Is 3x4" orbital sander good for clear sanding?

[Jim C]

yes in those finer grits its finishing film meant for color sanding clear. i used eagle yellow for years because it lasted so much longer than 3m but i recently switched over to sunmight because its just so much better then the eagle yellow. i am almost all sunmight now in my shop for everything. the ceramic discs are just so much better and cheaper than anything out there. granted they dont cut super fast compared to 3m but they outlast 3m 3-4:1. they just keep on going.

Sunmight 6" Film Solid Grip Sanding Discs

Sunmight 6" Film Solid Grip Sanding Discs are a premium product with strong and even film backing that allows for excellent surface finish and longer working life. Sunmight Film features a polyester backing that is strong and durable; does not tear or crack easily and perfect for sanding edges...

www.finishingfocus.com

as for the sander orbit, there should be no difference in buffability of the scratches. a 1500 grit scratch is a 1500 grit scratch no matter the orbit of the sander. where the 3/32 comes to play is for someone that doesnt have a good feel for a sander and it keeps them from cutting through because it cuts waaaay slower so there is a bit more control.

 

[Klein E]

yes in those finer grits its finishing film meant for color sanding clear. i used eagle yellow for years because it lasted so much longer than 3m but i recently switched over to sunmight because its just so much better then the eagle yellow. i am almost all sunmight now in my shop for everything. the ceramic discs are just so much better and cheaper than anything out there. granted they dont cut super fast compared to 3m but they outlast 3m 3-4:1. they just keep on going.

Sunmight 6" Film Solid Grip Sanding Discs

Sunmight 6" Film Solid Grip Sanding Discs are a premium product with strong and even film backing that allows for excellent surface finish and longer working life. Sunmight Film features a polyester backing that is strong and durable; does not tear or crack easily and perfect for sanding edges...

www.finishingfocus.com

as for the sander orbit, there should be no difference in buffability of the scratches. a 1500 grit scratch is a 1500 grit scratch no matter the orbit of the sander. where the 3/32 comes to play is for someone that doesnt have a good feel for a sander and it keeps them from cutting through because it cuts waaaay slower so there is a bit more control.

Sounds great! 3m purple film really costs me a lot. And yes, I should get a good 3/16" sander, my old one just sucks, I guessed those deep scratches are caused by its vibrations before, but I'm not sure that time so I just got a good 3/32" sander. Seems a good 3/16" sander won't cause a problem either.

 

[Jim C]

get a dynabrade sander and it will last you a lifetime. 3m's sanders are very good as well. i have had 3 of them now for 15 years. be sure when your doing any color sanding, either wet or dry that you always use a soft interface pad. usually 3/8-1/2" thick. if you don't you will have very irregular sanding scratches.

 

[JC Daniel]

Make sure to clean your sanding disc very often, a lot of trouble comes from dirt being on the finish and the disc grabs it and swirls it around all over the panel creating pigtails everywhere.