The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop So, just how important is using quality sandpaper?

So just how important is it to use quality sand paper?

Yesterday I sanded a little clothes dresser down for my daughter. I used a roll of poor quality 100 grit da discs that I had been “saving” for such a project. I sanded and sanded and sanded, using the whole roll of discs on this little dresser. I knew I was using more than I would with better paper but thought, “What the heck, I’ll finally get rid of it”. Well, I didn’t realize how much time and paper I was wasting until I ran out and switched to a quality paper. I even went to a finer 180 grit and even then, it cut MUCH faster and cleaner than the poor quality 100, maybe three or four to one!

I have experienced this before over the years but have forgotten just how bad it is to use poor quality sand paper. It doesn’t save you a single dime, it costs you time, and it can cost you quality of your end product.

I am not talking brand names here, no product bashing or selling for some multi million dollar company, just plain quality. I wanted to write this without so much as mentioning a name, but I have to. I have to set a standard to judge the others. With soooooo many different brands of paper available, in all colors of the rainbow, we need a standard. I chose the biggest name in the business hands down, 3M. And although 3M makes some of the best paper, it also makes some of the worse. So 3M “Purple” will be one of our standards. Believe it or not, 3M even has the Purple color trademarked! I am sure there are people who will say this isn’t the best paper out there, I certainly can’t argue with that being I haven’t tried all the brands available. But I don’t think there are many that could argue that it isn’t one of the best. The other example I will give is Meguires color sanding paper. Again, it costs more than twice as much as 3M and many times more than some other brands but in my experience it is second to none.

If nothing else, at least with these two standards you can find out if what you are using makes the grade. It doesn’t have to be as good, but is the money you are spending getting you something at least close. There are many brands out there that do, they get very close in fact. So at the very least, get a few sheets of these papers and do a head to head comparison with what you are using now, at least you will know if you are getting your moneys worth.

So, does it really make that big of a difference, you bet your bippy it does.

First and foremost, like any good tool quality sandpaper and grinding discs do the work for you. This is hard work, back breaking work, why not make it as easy as you can on yourself?

Quality sandpaper CUTS. It CUTS plastic filler FLAT, it CUTS old paint off with less effort and heat. Quality grinding discs CUTS metal with less effort and less heat.

Quality sandpaper and grinding discs CUT what you are focusing on. A run in clear for instance, quality paper will cut JUST the run much easier. With poor quality paper you work harder at “rubbing” on the run and end up cutting surrounding areas thin or even THRU, before you CUT the run. Cutting plastic filler is the same idea. If you have a little high spot, you CUT the high spot down instead of surrounding areas that are not high.

Grinding discs, they CUT the weld down flat for instance without heating and thinning the surrounding metal. I have some “off brand” that I use at work that cut SOOOOOO much better than the big boys it isn’t even funny. Again, “quality” isn’t always expensive. These discs aren’t that cheap, but they are MUCH better than others we use for different purposes. They will CUT welds down on big jobs MUCH better and last MANY times longer. They are stiffer and so aggressive they aren’t a replacement for all discs though.

Get a couple of different brands and give them a head to head test. I am NOT saying you need to buy the ones I have given as a “standard” not by a long shot. At the shop where I work, we don’t use the Purple paper, it is pretty expensive and the boss doesn’t see the need. You may, but it is very expensive. Just know what you are using is the best you can get for YOUR money.

The “retail” packs with ten or fifteen sheets in them are in my experience always a LOSER. They are HORRIBLE quality and the worse part, they often cost MORE than the quality paper per sheet or disc! If you see no name on the back, holy cow, you are working with JUNK. You are working your butt off if you are using stuff from a retail pack with no name on the back.

Buy the rolls of quality discs, you know you will be using them in the future, so get the darn roll. I know it costs a lot, but it is WELL worth it.

In the long run, quality paper saves you money and time.


Brian

To further express that cost or brand name don’t mean a whole lot, the junk 100 grit and the super high quality 180 grit I used sanding my daughters dresser were both the same brand! One from the high end and one from there low end of offerings.

