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Short Summary
Main recommendation: For most home woodworking, keep three sandpaper grits on hand: 80 grit (coarse), 120 grit (the main workhorse), and 220 grit (finishing), in roughly 50% 80/220 combined and 50% 120. The video's three-item list is the three grits: 80, 120, and 220. Steve Ramsey explains which grit to use for each stage of a project and which ones to skip depending on the finish.
Key Points
- The three sandpapers you really need (as named in the title and video): 1) 80 grit, 2) 120 grit, 3) 220 grit.
- 80 grit is considered coarse in Ramsey's shop because he uses nothing rougher; it removes material quickly, flattens joins, shapes and carves, rounds sharp edges, removes dents, and strips paint and finishes.
- 120 grit is often the only grit he uses on assembled projects, since it evens out rough areas and leaves a surface ready for finish.
- 220 grit is used before oil finishes like tung oil, between polyurethane coats, and for lightly sanding before a final coat of any finish.
- Most fine-grit sandpapers are meant for finishing rather than bare wood; sanding bare wood past 120 is unnecessary if a protective finish like lacquer or polyurethane will go on, though oils such as tung or linseed can benefit from finer paper.
Details Worth Noting
- Concrete instructions:
- Fold a sheet of sandpaper so the grit does not rub against itself, which extends its life (the video demonstrates the fold but the transcript does not describe the exact folding steps).
- For bare wood before oil finish (tung oil): sand to 120, then finish with 220.
- For bare wood before lacquer or polyurethane: stop at 120; the finish provides the smooth feel.
- Between polyurethane coats: sand with 220 so each layer bonds to the next.
- Lacquer: no sanding needed between coats, but lightly sand with 220 after a few coats and before the final coat to remove drips and dust bumps.
- Painted small projects (toys, etc.): lightly sand with 220 before a second or final coat.
- Use a random orbit sander for most projects, with hook-and-loop disks; move it in continuous motion across the surface, check progress by hand, and inspect from a low angle for missed imperfections.
- Use a belt sander only for rough construction work or fast material removal; mount it upside down and bring the workpiece to it for more control.
- Use a combination strip/disk benchtop sander with its tilting table to keep pieces square or cut bevels; the disk sands ridges from band saw cuts and curves to exact lines, but cannot sand inside curves.
- For inside curves, use an oscillating spindle sander, or wrap paper around a dowel or drum, or use a random orbit sander if the curve is not too tight.
- Safety: run airflow through the shop, attach a shop-vac to the tool, and wear a filter mask when sanding.
- Sanders are among the safest shop power tools; fine sawdust is the main hazard.
- Ramsey notes that Danish oil is a polyurethane blend, so it is not treated as a pure oil finish in his guidance.
- Painted projects need only sanding of dents and imperfections; the paint covers the rest.
Bottom Line
Buying 80, 120, and 220 grit covers nearly every woodworking sanding task, with 120 doing most of the work and 220 reserved for finishing steps.
