putting .3 micron paper on glass

[OldSchoolSkill]

What IS counter-intuitive is how gentle this simple application method is. I have tried using a rubber ink-brayer to force the paper down. That works and is slightly faster, but it is no better than this. Because the brayer "squeegees" excess water out, evaporation happens sooner, but patience is still advisable. I have cut more than one abrasive sheet by using it too soon.

That's another great thing about this system! You can just turn the glass around and use the other end.

[Brentssharpening]

@OldSchoolSkill

I guess it is not very clear in the web pages but turning the glass around is not the way I do it.

When the bit at the front no longer cuts, remove the first few inches with the worn abrasive. To do this, use a plane iron, bevel down. Slide under a corner of the abrasive paper at the front. Raise enough so you can grip it with your fingers. Using your fingers, not the plane iron now, lift the abrasive up until most of the worn paper is up, then slice this bit off.

Voila.

[KarlMaldensNose]

Are these PSA sheets or plain?

[Brentssharpening]

Hi

PSA - which is why you need the water to float the sheet until all the air bubbles are gone.

Trying to adhere plain paper with water alone won't work. You must use an adhesive spray with a slow tack time and be careful to squeeze all the air bubbles out. I have not tried water and spray glue - might work.

[KarlMaldensNose]

This is all so very counterintuitive. I find it surprising that the adhesive somehow still works with all that water.

On the flip side, with the plain non-PSA paper, can you recommend an effective spray adhesive with "slow tack time"? I am unfamiliar with such a product.

Thanks so much for your help.  More videos, please!

[Brentssharpening]

Amazing but true. 3M sells a spray adhesive that gives you a couple of minutes before it is solid. Might be 3m super 77. PSA paper is 3mil (0.003") thick. do not buy 1mil - it tears quite easily.

[OldSchoolSkill]

@KarlMaldensNose

It's not too counter-intuitve when you think about it.

Custom car shops routinely apply plastic tint overlays to car windows with water the same way. Hammer-veneering with hot hide glue uses the same principle: Atmospheric pressure.

Any thin-viscosity liquid between two materials fills tiny gaps so that we net around 14 lbs per square inch of pressure. That's PLENTY to hold most things in place. Most of the water evaporates in a day, leaving just enough to do the job.