# Sanding more or less



## Jens Reinholdt (Oct 31, 2007)

Hello woodturners.
Bringing the beauty in the wood out in the visible is what many of us want to do. 
Thats why finishing is an issue. 
In the thread "Wooden angels" Littlebuddha answered Farmerjon wisely, I think, with the opinion (in short): do your best. You might be able to do better. 
Things only meant to look at should expose the beauty of the wood and bring pleasure to the eye. And maybe there ought to be a little shiny gloss of something. It is an angel, afterall.

But sometimes less sanding and finishing is in ok:
I like to make items meant to use, and maybe even put some extra useablilty in the thing.
Bowls to the kitchen, that will get scratches from use and washing, baseballbats to the kids, that will be left outside in the rain and so on.
I am not saying, that sanding is unnessesary, just that I am only going to sand as much as the use of the item demands.
For an example, here on the is a cuttingboard to the kitchen:









And if you turn it up side down, it is a tray to cut a roast without the meat juice is flowing all over the table:









As the board will get cut in and it will be washed, I have sanded it with 120 and given it some vegetable oil for finish. That's all the finish it gets. And that is ok for a piece of wood from the scrap pile.



(Forgive spelling and mysterious language. This is the way danish woodturners write.)


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## Mitch Cholewinski (Mar 11, 2007)

Jens
I agree with most of your reply but was not in agreement when you spoke about your cutting board, which is nice by the way. The part I don't agree with is putting vegetable oil on the wood. I used to do the same till I found out that mold could form on the board if you use vegetable oil.Why not try mineral oil to do the same thing and it is harmless to people. You can even drink mineral oil so it isn't going to hurt you. Jens, don't take this as if I am critizing you and I don't want to start the next holy war. Just as a point of information. By the way it is nice to be able to speak to our Danish friends through this forum. Mitch


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## mdlbldrmatt135 (Dec 6, 2006)

Jens,

I'd say the 120 is fine. I do agree with Mitch on the Mineral vs vegatable oil "argument" Vegatable oil can go rancid & moldy.

It does look very nice. the "blood groove" is always a nice option on a cutting board.


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## john lucas (Sep 18, 2007)

Very well said. I'm still experimenting with sanding even though I've worked with sandpaper all my life. I think it is important to look at the piece carefully and then compare the finishes you use as well as how the piece will be used.
I have friends who always sand to 1500 or 2000 grit. For my products and my market that isn't necessary for me. Most of my work is sanded to 400 grit but I use lacquer most of the time. I did a test last year and sanded several different woods to 2000 grit and applied several different types of finishes including oil finishes. Beyond 600 grit no one in our turning club could see the difference. I took some flak from this test because the pieces were not turned, but flat wood. They said the end grain or swirly grain would show the difference. I plan to do the same test with some turned pieces but since they won't be very large pieces it will still surprise me if I see a difference.
Now I can see the difference when sanding epoxy, or metal or other materials needing a high polish. This test also wasn't done on things like ebony or other hard exotics because I just don't have the budget. On things that I suspect might look better I sand to a finer grit.
Basically you should sand until it pleases you. If you want to stop at 120 or go all the way to 10 micron paper then that is up to you. It is necessary to feel good about your work and so I sand to the point that I'm comfortable but I test periodically to see if I can make my work better.


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## littlebuddha (Aug 25, 2007)

About say's it all John, one thing is depends on how good your tooling is to where you start with the grits, and the comment i had made in the other thread was people not understanding about sanding that going through the grades is that one grade gets the marks out left from the last, i have come across people that go from a heavy grade and then to fine grade. and most of my own stuff does not go past 400, odd stuff at 600, i have done a few pieces that were show pieces up to 1200 to 1500 never gone beyond, lot of ebony in them..not wanting to teach anyone to suck eggs but also drop your speed, helps the paper life, your fingers and and burning your wood, most of you will know this but some that read will not, end of the lesson for today....im really a nice guy honest, did i say im nice. LB..


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## johnep (Apr 12, 2007)

We were given a salad bowl for our wedding in 1958. I was told to use oil and kept it soaked with olive oil for a month.
Never had any problems and still in use.
johnep


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## Jens Reinholdt (Oct 31, 2007)

*Reply to most of you*

First, I want to thank all of you for bringing good thinking in here.
This is the is the reason why I have joined this forum.

Mitch & Matt135 - 
I have never had problems with mold relating to oil, but often seen moisture causing mold. Dry wood ought not to let mold grow. (We have to ask "she-who-must-be-obeyed" to dry our turnings after use).
Speaking of her, I had to promise never again to use linseed oil to any object meant to belong in the kitchen. Smell and taste, and you know why.

John Lucas & Little Buddha-
My next 10 turnings must be objects of experiment with grits and a looking glass. 
And of course at low speed, so nothing will get burned. (This is one of my repetive faults, not to bring the rpm down. Thank you for reminding me. I have a too big sack of used sandpaper in the corner.)

Johnep -
Ok. 1958. What if you posted a picture and a little info. No one I know has a bowl that old.

Keep thinking, all of you.


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## littlebuddha (Aug 25, 2007)

johnep said:


> We were given a salad bowl for our wedding in 1958. I was told to use oil and kept it soaked with olive oil for a month.
> Never had any problems and still in use.
> johnep


 
Makes me 5yrs old, and you got hitched, must make you as old as robin hood, was it one of his merry mens breakfast bowls maybe little john's:laughing: We make stuff to last here in the UK a john.:yes:


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## robin wood (Oct 12, 2007)

I don't think there is any right and wrong here just personal taste. Now my personal taste is for no sanding whatsoever for functional ware. To my mind a clean cut surface ages much more beautifully, many sanded surfaces can "fluff up" when they get wet then dry as the grain raises. A clean cut surface takes wetting much better. I have a bread board made by Goerge Lailey in 1958 and in daily use ever since, still as good as new...never seen abrasive.

As for oils, my personal preference is for an oil which cures or dries, this gives a harder finish and better waterproof than a non drying oil. Being into natural things I like a pure food quality oil without additives or driers. Personal favorite is walnut but I don't use it comercialy due to nut allergy sufferers, most I treat with a food quality linseed, the smell goes after a couple of months drying or several washes.


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