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I just received my Norton 220/1000 and 4000/8000 the other day and wanted to ask a few questions.
First: I couldn't find any glass at Home Depot to put my sandpaper on so I bought a 12" x 12" smooth marble tile. Is that OK? I have seen recommendations of using a "granite tile" but I did not see any there.
Second: I know the 4000 and 8000 have to be lapped but should I lap the 220 side as well as the 1000 on the other stone?
I bought a synthetic tile of some sort from Lowe's but ultimately found that it wasn't really flat. I've used a pane of glass on a flat surface, and that should work fine. I've essentially stopped using my 220 stone because it was just too rough. Lapping it isn't easy. I do lap the 1000 grit stone, but just use 220, 320, 400 and 600 grit sandpaper for that. I use the DMT 325 for the other stones. I've found some 1000, 1500 and 2000 grit sandpaper I use for finishers.
If you get the opportunity to get a DMT-325, here is a lapping video just out for you to look at;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=
Check your tile with a straight edge, go diagonally across it. You may be ok. You can also use your countertop as a flat surface....
i bought a granite slab from woodcraft for 25.00 its within .001 just sayin
I just lay the wet/dry sandpaper on my counter top to lap and call it good. Just my two cents
Did the 8,000 side but the 4,000 is a PITA!
I am sick of lapping it on sandpaper already. Almost wished I wouldn't have bought it to be honest. :(
Hang in there, take a break, ,,,what grit & type of paper are you using??/
Hirlau, I am using 3M "Sandblaster" paper 180, 220, 320 and some Norton 320.
I have probably lapped on it for 2 hours and it still feels slightly grainy and porous.
Not quite as smooth as the 1,000 Norton is after lapping
Sorry if this is a dumb question, I tried to answer this with GOOGLE; is this paper you are using a wet/dry paper? Are you lapping under water?
Actually it doesn't say if it is a wet/dry paper but the water does not affect it and it lasts a long time I think. I have the paper on a marble tile in the big garage sink and the surface is wet the whole time.
Some thoughts to compare, I don't drop below 325(I use a DMT) to lap & i finish (after it's flat with 1500 wet/dry wrapped around my DMT) ; now back to your problem, pencil it as in the video, it should vanish in 10 minutes of so, the pencil it again, then remove again, ,,,,if you are following the video & it takes 2 hours to remove the pencil, then I suspect that your marble tile is way off(not flat).
Your thoughts?
No Hirlau, not two hours to remove the pencil lines, as I have removed them two or three times.
The surface just still feels too grainy. The 1,000 Norton that I lapped first is smoother than this.
O.K., now I understand, sorry, put a "clean , unused 1500 or above" on the 4k side with only a few strokes/swirls.
Could some of the sand left the bonding of your paper?
I use a certified flat granite plate from eBay. Cost maybe 40 or 50 bones. Then I use whatever sandpaper I need to lap with. I also use it for sharpening chisels with sandpaper. Works great and it's fast.
I will try some 600 or 800 as I don't have anything higher.Quote:
Originally Posted by Hirlau
I don't believe any of the grit is coming off into the stone, no. This sandpaper holds together really well.
I just checked it dry before I left for work and I think its about done. A little light lapping with just the weight of the stone should be fine.
Don't forget to chamfer the edges!
Thanks Lemur
I finished it off last night with some worn 400 grit 3M paper and called it good. It feels pretty smooth now. Anxious to try it.
The grittiness you were feeling may just have been the scratch pattern left from the sandpaper. On a waterstone I don't think that's an issue. Lots of us lap our Nortons with 325-grit plates and don't think about any scratch pattern left behind.
Some natural hones, especially novaculites (Arkansas, Charnley Forest, and other natural oil hones) do benefit from smoother surfaces. My own Charnley hones much better since I maxed out its smoothness with a flat piece of plain steel.
Best wishes