We just do dry sanding all the time in my shop. The jump between 400 and 800 is too much if you ask me. If you got any kind of scratching at a 400 level you need to go to 500/600 tops to get those out, then move up to 800. Keep in mind to that just like clear coat polishing you need to be cleaning after every single grit change or that old grit residue is going to spoil your next sanding.

Yes, water will help the paper stay clean and with a spoon full of dish soup the wheel will stay clean. The 800 has a hard time removing 400 sand scratchs

Wow, I didnt know. Thanks, Darrel, and Ed. Boy, what a chore. I guess I need to shop for more sandpaper. Each grit costs a bunch too. Oh well.

Will try the wetting as well, what the heck. . I will report back!!

Thanks, people.

What usually drives people crazy about processes like this is that it is the "errant" piece or pieces of debris which grind themselves into your paper that start leaving those coarse scratches. You're sanding along with say a 400 grit paper but you build up a sharp particle of crap that scratches more like a 220 rip here and there. You end up learning to keep your surfaces cleaner and change sandpaper sooner as well.

DarrelK wrote:What usually drives people crazy about processes like this is that it is the "errant" piece or pieces of debris which grind themselves into your paper that start leaving those coarse scratches. You're sanding along with say a 400 grit paper but you build up a sharp particle of crap that scratches more like a 220 rip here and there. You end up learning to keep your surfaces cleaner and change sandpaper sooner as well.

Yup. Im afraid this could be whats happening Darrel. Soooo discouraging, spending so much time methodically working the surface, and brushing of dust every time, still scratches. Dang- I have to try the air wheel now, which you advised. I first wanted to try my "hand" on it, with the sandpaper I had mostly on the shelf.

Only apprehension I have about the "motorized" air wheels is do I spin the wheel with rouge in the direction/in line with the aluminum surfaces or crossways? I fear the thinner ridges of ny 20 slot wheel are too thin such that the rouge might rub against inside charcoal edges, which I dont want........