Sandpaper test results - 3M Cubitron FTW

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Evil_Fiz

Promoted Users
I like watching this guys YouTube Chanel (Project Farm). He does a fairly decent job at testing and evaluating products on his own dime.

I am getting ready to buy supplies and tools to start the epoxy and filler work on my car and wanted to know where to invest my sandpaper dollars. While trying to find testimonials about Dura-Gold sandpaper (highly rated on Amazon) I ran across this video. I WILL NOT be spending money on that brand.

TL;DR
3M Cubitron and Diablo brands came out on top
The numbers in the chart are for "place finished" in each test. (see video below chart)
Screen Shot 2022-03-23 at 6.38.48 PM.png

Best "Sandpaper" Brand? 3M Cubitron, Diablo, Mirka, Norton, Makita, DeWalt, Bosch Sand Paper​

 
I haven't watched it yet, but notice his tests appear to be on wood and plexi......not exactly a great comparison to auto body. I use a lot of Mirka no complaints there..
..and man for 20 bucks a box of 50 the dura gold 320 blows me away. Ends up being like 6 bucks a complete paint job in 320. I would like to try the cubitron, just not a 3m abrasive or buffing man. The Norton gold 80 grit is super decent for the $ also in my experience.
 
Speed Barn said:
I haven't watched it yet, but notice his tests appear to be on wood and plexi......not exactly a great comparison to auto body. I use a lot of Mirka no complaints there...
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I looked for similar tests with filler and automotive refinishing products but my "search challenged" self did not find any. One thing I liked about his tests was the 2 min of metal sanding to wear the paper down before returning to the wood sanding tests.

BTW, which line of Mirka [a[er do you use?
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Emil
 
When polishing stainless bolt heads, I was using 3m Gold 600 grit and ran out of paper. Had to go to a drawer with sand paper from 2 decades ago, but I did find a 9x11 sheet of 600. It cut way faster, and left a much better finish. After finding it was 3m silicone carbide I ordered some in rolls of stikit file board sand paper. I haven't compared it yet with the gold on paint or filler, but it is used in at least some of the 3m trizact discs.

The cost seems about the same, but 3m says the collison shops won't buy it because it doesn't last quite as long as Alum Oxide. Reading the 3m info on it, its the hardest mineral used for sanding, and the hardness causes it to crack making more sharp edges and keeps doing that until it is used up. So that tells me why it cuts better, keeps cutting better, and leaves a smoother surface. Seems perfect to me, just doesn't last as long.

MSC sells it from 80-400grit in different lengths, even as short as 70 inches, up to 50 yards in 2.75" width. They are the only ones I found that sells in single rolls. I think I will be able to skip one grit on the way up to 400, and 400 might be good enough for metallic paint. Maybe someone more capable of comparing sand paper might want to try a 70" sheet for $4.40 and let us know.
https://www.mscdirect.com/industrialtools/3m-120-grit-sandpaper.html

https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/p/d/b40071979/?preselect=3289792294+3292695868+8697081


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Good to know Chev.:) Had no idea you could get silicon carbide in that width and PSA. Would be excellent to have when sanding or sanding around any leadwork. Some may not know that using alum oxide paper over lead causes something called intergranular corrosion which results in lead areas showing through paintwork. Maybe not the bet explanation but that is the gist.
 
Sunmight film back for 320 and coarser, 3M wet or dry, Eagle for any finishing paper 1000 and finer are my recommendations. Lots of decent sandpaper, but even more junk that is just a waste of money.
 
texasking said:
Sunmight film back for 320 and coarser, 3M wet or dry, Eagle for any finishing paper 1000 and finer are my recommendations. Lots of decent sandpaper, but even more junk that is just a waste of money.
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- Is "Eagle" - Eagle ABrasives (https://eagleabrasives.com/en/)?
- What brand do you use between 320 and 1000?

For now, I just need to sand filler and epoxy as high build. Would the Sunmight be a good choice for that?

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Emil
 
Evil_Fiz said:
- Is "Eagle" - Eagle ABrasives (https://eagleabrasives.com/en/)?
- What brand do you use between 320 and 1000?

For now, I just need to sand filler and epoxy as high build. Would the Sunmight be a good choice for that?

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Emil
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sunmight is great for up to the 600 grit range. best paper for your money hand down in those grits. eagle is best for color sanding in the finer grits. 1000 and up. i do find the 3m blue roll paper to be good and reasonable as well. i cant use the blue in discs though. they destroy everything from the paper backing its on. its hard paper with these razor sharp edges that slice into your work.
 
funny i have had no issues with the glue on the blue rolls. the 3m gold rolls are another story. they always leave glue behind on the block except of course the 400 which you can barely get to stick. you would think it would all be the same across the board. i have never been able to figure out 3m.

the green sunmight rolls are great. the only thing i dont like is that its on plastic film and you cant tear it. you need to slice it from the back with a razor. i have found the gold sunmight to be the exact same abrasive. it lasts and cuts the same as the green. only difference is the gold is paper.
 
Jim C said:
i have found the gold sunmight to be the exact same abrasive. it lasts and cuts the same as the green. only difference is the gold is paper.
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That's good to know Jim.:) I'll give some of the gold a try. The film and the stiffness of it are the only drawbacks to the Sunmight green. Sometimes you need something that isn't so stiff like that.
 
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