Abranet: does it produce a less 'polished' sanded finish..?

[Iancd]

To explain that question: For many years I used only an old Bosch PSS 230 orbital sander on various small projects such as shelves. I gave that sander hours and hours of use over the years, and developed a way of working with it that would see me going back and forth many times over a surface until I could see fine detail in the grain emerging. By the time I'd worked my way up to 150 grit, the boards would almost shine. About 10 years ago, when fitting oak worktops in a kitchen I bought a 4" belt sander, which now use up to 120 grit, which was fine for the worktops but I'd sometimes still finish other things with the Bosch and 150 grit.
I needed to replace the Bosch over the last couple of years and following advice and reviews here and elsewhere bought a Metabo 450 duo and a small Makita palm sander. I also invested in a pack of various grades of Mirka abranet 'ace' discs.
I used the palm sander as the finishing sander on some burr elm window boards last year and was really pleased with the results - a bit poetic maybe but in certain light it really looked as though the elm was shining from within with its own light.
I've just finished a board from some of the same burr elm for a friend. This time, after initial work with the belt sander, I just used the duo with Abranet on the finer finishing orbit setting. I took it through multiple grades down to 320 but I wasn't really happy with the results. The board felt smooth enough, and I'm fairly sure I took out any sanding marks from each grade of grit, but I found it quite hard to tell when I'd done enough with each grit and move on to the next grade. The finish seemed quite matt at the end and generally a bit dull and lifeless compared to what I'd expected.
I wonder whether there's something I'm not doing 'right' with the Abranet - it gets such positive reviews here..! - or whether it does produce a different kind of finish to aluminium oxide..?

 

[CHJ]

As a primarily a hobby turner these days I personally don't expect a polished finish from an abrasive on the woods I normally use, just a matt smooth no blemish surface, if it's very shiny I suspect I've used a blunt abrasive and burnished the wood.

I do see a difference in how abranet and various other brand abrasives work on my turnings dependant on wood species, the how whys and wherefores I haven't a clue, just seems at times one or other seems more appropriate.

 

[Emanuel]

I wonder whether there's something I'm not doing 'right' with the Abranet

It seems that you were doing it RIGHT, so that's not the problem. Different abrasives may have different results and maybe you are just not used with the mat finish? Just as CHJ was saying, "

seems at times one or other seems more appropriate." have you used any other abrasive with aluminium oxide?

 

[Gerard Scanlan]

I was just glad to be rid of the sawdust when I switched to Abranet and I only use traditional abrasives now when I have no other alternative for timber. As you are almost always going to apply a finish that you want to be absorbed to an extent by the wood a shiney smooth surface may have been not as desirable, although it certainly sounds appealing. It is possible that the residual dust from sanding burnished the surface of the wood making it extra shiney whereas with Abranet there is very little dust left in contact with the surface.

 

[Lons]

I was just glad to be rid of the sawdust when I switched to Abranet and I only use traditional abrasives now when I have no other alternative for timber. As you are almost always going to apply a finish that you want to be absorbed to an extent by the wood a shiney smooth surface may have been not as desirable, although it certainly sounds appealing. It is possible that the residual dust from sanding burnished the surface of the wood making it extra shiney whereas with Abranet there is very little dust left in contact with the surface.

+1 to that

I also think that whilst the abranet is very efficient at removing the dust, your previous material might have been pushing dust into and therefore filling the grain.

When I use abranet on solid surface kitchen worktops I can get a high gloss when using 600g but of course that material doesn't have a grain to fill.

Bob

 

[yetloh]

I do think Gerard and Lons are right. I have heard people say that Abranet seems to cut a grade coarser than other abrasives but I think this is another facet of the same point - an abrasive that is semi-clogged other than at the very beginning of use may seem to cut finer and that needs to be factored in.

Jim

 

[Iancd]

Haven't checked back for a while so thanks for the replies folks - that makes sense now..!