final sanding grit for DO application

[carcrazy]

working on a hardwood timber. does final sand down 240grit vs 400grit makes a difference in terms of color of the danish oil application?
notice with 400grit the color is not as dark as the 240grit. dunmo whether is my mind playing tricks or reason being 240grit has a deeper penetration oil...

[Pat]

What are you sanding? If it's a table top, I'll wet sand to 2000 with a slow ros. If it is superstructure, 240 is good enough. If it is turned goods, 600-12000 at slow speed.

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

I guess that you could say that 240 grit gives deeper oil penetration than 400... in that the scores left by the grit are deeper. And, yes, it does appear to darken the colour.

But I agree with Pat that what you are finishing determines the last grit to use.

(Although I may disagree about what grit and when. :D Personally I consider 240 the last "shaping" grit & 320(ish) the first real "finishing" grit, regardless of what I'm sanding. I rarely stop before 400...)

[tea lady]

Proffessional funiture making friend of mine stops at 320. looks pretty good to me. :shrug: That's on furniture. I go finer than that in turned stuff. At least 400# for shop stuff, and in the 1000s for gallery or comp. And I traditional wax over the top. Gives a surface that makes you go "mmmmmmmmmm".

Noticed on the new Rustins tin I got recently that they now say to rub back with a nylon scourer. Haven't tried that yet. Would only be on furniture I think.

[carcrazy]

thanks guys. makes sense to go higher grit for my application since its a table top.