Buying Sandpaper?

Checksum · Post by **Checksum** » Sat Jan 19, 2013 7:40 am

I am wanting to stock up on some sandpaper. Mainly for model building. But my local O'Reileys auto store is mega expensive for only a couple of sheets. So trying to be smart, I was hoping to buy online and buy in bulk. So where does everyone get the best deals on Sandpaper? Obviously I would want wet/dry and probably an assortment up to 2000 or possibly even higher for polishing.

Wug · Post by **Wug** » Sat Jan 19, 2013 11:05 am

I buy packs of 3M wet/dry sandpaper from Walmart or Home Depot. When you say "stock up" how much do you want to buy?

Checksum · Post by **Checksum** » Sat Jan 19, 2013 11:49 am

Well I would like to get maybe 10-20 sheets of say 1000. Maybe 5-10 sheets of 1500,2000. And maybe 5 sheets of something 15000-20000 or whatever is close to that for polishing finishes. Where I live most places dont have anything over 600 grit. Thats considered super fine. In my opinion its not. Its medium. 10000 or 15000 is super fine.
The one place that does have the finer grits wants like .80 to a dollar per sheet. They sell it by the sheet. Thats expensive if you ask me.

Checksum · Post by **Checksum** » Sat Jan 19, 2013 11:49 am

double post

kenlilly106 · Post by **kenlilly106** » Sat Jan 19, 2013 12:57 pm

Wet or dry sandpaper is more expensive than the plain ol' hardware store garnet paper used in woodworking, just a fact of life on that one. And once you get past 2000 grit or so the price starts going up even more.

Unless you're sanding a lot or sanding on very hard surfaces a sheet will last a long time, I buy the 4 packs of 9"x11" sheets from Wal-Mart, a pack lasts me a long time, can't remember when I bought the last pack. For the finer grits (1000, 1500, 2000) I buy the 5 sheet packs of 3.67" x 9" from Wal-Mart as well.

I cut business card sized pieces out of the sheets and use those until they're used up or too raggedy to use anymore and then I cut a fresh piece. I think I started on a new piece of 400 grit sometime in September and it's still good (show you how fast I model though..).

I think the last time I used a whole sheet at once was to polish some scratches out of my car, for modeling purposes the stuff goes a long way so your average cost is quite low.

Ken

Kylwell · Post by **Kylwell** » Sat Jan 19, 2013 1:40 pm

Normal grades of sandpaper I get @ the hardware store. If I'm luck they might have 1200 or 2400.

Beyond that I picked up some polishing films, really fine sandpaper on plastic, from MicroMark. IIRC K&S also has a pack.

Stu Pidasso · Post by **Stu Pidasso** » Sat Jan 19, 2013 2:08 pm

If you have a Harbor Freight Tools nearby, they have all those grits up to 1200 for like $4 for 5 sheets of 8" x 11". Or Wal-Mart has less of a selection, but they do have lots cheap.

Kolschey · Post by **Kolschey** » Sat Jan 19, 2013 2:17 pm

Stu Pidasso wrote:If you have a Harbor Freight Tools nearby, they have all those grits up to 1200 for like $4 for 5 sheets of 8" x 11". Or Wal-Mart has less of a selection, but they do have lots cheap.

Agreed. I tend to buy the basic sandpaper at HFT, and find it a perfectly reasonable price.

Checksum · Post by **Checksum** » Sat Jan 19, 2013 2:47 pm

I actually do have a Harbor Freight Tools about 45 minutes south of me. It never dawned on me that they might carry sandpaper. I thought it was just a tool place.
I also think alot of my problem in using up lots of sandpaper was that I was dry sanding. I was using wet/dry sandpaper and dry sanding and I was going thru that stuff like water.
As for a polishing kit. Does anyone have any recommendations on that?

Kylwell · Post by **Kylwell** » Sat Jan 19, 2013 3:52 pm

I use Novus or Tamiya polish.

Tankmodeler · Post by **Tankmodeler** » Sat Jan 19, 2013 10:23 pm

80 cents a 8.5 x 11 sheet for 2000 grit wet/dry is really cheap. Be happy if you can find it that cheap.

For the 10K-20K sheets, expect to pay more.

Can I ask what kind of models require that kind of polishing? The only guys I know that go to that level of polish are the car guys and their 60" reflective shines.

Paul

sbaxter · Post by **sbaxter** » Sun Jan 20, 2013 8:23 am

I was at AutoZone a couple of weeks ago and saw that the 3M/Scotch line they carry (of the smaller 3.75" x 9" sheets or whatever they are) now includes a 3000 grit. I think that for most modeling purposes, a rag made from an old T-shirt would work for polishing needs beyond that, unless you're talking about clear plastic.

Qapla'

SSB

scratchy · Post by **scratchy** » Sat Jan 26, 2013 1:07 pm

kenlilly106 wrote:Unless you're sanding a lot or sanding on very hard surfaces a sheet will last a long time, I buy the 4 packs of 9"x11" sheets from Wal-Mart, a pack lasts me a long time, can't remember when I bought the last pack. For the finer grits (1000, 1500, 2000) I buy the 5 sheet packs of 3.67" x 9" from Wal-Mart as well.

Ken

I was at Walmart yesterday, and I remembered your post. Got a couple packages while I was there.

Many thanks.

Lt. Z0mBe · Post by **Lt. Z0mBe** » Sun Jan 27, 2013 1:31 am

Wug wrote:I buy packs of 3M wet/dry sandpaper from Walmart or Home Depot. When you say "stock up" how much do you want to buy?

Seconded. I buy a pack of the assorted stuff maybe once every few years or so. Cut strips off as needed.

Kenny

Post by **TER-OR** » Wed Jan 30, 2013 9:43 pm

That black wet/dry can be epoxied to sticks, dowels, strips, marble slabs, etc. I still use the hobby shop strips, too. Though I did see a tip to epoxy egg carton styrofoam to a harder surface and sandpaper to make your own.

starmanmm · Post by **starmanmm** » Fri Feb 22, 2013 10:18 pm

Once a year, there is this huge auto swap meet where I pick up wet/dry 600 on up to 2000 for roughly $15 for a package of 50. As you can guess, they are selling it to people who do body work.

So, check out those auto meets and see what you can find.

Andrew Gorman · Post by **Andrew Gorman** » Sat Feb 23, 2013 12:05 am

Find an auto body supply store- they are out there, you just have to look for them. And get a 3 pound tube of filler putty while you are there.