Brian

I just looked on e-bay for sandpaper and you can get bulk packs from major names that don't seem too expensive.

Does anyone have any opinions on that?

Read the article again, the answer to your question is yes and no. FIRST, you need to buy some locally and be sure it is what you want, buy the best, and buy what you want to get off ebay and try them out. JUST BECAUSE IT IS A "major" name doesn't mean jack. A "major" name will have JUNK just as easy as an off shore cheapie. If you are going to buy something be sure you are buying the exact same product (same part number) as you have tested.

Brian

I have a friend about an hour away who has a professional autobody shop.One day he called me up and asked if I could pick up an order for him in my town cause he couldn't make it before the store closed.I picked up a small bag of sandpaper and had to give the guy almost $150.00!! I couldn't believe it,I asked my friend(he reimbursed me)and he said pretty much what martinsr said.I believe him,he does excellent work

I agree with brian 100%. I bought one box of off brand 320 da paper and the disc' would fly off the pad. Now I use them for hand sanding.
Nothing beats quality products.I always use 3m or mirka. The cost difference is made up in the fact the paper lasts longer.

Great thread brian.

wilbur

I have a friend with that owns a company that distributes cutting/grinding/sanding supplies, (I call him the abrasive salesman). If anyone ever needs advice you can email me and I'll get you his contact info. He's very honest and will give you a run down on which name brand and off brand products are good.

You'ld be suprized at what you can find at the ag and home stores in their paint departments. I get all my sandpaper at TSC and Menard's. The carry 3M, I can get the quality stuff for about what the cheap stuff costs at the auto boby store or the flaps. The only exeption is 2000 grit or finer, then I have to go the thy body store.

yes i used to by cheape 80 grit for shaping body work now i use rolls of round self stick 180 disks for shaping it works better and its ready for build primer with no other paper its amazing the defferance you are right waste money and time with cheape paper

Try MIRKA GOLD long board paper. I use 40,80 grit paper for fast cutting I call it "rocks on paper". It cuts fast and clean, does not gum up and last a long time. a buddy gave me a sleeve of 3m long board paper and it was terrible. it gummed up and the grit actually started coming off. BUT...I do use 3m brand long board paper in a roll so you peel and stick it to your blocks however long you need. I use the 180 and 400 grit papers for winding down on the primer work and final sand prior to final primer. I use 3m brand "wet or dry" full sheet paper 400 grit for final final wet sand. I don't use the D-A much except for rough cutting.A smooth ,arrow straight finish both in body work and primer is done with blocks. guide coat with cheap "FLAT" black paint-block sand- prime -block -guide coat-block sand etc....Side note..I do not use the scratch putty in a tooth paste tube...over time it shrinks and cracks...USC makes a product called HALFTIME it is creamy, sands great and is non staining...I am not a sales rep...I just found products that work great for me.

Try MIRKA GOLD long board paper. I use 40,80 grit paper for fast cutting I call it "rocks on paper". It cuts fast and clean, does not gum up and last a long time. a buddy gave me a sleeve of 3m long board paper and it was terrible. it gummed up and the grit actually started coming off. BUT...I do use 3m brand long board paper in a roll so you peel and stick it to your blocks however long you need. I use the 180 and 400 grit papers for winding down on the primer work and final sand prior to final primer. I use 3m brand "wet or dry" full sheet paper 400 grit for final final wet sand. I don't use the D-A much except for rough cutting.A smooth ,arrow straight finish both in body work and primer is done with blocks. guide coat with cheap "FLAT" black paint-block sand- prime -block -guide coat-block sand etc....Side note..I do not use the scratch putty in a tooth paste tube...over time it shrinks and cracks...USC makes a product called HALFTIME it is creamy, sands great and is non staining...I am not a sales rep...I just found products that work great for me.

Of course it really depends on WHICH 3m paper you got. The 3M "Green" or "Purple" in long board form are quality papers.

Brian

remeber folks sandpaper is different. there is gp paper. paper for wood, and paper for metal.so look to see what the paper is.