Essential Skills in Woodworking - Sanding Tips and Tricks

In this woodworking skills video we cover the basic techniques for using a sander. I go over the proper way to sand and select sandpaper. Thanks for watching! Please like, comment and subscribe. Cheers!
My Sandpaper:
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Check me out on social media:
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Some of my other videos I think you’ll like:
4 IN 1 CROSSCUT SLED:
ALL IN ONE 45 & 90 DEGREE SHOOTING BOARD, MAGNETIC SAW GUIDE AND PLANE STOP:
JAPANESE HAND SAW TRICK EVERYONE SHOULD KNOW:
CUTTING DOVETAILS WITH ME AND DAVID FROM MAKE SOMETHING:
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Tools I love:
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Camera Gear:

[josephblazei]

I actually love sanding, I practically hand sand everything for finishing (rough sanding is done with power sanders). It is quite therapeutic feeling the wood change beneath your hands.

[Zmbtaahase]

First!

Thank you so much for explaining “pigtailing” that has always eluded me even when I asked the guy who apprenticed me!

[rick]

Thank you Jonathan. Enjoy your videos...cheers...rr from France

[MadduxWoodworks]

Thanks for the info, and great work Jonathan.

[secollectiv]

Great tips! My number one sanding tip is to buy that Ridgid oscillating sander I’ve only had mine a short while and I’ve used it so much!

[keithbrock]

Great tips man, I been eyeballing that rigid for a while and I think it’s time. You forgot about the celebratory beer when your finally done sanding haha!!

[stanleyshostak]

I like to hook up my shop vac to my random orbit sander. The dust is less airborne but it also seems to make the paper last longer. I have either the same or a similar random orbit as the one you have in your video. I like that sander.

[eyecandy-gaming]

look up his most recent sandpaper review. the 3m brand is killing the competition. 3M Xtract Cubitron II 710W

[codacreator]

What does sanding actually do to the surface of wood and how does it affect stain absorption? Also, what happens if you start and finish at 220 grit?

[BMAN_]

So what order of grits should be used?

[FearsomeWarrior]

I'd love to see shoulder plane information. I'm planning on picking up the medium Vertias one soon.

[colinhawkins]

I'm super late to the party here but have you used mesh sanding discs for your ROS? I recently converted (and haven't used them much because I'm trapped in basement remodel hell and have no shop) and they seem like a superior solution to sandpaper discs. HD sells packs of them that are priced similarly to the paper versions. Apparently they last longer, have better dust collection, and the ones I got said they're washable. A huge benefit to the better better dust evacuation is that the finish can end up being better because you're not scrubbing as many stray dust particles back into your work piece. In my experience they seem to clog less when being used to remove a clear varnish from cabinet doors. Matt Estlea did a great explanation on his channel if you haven't seen it. If you haven't tried them, they might change your life ; )

[chrisflavelle]

I am binging a few of your series here. Being off work gives me a chance to catch up and spend a bit more time in the shop. I know everyone is into the ROS these days, but is there a place in sanding for the old quarter and third sheet sanders. I've made a couple of projects where I used Danish oil and sanded it into the surface. I used my hands for this, but when I was doing some bodywork at my old place of employment I used a pneumatic jitterbug sander for the wet sanding. I've been wanting to try it with the Danish oil or even pure tung oil to see what the results would be. Any suggestions in that regard? Love all the information!

[dennisrr]

Great video, wish I'd watched this earlier could have been more efficient in my sanding. Did have a question about the rigid oscillating sander though. Have one and love it but often the spindles seem to slip and stop rotating when I apply pressure to the piece I'm sanding. Any tips to prevent that slippage when spindle sanding?

[walterrider]

thank you Katz good stuff .to me at times sanding is cathartic. i k r

[grahamparsons]

Great video as usual, would love a ridgid osilating sander but i dont think you can get them in oz, and what you can get appears to be cost alot more money. Anyway a osilating spindle sander is on my list however my list does appear to be quite long haha👍🏻👍🏻

[BradsWorkbench]

On Amazon i can get a pack from 80-320 that’s 100 sheets of the gold for less than $20! Comes out to like .15 cents a sheet. Even at Harbor Freight you’re having to pay close to .50 cents a sheet

[rwkayser]

While speaking about the card scraper, you mentioned those finishes that were rewetting - such as lacquer or shellac. Were you implying that you prefer to use the card scraper for those between coat finishes? I'm thinking, this would be a great option, because the between coat sanding with those finishes always appear to gunk up the sandpaper quickly. I am also fearful of messing up the finish when sanding between coats...

On another note, I lean towards ordering online mostly through Amazon. Any particular reason you have your own store site over theirs? I plan to order your dovetail jig soon, and am reluctant to give out credit card info to too many sites.. Thanks for the great videos!

[riderr]

Save your money for something else and use an old boot/shoe rubber sole instead of the "eraser".
A old work boot with a Vibram sole works the best.It also keeps one less thing going to waste and taking up space at the bottom of a landfill.

[wwscott]

Hullo young man, Sanding is an art. I always finish any timber using the finest of sandpaper by thumb and fingers. It should feel like when you gently  stroke your wife's face, and if you have never had that feeling, you have not lived yet.