Finds: Norton’s SandWet Fine Sandpaper
By Chuck Cage
Here’s another piece of kit we came to love this week: good sandpaper. We picked up some of Norton’s 800, 1200, 1500, and 2000 grit SandWet product from the paint shop after they got done laughing at our rattle-can project.
The real winner here, though, is the 2000 grit. It offers a totally different level of control from the 320 grit you find at the big-box stores. We were even able to make some minor repairs on a clear-coated finish, then add just a little clear to cover up the work.
The SandWet works for either wet or dry sanding — a function of the material used for the backing paper — and it’s great to have in the shop. Like I said, we picked up the other grits while we were there so we’ve got a variety to work with.
We couldn’t find a reasonable source online, but to put things in perspective, we paid about $9 a pack for the stuff we bought. If any of you know of a good mail-order source, please post it in comments. You’ll save the rest of us an embarassing trip to the local store.
SandWet Sandpaper [Norton]
February 23rd, 2007 at 11:48 am
NorthernTool.com has all sorts of very cheap sandpaper–I tend to use the Norton stuff for higher grit as well as velcro backed applications.
Here is a sample link to a pack of 600 grit for $0.49!
http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_200309678_200309678
February 23rd, 2007 at 12:48 pm
2000 grit? Are you trying to rip stuff to shreds?
I bought this kit of micromesh abrasives for $15. It goes down to 12,000 grit and then has a liquid abrasive that is even finer.
http://www.sisweb.com/micromesh/headlight_kits.htm
And why do you need finer than 12,000 grit?
Because you can refinish any CD, DVD or playstation game disc as long as the underlying aluminum is undamaged (1/2 through the disc).
You can’t polish them back to perfect transparency, but I’ve yet to have 10 minutes of work fail to return a disc to 100% reliability.
February 23rd, 2007 at 12:50 pm
I found a number of sources for Norton Automotive Abrasives. I’ve never ordered from these sources, they’re just here for reference.
:: Crest Net Sales :: No online ordering system, but you can call in and order.
:: Hartville Tool Woodworking :: Not sure if these guys have the wet/dry paper for automotive applications. But they do carry 2000 grit. $3.99 for a 5pk
:: Eldorado Tool Sales :: 50pk of 2000 grit for $22.96
and even :: Amazon.com ::
Where did you guys look?
February 23rd, 2007 at 1:27 pm
I’ve got some sources for Norton sandpaper.. if it ever gets moderated, I’ve got a few online sources in a previous post.
February 23rd, 2007 at 3:13 pm
Also look at 3M finishing film, neat stuff available down to very small micron sizes.
Of course I also have diamond abrasives which sometimes will polish the unpolishable…
February 23rd, 2007 at 5:41 pm
Norton usually curls up on me when I use it wet. I prefer 3M wet or dty paper. Wet sanding to 320 I can achieve an automotive finish over that prep. Sometimes I use 400 between basecoats.
One nice product I know about is a paste abrasive used to cut a surface prior to painting it. It is called Ting. You could get away with just rubbing a panel with Ting, washing it, then painting it, as long as the panel is good.
February 24th, 2007 at 2:41 pm
Wal-mart has the 3M wet stuff up to 2000 or so last I was there, for what it’s worth.
February 27th, 2007 at 2:53 pm
This is good information for the “Scary Sharp TM” system:
http://www.shavings.net/SCARY.HTM
I use this method to sharpen my block plane, jack plane, and chisels.