5 Reasons for Woodturners to Wet Sand! 

Great video There is a sixth reason for wet sanding - you hinted at it but didn't give it the attention it deserves. Wet sanding causes wood fibers to stiffen and stand up so that the abrasive can more easily/quickly sut them off to produce a smooth surface. This is a very effective way to deal with torn grain. An issue that I think needs more attention - the interaction between the sanding lubricant and the final finish. I think that has the potential of being a significant problem, and Ive never found a good discussion of the subject.

Cool video

Thanks for the shout out for my suggestion to make a video on this subject. You seem to have done a great job on the video, but I see from the comments below that there is more to learn. You Tube is such a great idea with the exchange of information and new ideas. Waiting for more videos Mike, keep up the good work!

I am absolutely sold on wet power sanding with walnut oil because it polymerizes and forms its own beautiful finish. I start with a sanding sealer and then sand through the grits in forward and reverse and get amazing results every time.

Another great video Mike, pacted with some excellent tips and tricks. Cheers Mike

Very nice video! There is a lot of information here! SAFE TURNING, John.

Nice!!! I got some inspiration for wood surface preparation of my new home.

Very good tips and another very good video. I've been wet sanding for years. I'm not sure who got me started, but I believe it was Ed Davidson. I always use water as my lubricant when turning plastics or mixed media -- wood that has been mixed with plastic resin. I almost always use walnut oil as my lubricant for wood, but that's because that's my favorite final finish. By the time I'm through wet sanding I'm also through applying the finish! If I'm not going to be using walnut oil as the final finish, then I might use another lubricant -- something that will be compatible with that finish so I don't have to wait for the walnut oil to cure first. As you said, the only downside to wet sanding is the mess. Which is why my wife made me move my lathe out of our living room. With all the advantages of wet sanding you and your other commenters mentioned, I seldom dry sand anything. Some only wet sand at the hight grits. I don't. I start out wet sanding.

Always learn something from your videos.

I cannot speak to most of the oils you mentioned for wet sanding but one that was my wet sand of choice for quite a while when I first started turning was Mineral oil. I then topped it with my final finish of Minwax Antique Oil. It was fine at first but after about 6 months all the bowls that I had given away turned very sticky and the only way to correct that was to re turn them inside and out and dry sand and then re apply Minwax . The same happened with Salad Bowl finish so for me, I have dry sanded with dust extractor and respirator ever since. Mineral oil NOT for me.

Thanks Mike for yet another great 'tips & tricks' video!!! One little trick I regularly use are synthetic wine corks to clean my sanding disks! They are made of a similar rubber like material as the commercial block sanding disk cleaners yet cost nothing if you enjoy a glass of wine occasionally! ;>) Regular 'cork' wine corks won't work, but the synthetic corks do and one will last me many, many cleanings! Just a thought for another 'quick tip'!!! Again, THANKS for all your time and efforts to make these great videos for 'newbies' like myself! Safe turning to you and yours ALWAYS!

You made a convincing argument for wet sanding, Mike. I've wet sanded flat surfaces like cabinet doors but have yet to try it on the lathe. I'll try it on my next bowl. I'd really like to cut down the sanding dust. Most of my sanding materials should permit wet sanding techniques. I'm finding your channel a real "treasure trove" of useful tips I've not discovered on other channels. I've been turning for less than two years so there's a lot to learn. At my age, I'll never catch up to your experience but your videos are certainly speeding my progress. Thanks!

I've been using the Howard's product since Carl's show. I order it by the case. Thanks for the tip that it's on your pages. I liked that you mentioned both Carl and Sam as your inspiration. That changes what could have seemed like a "copy cat" piece into an addition to the topic. Class, Mike!

Love your videos Mike, I'm a big fan of wet sanding and especially on acrylics I where I use water with a squirt of dishwashing liquid in it, enough to make bubbles on the surface and I sand with Abranet sanding mesh. It's expensive but lasts so well it becomes cheep. Richard...

Awesome that he mentioned Gil Grace. He's my awesome brother!!!

I live in a very dry environment and sometimes the wood becomes so dry that it is very rough and chippy. I found putting some butcher block oil on it and letting it soak in helps both with turning and sanding. Since being diagnosed with asthma, wet sanding is my favorite method (especially when it is too hot to wear a mask).

