[Davis Linder]

I’ve read several posts on what type of sandpaper fabs use to get the best finish on their tops but have yet to see anyone address what type of sanding motion is the best. Do most fabs go front to back, side to side, diagonal, circular or a combination? Also does anybody use the Surcare large footprint sander? My guys seem to like the festool sanders better but wondering how fabs best utilize it.

[Shane Barker]

We have a Surcare sander but cannot get a consistent finish from it so my fabricators like it on the shelf better than using it. I recently purchased a couple of Gem sanders and they love them, we get a great finish. In the shop we also use the Festool sanders but we mostly use them for sanding the seams and maybe sanding out scratches but for the most part if we are not using the Gems we use air sanders in a circular motion.

Shane

[Norm Walters]

I have a Gem also, it is very well balanced. I was taught to sand side to side, then front to back, if you want to go even further go at a diagonal as a last step, overlapping by half. I use Festools sanders for small vanities, edges, and sinks.

[Dani Homrich]

I have 2 large sanders and all they do is sit in a cabinet. The rocking motion while sanding would always leave marks in a satin finish. The largest sander that I now use is a 6” with a CRE couture pad, because of the thin rim on the edge the rocking motion doesn’t leave marks. Now all I have to do is sand in one direction, no lines, marks, swirl marks, only a perfect finish every time.

Dani

[John Paulette]

And what two “large sanders” do you have stuck in the cabinet Dani??

[Dani Homrich]

Dave,

That sounds like a loaded question, but you are more than welcome to come to my shop and I will show you. I will say this, I purchased both sanders years ago for a large commercial job spec in a matt finish. They worked great on the 30” and 42” wide tops, no complaints. Because I usually sell a fine satin finish with a cove backsplash the large sanders are useless in the corners, sink, and cutout areas. These areas always had to be backed up with a 5” or 6” sander. The sanding pattern is much different with a large sander than the small. On many colors in a satin finish these patterns would show up and the only fix was to resand the entire top with the smaller sander, sometimes even needing to back up a grit. I found this to be very time consuming, fact actually wasting time.
I did do a time comparison with sanding large and small verses sanding just small on these type of tops, and found out it was about 20% faster to sand just small with this type of top. The other finish I install is a mirror polished finish it is almost impossible to achieve that finish if a large sander is used, unless you have a week to sand your job. Don’t get me wrong large sanders are great and have there place in many shops, but because of the type of tops I build and the finishes I sell they aren’t currently being used in my shop. Now if I sold another matt finish job with out a cove I would get them out and blow the dust off.

Dani

[Ed]

Ahhh no Dani, there’s nothing “loaded” about the question at all. You said you had 2 large sanders collecting dust. I simply asked what they were.

[Wags]

Dani have you ever tried using the larger sanders on the full sheets before you cut them? I have several customers that sand a grit or two first, then cut and fabricate. At that point they are only sanding the finer grits, unless something gets scratched during fabrication. In other words, sand with say 60 micron while the sheet is full, then fabricate and sand at 30 micron with the smaller sanders. Then finish up with scotch brite or whatever your next step is.

[Harry Hollander]

That would depend on whose full sheets you are sanding. There are to many to count where you are not going to start with 60u (220g), especially the Chinese sheets. What is akin to 80U (180g) & 100u (150g) would be the natural progression of sanding. At least from what is requested from us.

[Dani Homrich]

Wags,

I have done that in the past, sometimes. Now with the sheets I sell my starting grit on the deck is 30µ.

Dani

[Wags]

My experience is that most shops start out sanding at too aggressive a grit, and actually cause more sanding than is needed. I sell an asian product and it is sanded to at least 220. My shops almost always start out at 60 micron and progress from there. They will use 80 or 100 on seams or other “problem” areas but have great sucess starting out at 60.

[Tim Arbour]

That’s the problem wags, no SS fabricators use the same sequence to get to the promised land. Our 11 1/4″ micron by sales volume.

60u – 220g

100u – 150g

80u – 180g

And, I’m talking on average, 5000 pieces in total per month.

[Dani Homrich]

Dave,

For an answer to your question 8″ Dynabrade and a Gem

Dani

[Tom M]

Dani,

The only Dynabrade we have came mounted on the CNC. I think we used it – ummm… once.

Have you been doing sol surf since ’74?

Tom

[Dani Homrich]

Tom,

No, I started by business in January of 1974 building custom high gloss Lacquered, Wood, and Laminate furniture for interior designers. I didn’t start doing Solid Surface until 1985. Do you remember the Parson’s Table designed by the Parsons School of Design, I built tons of them.

Dani

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