Micro-mesh sanding pads - colours?

Is it just me, or does anyone else struggle to tell which coloured MicroMesh pad is which?

The ones I'm really not sure about are the 4000 and 8000 grits - which are described as 'Teal' and 'Royal Blue'.

I've just done the guitar in what I think is the 4000, and it has a lovely reflective finish.

Switched to the 6000 ('purple') pad, and started on that, and it seems to be making things less reflective, more of a satin finish. I'm worried that I might have started with the 8000 by mistake? :confused: I may have to get the scrap piece out again to try a few combinations, just to check I've not got the colours confused.

The clouds have rolled in, which doesn't help either, so I've packed it up for the day...

Here's a photo that the sandpaper people sent me when I checked with them... I assume the one on top is 4000, then 6000 in the middle, then 8000 on the bottom of the photo.

Which one did you think was the 4000? If your finish is thick enough, it shouldn't be a problem to go back and continue through the grits to the gray.

I'll check with my pads that I got but haven't used yet and let you know. I think you have the order right but lighting can play funny tricks on the eyes.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mjg

Here's a photo that the sandpaper people sent me when I checked with them... I assume the one on top is 4000, then 6000 in the middle, then 8000 on the bottom of the photo.

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Looks to me like the 'black' on the chart is more like Grey...and explains the result.

So from top to bottom Teal 4000

Black (grey) 2400

Royal Blue 8000

cheers, Mark.

Thanks guys. I started with the one that looks like the top one in the image above. According to the instructions the 4000 and 6000 should be satin finish, with 8000 and 120000 high gloss. Not sure how I've ended up with a reflective finish with just what I think is 4000 then.

I know the purple one I have is definitely 6000, because it's got '6000' stamped on the back in ink. Why they can't do that with all of them I don't know. :-)

Each of the pads in the 2 kits I have ordered did have the numbers on the pad.

In your pic it looks like 4000 Teal, 6000 Purple, 8000 Royal Blue from top to bottom.

Where is the Grey 12000 as that one does amazing things once you have done a solid job with 8000.

I've got the grey one as well, it wasn't in that photo.

I've had another look at the guitar inside under internal lighting, looks completely different compared to outside in full sun. So I suspect it's all ok...just got a shock when it went from reflective to satin when I went up from 4000 to 6000.

Next weekend I'm going to double check it all on my last bit of scrap, and also probably just do one quarter of the back of the guitar right through 4000, 6000, 8000 and 12000 to confirm I've got the order right before doing the whole guitar.

Here's a shot of the back at mostly 2000 wet paper, with an area done with the 4000 pad. At least, I think it's the 4000. ;-)

http://graybloomfield.com/guitar/wp-...8-1024x768.jpg

Hi mate, don't panic as those pads may make things look a bit satin or milky but the difference is that everything will be super finely smooth and ready for Meguiars cutting compound to restore the shine.

Thanks Waz. :)

Thanks Mark. I'm pretty sure it's not the black one, as I ordered a kit with just the finest four grits. But goes to show how hard these things can be to identify without the context.

IRL, let me know if you check out your kit and find anything different. I'll have another go at this next weekend and let you know how it turns out.

I had a look today in the sun. The teal has a more green/grey shade to it. The blue is... well....blue.
Looks like you have them in the right order.

Hey MJG, pretty sure you have the correct order. You should be able to run your fingers over the pads and the teal (4000) should be the most coarse, then the purple 6000, then the royal blue 8000 finest.
I think for the cost you should have ordered the full set as you need the grits 1500 through to 12000

Having a closer look, the grit particles are more visible on the teal, therefore a coarser grit.

Thanks all for confirming.

I'll keep at it this weekend and see how it goes.

OK, I've continued on, and I did have the colours correct.

One thing I noticed later is that the reflectiveness of the surface varies quite a bit depending on lighting conditions. The 4000 grit looked quite dull everywhere, except on the patio where I was doing the sanding. Maybe whatever UV filtering is in the roofing over the patio was making it look odd. Who knows.

Here's the difference between 6000 (on the right) and 8000 grit (in the left corner). Getting there.

http://graybloomfield.com/guitar/wp-...5-1024x768.jpg

Its when you get to the 12000 that it all gets a lot shinier. And then the polishing compounds just add to that.

Looks great. Take care on all those sharpish edges as it is so easy to sand through in those parts.

Lol, don't I know it. I've already purchased a red permanent marker for the few bits of primer that are showing on those sharp edges. Just tiny scrapes through the red, in two or three places. Those sharp bevels are a bugger for getting enough paint on, and then not sanding too much.

Blackie approves. (ANd wants to know when his guitar will be ready...)
http://orig06.deviantart.net/4e2b/f/...om-d3bqdzc.jpg