Excellent video as usual. Have tried just about every lubricant you mentioned and after this video tried citrus degreaser. Had some in the garage since I'm a serious cyclist and use it to clean bike chains. It worked very well and, in my opinion, better than anything I previously tried. Thanks for the tip.

Thanks for the insight Mike. I too wet sand, in a small shop it's a must! I usually use a homemade concoction of Danish Oil, Mineral Oil and Beeswax. If the wood is punky I harden it off first with a good soaking of cellulose sealer.

Lots of info here and timely too. I like to sand outside but winter is coming. Thanks.

Greetings from New Zealand Mike, I always enjoy watching your videos on how to do stuff I have been turning wood for a year now and seeing videos like this helps me learn stuff I have just set my self up for power sanding on my mini lathe and closest I have to a real thin lubricant is kitchen bench oil which is a tung oil based penetrating oil I use on items that come into contact with food hopefuly this should work as a sanding oil as all my other wood finishes contain shellac.

Good video, Mike. I’ve never done wet sanding, but I’ll have to try it now.

Hi Mike, I’ve used Boiled Linseed oil at times but i don’t like how it darkens the wood. Other than that; nothing else, so i’m looking forward to that video about the sanding butter.

Can also use polyurethane wine corks to clean abrasive grits. I turned a little holder for them to preserve my finger tips

I will definitely try this out.

Thanks for the video! I wet sand after applying a ca finish on some things.

Thanks for the information Mike.

Thanks for the info. Never tried wet sanding but will now.

I like to do a good sanding with wood conditioner and 400 grit. I find it fills the grain and hides tool marks.

I just tried wet sanding after watching Sam's post and will never return to dry sanding again. No matter what mask I would wear when dry sanding I still suffered later that night. So I just bought 5L of citrus degreaser, and after watching your video it confirmed wet sanding all the way from now on.

I'm going to try wet sanding Mike, thanks for the tips

thank you

I appreciate your comment, Mike.

I don't always think about wet sanding with a drill, but good idea. Good vid....Sam

You mentioned using drying oils like tung and boiled linseed oil, I use teak oil as a finish or to make grain pop in figured woods, I'm now thinking it would work for sanding but was curious if anyone else has done this. Great video.

I learned something about mineral oil the hard way. I have colitis and mineral oil is a lubricant laxative. I'd wear gloves if finishing with mineral oil.

I used to use boiled linseed oil warmed in a jug of hot water , then I found baby oil [ mineral oil ] which is thinner and smells better too ,,. Regards Alf

Great tips Mike, thanks. One question, if I want to finish with lacquer or polyurethane, what do you recommend I wet sand with?

Thanks Mike for yet ANOTHER great video!!! Since I'm really cheap and always looking for ways to save a buck or two sooo I can purchase more woodturning items, I use synthetic wine corks for cleaning my sanding pads when I can instead of purchasing those 'expensive' sanding disk/belt cleaners!!! Yeah! I know it sounds silly, but when you're working on a retired budget...every penny counts and the synthetic wine corks works great and I feel better about 'recycling' tooo! ;>) Again, THANKS for all you do and safe wood turning ALWAYS to you and yours!!!

I started using wet sanding on my pen turning projects seem to work well. I like the lamp that you were working on I have to give that a try. Thanks for your videos.

Around 2:20, you address the issue of the sandpaper "loading up". This is why I quit wet sanding-about 3 seconds sanding, the paper loaded up and quit cutting. Or at least I thought it quit. But you say the grit is still there. I used various lubricants, water, mineral oil, even paint thinner. I'm asking here, not critiquing, was the paper still cutting? Was I mistaken in believing that it was all clogged up and useless? I would really like to give it another try as I had given it up as a lost cause.

i have yet to succeed wet sanding danish oil. it clouds the finish , and seems to never or take weeks to dry, is that the norm? i use brand new oil and humidity is stable.

I always wet sand but i put the liquid on the wood i tried it on the sandpaper but i didnt like it i didnt think it was effective as wetting the wood i use mineral oil or my own orange wax liquid

I dry shave have done years

Do you have a bad bearing on your lathe or live center?