Sandpaper testing.

[superhawk996]

I was about to send this to Carlos, he's a fickle little bitch about sandpaper*, then realized that others here might want to watch/learn.

 

 

*Might be an exageration.

 

[SwampNut]

LOL.  I keep getting this video recommended but haven't watched.  I'm not sure if you're using the word incorrectly, or using old info.  Fickle=frequently changes, inconsistency.  I used to be chasing that dragon, found it, and never change any more.

 

Picky bitch, yes.  A great sander and great "paper" makes such a massive difference, not one of those minor increments we often see with tool upgrades.  I only use Abranet mesh, not paper, though I did recently try a sample pack of 3M Cubitron mesh.

 

 

[rockmeupto125]

Any recommends for a good to really good sandpaper with reasonable cost? HF paper is done in about four passes. Which is good, in a way, as it limits my ability to do overt damage to precision parts and coatings.

[SwampNut]

1 hour ago, rockmeupto125 said:

Any recommends for a good to really good sandpaper with reasonable cost?

 

Um...there's a video above with recommendations...?  I don't know what sandpaper costs any more.  I switched to the mesh long ago, I know it was much more expensive than big box garbage, but haven't really thought about it again.  Buying 50-packs from places like https://2sand.com/ helps with the cost compared to buying 10-packs locally.

 

I suspect that great sandpaper on a shitty sander may not be a great investment, not sure.  I went from a junk typical sander to a mid-grade Porter-Cable; huge improvement.  Then the mesh discs with the upgraded holder for the PC, huge improvement.  Then a high end sander (Festool with a really high end dust system (also Festool), and now I love sanding.  Abranet/Cubitron mesh pair perfectly with the very high flow system in the Festool.  Oh, and the AI summary says that the Cubitron is the clear winner in the video, but he didn't test Abranet.  In my testing, the Cubitron 80 grit probably beat the Abranet 80 by a bit, not a lot.  In higher grits I found them the same.  This is all hardwood, no metal, no softwood.

 

[rockmeupto125]

Okay, didn't realize the vid had product reviews. I'll check it out, thanks.

[SwampNut]

 

Summarize this video, particularly the ratings chart

Completed 2 steps

The video explains why some sandpapers cut faster and last longer than others, and its ratings chart shows 3M Cubitron mesh disks clearly outperforming most competitors on both material removal rate and durability, with several common “big box” brands clustering in the middle or bottom of the chart.

Video overview

The video “The Weird Physics of Sandpaper (Why You’re Working Too Hard)” from Five Duck Studio looks at how abrasive grain shape, backing, and dust extraction affect cutting efficiency and clogging. The presenter tests multiple brands on hardwood using a controlled setup (same sander, pressure, and time) to compare how much material each disc removes and how quickly performance drops off as it wears and loads with dust.

What the ratings chart shows

The ratings chart near the end of the video combines at least two metrics—material removal rate and time-to-failure—into an overall performance score for each abrasive. In that chart, 3M Cubitron (especially the mesh/Xtract style discs) sits at the top, reflecting both very high stock removal and good longevity, while lower-cost house brands and some “value” discs fall near the bottom due to fast loading and rapid performance decline.

Key takeaways about specific abrasives

The chart and commentary together indicate that Cubitron is the “clear winner” among the tested papers, particularly in coarse grits on hardwood. However, the video does not include Mirka Abranet in the tested set, so any comparison between Cubitron mesh and Abranet is based on separate user experience rather than that specific chart (for example, SwampNut’s note that Cubitron 80 grit may edge out Abranet 80 on hardwood, with parity at higher grits).

Practical implications for your sanding

The ratings chart implies that upgrading from cheap paper disks to a high‑performance mesh abrasive like Cubitron can dramatically increase cut rate and disk life, especially when paired with a high-flow dust extraction sander (e.g., Festool systems). It also reinforces that the sander itself matters: the same chart data will feel very different on a junk random-orbit sander versus a mid-grade or premium machine, so tool and abrasive upgrades together give the biggest real-world gain.

Do you want a more grit-by-grit interpretation (e.g., what that chart suggests for 80 vs 120 vs 220 in your workflow)?

[tomek]

On 5/15/2026 at 9:06 AM, rockmeupto125 said:

Any recommends for a good to really good sandpaper with reasonable cost? HF paper is done in about four passes. Which is good, in a way, as it limits my ability to do overt damage to precision parts and coatings.

3M cubitron. It might have the highest cost per piece but overall it is the least expensive to use. 

 It is the shit. Trust me. Forget HF. 

 One thing to remember, cheaper brands don't have consistent grain size, so, let's say 400 is actually collection of anything from 320 to 500,etc.

It essentially gonna put some deeper scratches on your finish. 

So after sanding with cheap 400 there will be some deeper 320 cuts on the finish that might show after whatever you sprayed on it after sanding. 

 Sandpaper is not where you wanna save money. Cheap shit is pretty much useless IMHO. 

 

Edited May 17 by tomek

[tomek]

Mirka is excellent brand as well. 

[SwampNut]

On 5/15/2026 at 7:06 AM, rockmeupto125 said:

Any recommends for a good to really good sandpaper with reasonable cost? HF paper is done in about four passes. Which is good, in a way, as it limits my ability to do overt damage to precision parts and coatings.

 

If I have time for it, today I'd like to build a sorta quick project that will require some quick sanding.  This thread inspired me to try some direct comparisons and pay more attention, my previous uses of the sample packs have been pretty casual without much thought.

 

I have on hand:

 

Discs:

Mirka Abranet which is also called Autonet, I buy whichever is cheaper.

3M Cubitron 710W and also has some other names I forgot, this is in the video as the top choice.

3M Cubitron that is not 710W and I don't know what it is.  This is not full mesh but far more holes than normal.

 

Rectangles:

Festool Granat but only in P320 I think.

Powertec 4R13500 which is a mid-grade paper-type (the above are mesh).

A metric fuckton of big box store junk paper with no dust holes, used for small hand jobs.  That's right, a rough handjob.

 

The rectangles go on a hand-powered block with excellent dust collection (Festool--would you pay $60 for a sanding block?).  The cheap junk gets used in a variety of ways that don't really need dust collection.  Here's another interesting fact; the hand sanding with integral dust collection is at least 4x better than without.  Using a mesh or a paper with holes on the hand block is vastly more effective than non-vented hand sanding.

 

Not sandpaper, but Cubitron wheels on my grinder easily double its power and longevity compared to whatever generic wheels.

 

[SwampNut]

Before this, Moriah and I are getting a private backstage tour of the local Faux "News" station.  Should be fun.  Wish us luck.

 

[SwampNut]

An article I got today from one of the Woodworking sites.  Mostly some basics on differences, kind of 101 level I think.

 

https://www.woodshopnews.com/choosing-and-using-abrasives