Sanding: Wearing or smoothing of a surface with sandpaper or other abrasive material.
Origins of the sanding process
Sanding processes date back four millennia when sand was used for polishing in the Middle East. In its beginnings, loose sand was used, it was spread on the surface to be polished and it was repeatedly rubbed with a piece of wood or leather.
Later the known sandpaper and used today originated in the year 1,400 in Switzerland, where in a simple process crushed glass was adhered to a paper support to obtain an abrasive material. The sandpaper comes from the simple sandblasted cardboard that over time gave way to different varieties of this very useful tool.
Sanding means to smooth, polish, polish, or clean something by rubbing it with an abrasive object, usually sandpaper. Sanding is a critical task in any finishing job.
“A good finish is impossible without a perfect sanding. "
How to use sandpaper?
The sanding a surface It is carried out by means of longitudinal movements on it, manual or by machine, in such a way that the granulated part of the sandpaper rub the area to be treated.
To sand surfaces, simply press the smooth face of the sandpaper with the hand on them although flat surfaces or jointer that help to make the necessary pressure.
In addition, there are orbital sanders, in which sandpaper is attached to a plate that when you rotate the work done on the object with greater speed and efficiency.
A good sanding required time and be very attentive to details.
Techniques of sanding by hand
The technique of hand sanding can be carried out through the application in wet or dry:
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The hand sanding to water or humid
It is performed by immersing the sand in the water to cook out of the remains of the sanding. The main advantage of the sanding the water is the fact that occur less dust, avoids the embozamiento and extends the useful life of the sandpaper. Allows you to obtain a surface finish is finer in comparison with the dry sanding.
The drawback of sanding the water resides in the need of having to clean the remnants of moisture from the surface so as not to affect the following stages of implementation of paintings.
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The hand sanding in dry.
This type of sanding, which is the most known and used, is performed directly on the surface. The dry sanding causes dust and particles for a good outcome in the process, it should go cleansing (usually with blowers) to prevent scratches, unwanted at the surface.
Types of sandpaper for hand sanding
Sanding by hand is very common and essential to many times in some objects with shapes, very intricate where we can not access automatically.
Hand sanding Abrastar proposed:
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EMERY PAPER
Sheets of sandpaper for hand sanding are usually of paper although there are also in support of fabric. Particularly flexible and specified to withstand the wet sanding.
- Sheet abrasive paper STAR-WAT. Sheet of sandpaper dimensions 230×280 mm with support of high-quality, water-resistant, with exceptional flexibility. Manufactured with a special resin that minimizes the appearance of marks in the spiral in the wet sanding. Box of 50 units.
- Sheet abrasive paper KS-PRO. Sheet of sandpaper dimensions 230×280 mm. Manufactured on a support type-C (support very lightweight to support G very heavy) on aluminum oxide, and resin-cola. Box of 50 units.
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SPONGES AND PLUGS ABRASIVE
Sponges and tacos with foam they are widely used for its great ability to adapt to complicated shapes thanks to its excellent flexibility. They are very versatile and easy to use. Generally classified in scales of the three measures of grain coarse, medium, fine, although there are some products with intermediate measures or special very fine.
How do we differentiate the studs of the sponges? Very easy tacos are thicker and have surface abrasive on the four sides , while the sponges only have sanded by one or two faces, and are thinner, so that adapt much better to any surface.
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ROLLS OF SANDPAPER
In Abrastar we have a wide range of rolls abrasives in different qualities and brackets. Although they are specially prepared for use in sander automatic, the features more or less flexible and easy to cut are also used for hand sanding with extra strength, durability and flexibility than the sheets of sanding paper.
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ROLLS OF FIBER MESH
Rolls Abrastar fiber non-woven nylon are ideal for applications softened or satin after sanding.
The rolls of fiber or commonly called scouring pads are manufactured or woven by the threads of nylon intertwined without work more or less fine. We could not classify them exactly as sandpaper, but due to their usefulness in the treatment and sanding of surfaces has been included in this section.
The nylon fibers have an effect on surfaces in general different from that of sandpaper. The abrasive will lowering the workpiece by abrasion by dragging the material and lifting the hair or thread of stuff while and then what we got with the fiber mesh is lower and soften this repelo getting a better ending and final finish of the product.
Selection of the type of sandpaper more appropriate
Today there are a wide variety of types of abrasive papers that are specifically selected are used for a multitude of applications sanding on all surfaces. Choose the most appropriate for the different phases or stages of the work to be performed sanding will be of great importance
Some general examples of treated surfaces with sanding applications:
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Sanding wood.
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Sanding metal.
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Sanding composites.
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Sanding, painting and decorating.
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Sanding glass.
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Sanded leather.
- Etc...
Security measures are important in the process of sanding
- To protect the view of particles safety glasses are appropriate.
- Use of a respiratory mask for filtration of dust generated by the sanding.
- For sanding with automatic machines we should not forget the safety measures common of all the electrical appliances (do not put them near sources of moisture or heat, do not pull on the cable, etc.).
- The machine we have to keep it tightly with both hands during the sanding and you should turn it off for the exchange or replacement of sandpaper.
