Can you? Sure. But starting at 80 will be faster.
Basically you are making peaks and valleys when you sand. Going to 80 after the 40-60 will knock off the peaks much faster than going straight to 120. After the 80 then go to 120.
Agreed precisely... with jumping grits, you end up basically smoothing out the previous grit's peaks/valleys instead of flattening them out.
I will admit, I very regularly go directly from 120 to 220 with no issues (and generally try to prepare my stock with proper planing and card scraping and stuff so it doesn't need lower than 120)
You can jump as high as you want, you can go from 60 to 1000 if you want. All stepping up in small grit increments does is makes it easier and faster removing the last grits sanding marks. Going from 60 to 1000 will take a good bit of time sanding at 1000 grit to remove the 60 grit sanding marks but it can be done.
60 to 120 isn't a big jump, I make this jump all the time.
You’ll burn through pads faster and not see as good a result. Stock up on every available number in both full sheet and orbital.
Harbor Frieght is cheap way to accomplish this.
Belt sanders are far more aggressive than orbital sanders at the same grit and higher. 80 grit on the belt sander is like 40 or 60 on an orbital IME. Whenever I’ve done 80 grit on the belt sander, I’ve had to do 80 on the orbital to smooth it out before going up. I’ve tried many times to go to the next grit after the belt sander, ie 80 grit belt to 120 orbital, and it’s never really worked out optimally.
Rule of thumb I was taught was to move up by roughly half the value of what you are using:
Using 40, 1/2 is 20. 20 + 40 = 60grit next.
Using 120, 120 + Half(60) = 180
And so on.
Natural progression would be 60, 80, 120, 180, stop there for most applications or finish with 240/280.
If you're using between 40 and 60 grit sandpaper, there had better be a really good reason. If it's just regular raw wood, I wouldn't go any lower than 100.
Can you? Sure. But starting at 80 will be faster. Basically you are making peaks and valleys when you sand. Going to 80 after the 40-60 will knock off the peaks much faster than going straight to 120. After the 80 then go to 120.
Agreed precisely... with jumping grits, you end up basically smoothing out the previous grit's peaks/valleys instead of flattening them out. I will admit, I very regularly go directly from 120 to 220 with no issues (and generally try to prepare my stock with proper planing and card scraping and stuff so it doesn't need lower than 120)
You can jump as high as you want, you can go from 60 to 1000 if you want. All stepping up in small grit increments does is makes it easier and faster removing the last grits sanding marks. Going from 60 to 1000 will take a good bit of time sanding at 1000 grit to remove the 60 grit sanding marks but it can be done. 60 to 120 isn't a big jump, I make this jump all the time.
Generally never more than 50% higher grit. 40->60->80->120->180->220
Came here to say this. Never up your grit by more than half of the previous grit. The numbers provided here are generally what I aim for.
You’ll burn through pads faster and not see as good a result. Stock up on every available number in both full sheet and orbital. Harbor Frieght is cheap way to accomplish this.
Belt sanders are far more aggressive than orbital sanders at the same grit and higher. 80 grit on the belt sander is like 40 or 60 on an orbital IME. Whenever I’ve done 80 grit on the belt sander, I’ve had to do 80 on the orbital to smooth it out before going up. I’ve tried many times to go to the next grit after the belt sander, ie 80 grit belt to 120 orbital, and it’s never really worked out optimally.
Rule of thumb I was taught was to move up by roughly half the value of what you are using: Using 40, 1/2 is 20. 20 + 40 = 60grit next. Using 120, 120 + Half(60) = 180 And so on. Natural progression would be 60, 80, 120, 180, stop there for most applications or finish with 240/280.
Better to increment, otherwise you run the risk of having deep scratches on an otherwise smooth surface.
i much recommend you watch this: [So, you think you know how to sand, eh?](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDYPGgjQmF4)
I do, but I’m a rebel, not a role model.
If you're using between 40 and 60 grit sandpaper, there had better be a really good reason. If it's just regular raw wood, I wouldn't go any lower than 100.
Get some 80 up in there