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IndustryArena Forum > Material Technology > Material Machining Solutions > Sanding Aluminum - with the grain?
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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Posts
    525

    Sanding Aluminum - with the grain?

    I've got some 220, 400 and 600 grit sandpaper that I'm using to finish aluminum.
    I've started experimenting and noticed quite a bit of different when I sand with versus against the grain. Is there a "best practice" for this?

    Also, I've never used "wet" sandpaper before. Is that a must-have for this process? I'm not looking for a mirror-finish; simply trying to get rid of endmill tool path marks.

    Thanks!
    Tormach PCNC 1100, SprutCAM, Alibre CAD

  2. #2
    I'd only bother with the 200 grit if your makes are really deep. 400 should be good, finishing with the 600. This depends on the rest of the finish though, and you may find that going 600 might make the area you're working on too polished compared to the rest of the piece. Wet sanding works really well in that it provides some lubrication to make moving the piece around easier. Quite often, using dry sand paper will cause you it to catch. When this happens, it causes more damage and ruins the paper- meaning you no longer have a nice even surface to sand with. Creases in sand paper are bad.
    R&B Cutter Grinding @ www.endmill-sharpening.com!

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Posts
    525
    R&B - thanks for the info!
    Tormach PCNC 1100, SprutCAM, Alibre CAD

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Posts
    4826
    If the nature of the toolmarks is mostly appearance and not actual fingernail-snagging roughness, Scotchbrite works fairly well. It is available in different coarsenesses, too. It doesn't load up like sandpaper.

    If one must sand to remove actual toolmark gouges, then you've probably got a thousandth or two to remove and will have to use sandpaper. If you have small fillets and corners to get into, a selection of sizes of vinyl tubing comes in handy as a backing. You can wrap the paper around the tubing to approximate your fillet radius, yet the tubing is flexible enough to give and follow the contours better than fingertip or a rigid backing.
    First you get good, then you get fast. Then grouchiness sets in.

    (Note: The opinions expressed in this post are my own and are not necessarily those of CNCzone and its management)

  5. #5
    Quote Originally Posted by tikka308 View Post
    I've got some 220, 400 and 600 grit sandpaper that I'm using to finish aluminum.
    I've started experimenting and noticed quite a bit of different when I sand with versus against the grain. Is there a "best practice" for this?

    Also, I've never used "wet" sandpaper before. Is that a must-have for this process? I'm not looking for a mirror-finish; simply trying to get rid of endmill tool path marks.

    Thanks!


    if you going against the grain on raw stock then you may find a difference ,you shouldn t see a difference on a machined part
    sometimes aerospace parts need to have the grain running a certain way on the part for documentation sakes

    varsol works well for wet sanding , wet sanding keeps paper unclogged

    what paper are you using in your polishing tutorial video when your sanding in the bathtub ? http://www.cnczone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=53095

    i really don t agree with the sanding block you use in the video , you should be using a smooth flat surface , uing a pad with soft foam will round the corners and you will not get an even smooth finish
    A poet knows no boundary yet he is bound to the boundaries of ones own mind !! ........

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Posts
    525
    dertsap - you're right, the foam was a poor choice because it did subject the corners to being rounded. The sandpaper is 3M Imperial - http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3...glWK3JKNBXNXbl
    Tormach PCNC 1100, SprutCAM, Alibre CAD

  7. #7
    i had an aluminum disc that mounted in the drill press chuck , on it i used the round sticky one side sanding pads for orbital sanders , a 600 grit pad worked incredably well ,the finish was in comparison to a ground finish , except the grind marks didn t run straight if you know what i mean , it was easy to polish from that point
    it's a simple thing to make and saves a ton of hand work , it's something i've completely forgotten about until now , i think i'll have to do some digging and see if i still have it ,
    A poet knows no boundary yet he is bound to the boundaries of ones own mind !! ........

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Aug 2015
    Posts
    3

    Re: Sanding Aluminum - with the grain?

    Hello, if you need help. I am a professional Aluminum Sander and Polisher. I like to use a 400, 800, and 1500 for the best results. Watch this video for an instruction if needed.

    https://youtu.be/aJat0G3Aj8Q

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Aug 2015
    Posts
    3

    Re: Sanding Aluminum - with the grain?

    Here is a slightly better version of the video for all so see.

    https://youtu.be/Kc_n1FdDHEk

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Aug 2015
    Posts
    3

    Re: Sanding Aluminum - with the grain?

    I am a professional, and I sanded from a 220 grit sandpaper all the way up to a 5000 grit, Hope this video helps you. Good luck How To Sand and Polish Aluminum To Mirror Finish - YouTube

  11. #11
    Join Date
    May 2006
    Posts
    803

    Re: Sanding Aluminum - with the grain?

    Skills trade.....You are the professional polishing man...
    My work is amateur, with no wheels, block and soft block only to 3000.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails LP Reflection outside.jpg  
    Been doing this too long

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