• This community needs YOUR help today. We rely 100% on Supporting Memberships to fund our efforts. With the ever increasing fees of everything, we need help. We need more Supporting Members, today. Please invest back into this community. I will ship a few decals too in addition to all the account perks you get.



    Sign up here: https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/account/upgrades
  • Friends, our 2nd Amendment rights are always under attack and the NRA has been a constant for decades in helping fight that fight.

    We have partnered with the NRA to offer you a discount on membership and Muzzleloading Forum gets a small percentage too of each membership, so you are supporting both the NRA and us.

    Use this link to sign up please; https://membership.nra.org/recruiters/join/XR045103

What grit wet/dry

Muzzleloading Forum

Help Support Muzzleloading Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Crow#21957

50 Cal.
Joined
Dec 26, 2022
Messages
1,494
Reaction score
915
Location
Mooreland Indiana
What grit wet/dry paper do you sand between coats when finishing a stock?
Sorry to bother anyone but I've looked in archives no luck. I'm going to try to order grey scotch brite pads. Can't find them in stock anywhere.
Thanks
 
What grit wet/dry paper do you sand between coats when finishing a stock?
Sorry to bother anyone but I've looked in archives no luck. I'm going to try to order grey scotch brite pads. Can't find them in stock anywhere.
Thanks

There are many preferences on this score. I finish many different species of wood in non ml projects and tend to keep it simple. I work down to 400 grit but have never used wet or dry. Usually fine steel wool between finish coats but you have to be very careful about cleaning up any residual particles left behind. I use tack cloth for that.

The Scotch Brite is probably a better way to go.
 
What grit wet/dry paper do you sand between coats when finishing a stock?
Sorry to bother anyone but I've looked in archives no luck. I'm going to try to order grey scotch brite pads. Can't find them in stock anywhere.
Thanks
If the wood is prepped well and you have a smooth surface You will be safe to use 400 to 600 grit to wet sand between coats. Don't over sand just be sure you cover the surface well. I hardly ever sand between coats?
 
What grit wet/dry paper do you sand between coats when finishing a stock?
Sanding or not sanding is a decision you make after the last coat has dried. What does it look like? What does it feel like? Do you need to modify the color? Do you need to modify the sheen? I almost never wet sand wood. But have done so as a final modifier using high-number grits. If and when I sand between coats, it's probably just with dry 320 grit. But if the finish is nubbly and needs smoothing, I might start with 220 on a sanding block. If the finish is smooth but still porous, I might leave the sanding dust on so it mixes with the next coat and fills. If the finish is smooth and sealed but just needs the sheen knocked back I probably buff with #0000 steel wool, wiping thoroughly with sticky tack rag to get the wool dust off. If the finish is smooth and sealed but needs the sheen enhanced, I'll probably buff and burnish with brown paper (coffee filters). If the color isn't right I mix dye into the oil for the next coat. So many variables. After the last coat is what I want, then I leave it alone to cure as the "final" coat, and then I like to polish with paste wax. Given that you're using oil, the "final" coat is never final, anyway. It gets renewed with a very light finger rub of oil from time to time. I haven't ever had good results with Scotchbrite pads; I've given up on them for wood finishing.
 
Last edited:
.... Just curious as alot of instructions/finishers say to do.
There are a thousand ways to finish wood and get a good result. Everybody has their own methods. No one method is the only right method. No one method is same method to use every time. Learn to let the wood tell you what it needs you to do. Either it's going to react by looking nicer, if you're doing something it likes, or it's going to react by looking worse, if you're not.
 
Last edited:
Why is that Mike? Just curious as alot of instructions/finishers say to do.
Beats me. Never saw a need. No sanding between coats here, I probably used 6 coats of formby's on this, then spray painted it flat black from end to end then scrubbed all the black paint off with steel wool then applied a couple coats of ebony Bri Wax. I should probably make you guys pay me for that information.... 😆
 

Attachments

  • DSCF2400.JPG
    DSCF2400.JPG
    185.9 KB · Views: 0
  • DSCF2396.JPG
    DSCF2396.JPG
    205 KB · Views: 0
  • DSCF2397.JPG
    DSCF2397.JPG
    132.3 KB · Views: 0
  • DSCF2398.JPG
    DSCF2398.JPG
    223.6 KB · Views: 0
The only reason to sand bet coats is to fill grain in walnut, or other open grained woods.
Not necessary in maple for sure.
If you’re worried about adhesion to previous coats, apply additional coats with a scotchbrite pad.
 
Beats me. Never saw a need. No sanding between coats here, I probably used 6 coats of formby's on this, then spray painted it flat black from end to end then scrubbed all the black paint off with steel wool then applied a couple coats of ebony Bri Wax. I should probably make you guys pay me for that information.... 😆
Do you take Zelle???....:ghostly:

Don
 
The reasoning I've always assumed to do so is so that additional coats 'stick' better--have more adhesion, makes sense to me. I'm not advocating sanding down a coat before applying additional ones, just burnishing lightly unless a person applies the first coat to fill pores, sands, then applies additional coats. If a builder doesn't do anything between coats and it works for them, whatever works, I'm good with that. I don't use steel wool for the purpose, rather use fine bronze wool pads I get from a local ACE Hdware, although they don't carry in stock but can order them. Use the bronze wool for metal finishing purposes also. The bronze wool doesn't leave any steel wool particles that could get caught and could rust if they are not seen and removed.
 
Mf first scotch brite. I git sick and tired of seeing steel wool hairs under the finish and everywhere. I got them sanded out ,only took a light buff with 220. But no more. Steel wool has its place I guess but don't see me buying anymore for who knows how long.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top