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Wet Sanding Issue

Posted: Fri Apr 01, 2016 10:50 am
by DocAitch
I have been using my 320 and 400 grits wet, because I really appreciate the increased rate of material removal, especially when defining my understain.
Unfortunately, I am seeing that the stem stands "proud" of the shank by a small amount when I move on (enough to see and feel). I have had to back track with files and dry paper to correct this.
I am assuming that the briar swells when wet then shrinks as it drys, the only alternate explanation that I can hypothesize is that I have sloppy mortise/tenon fit and that the mechanical pressure pushes the stem as I sand, then the stem rebounds. I don't think this is the mechanism because my tenon fitting is not that bad and the same phenomenon does not occur when I sand dry.
Any thought from the experienced guys?
DocAitch

Re: Wet Sanding Issue

Posted: Fri Apr 01, 2016 11:08 am
by baweaverpipes
Yep! Briar swells with moisture.

Re: Wet Sanding Issue

Posted: Fri Apr 01, 2016 12:14 pm
by caskwith
As Bruce says, the briar swells you sand it flush, then it shrinks back when dry. I only wet sand stems.

Re: Wet Sanding Issue

Posted: Sat Apr 02, 2016 12:10 pm
by Charl
Ditto to the above. Easy to solve though! :wink:

Re: Wet Sanding Issue

Posted: Wed Apr 06, 2016 9:27 am
by Sasquatch
A man goes to the doctor, he says "Doc, it hurts when I do this..."

Re: Wet Sanding Issue

Posted: Thu Apr 07, 2016 7:35 am
by Joe Hinkle Pipes
i did this for quite a while before i learned that the time saved wet sanding the junction is lost when you have to resand the junction. now i generally wet sand the stem, wet sand the bowl(if necessary) but not the shank or junction. Wet sanding with alcohol will make less impact, but you will still get some amount of swelling.

Re: Wet Sanding Issue

Posted: Fri Apr 08, 2016 3:32 pm
by DocAitch
You are right, Sasquatch. I knew the answer as I wrote the post, but I was hoping for a hint on how to keep my wet sanding and avoid the problem.
Yes, when it hurts, I generally stop doing it, (after hurting myself 20-30x).
Thank you other gentlemen for your replies, I think that I will follow Mr Hickle's approach. I may have to tape the junction because I do slop water all over the place.
DocAitch

Re: Wet Sanding Issue

Posted: Tue Apr 12, 2016 9:58 pm
by Sasquatch
The idea of wet-sanding wood is totally antithetical to me.

Sand as you please, but wood doesn't generate a slick swarf the way many materials (metals, ebonite) do. All it does is get gummy and change dimensions.

I think you'd see way better results from sanding dry through to about 400, then doing a "sanding sealer" coat, which is essentially alcohol with a tiny bit of shellac in it, really super thin. This will raise the grain on any damaged wood, it will evaporate (you aren't ever SOAKING the wood here). Then you re-sand this as you please, maybe at 500 or whatever, and the thing is ready for stain. Or shellac, or whatever the hell you want to do to it.

Buy good sandpaper, throw it out when it's dull.

Re: Wet Sanding Issue

Posted: Tue Apr 12, 2016 10:15 pm
by PremalChheda
Sasquatch wrote:The idea of wet-sanding wood is totally antithetical to me.

Sand as you please, but wood doesn't generate a slick swarf the way many materials (metals, ebonite) do. All it does is get gummy and change dimensions.

I think you'd see way better results from sanding dry through to about 400, then doing a "sanding sealer" coat, which is essentially alcohol with a tiny bit of shellac in it, really super thin. This will raise the grain on any damaged wood, it will evaporate (you aren't ever SOAKING the wood here). Then you re-sand this as you please, maybe at 500 or whatever, and the thing is ready for stain. Or shellac, or whatever the hell you want to do to it.

Buy good sandpaper, throw it out when it's dull.
IAWS