanding will give you dust everywhere.Can't win really.
I prefer wet sanding before paint myself.