micromesh cloth- same grading system as bodyshop sandpaper

[steveo3002]

i have the micromesh system to try

im used to regular bodyshop papers like 1500/2000 etc ...are both on the same scale for grading? the coarser end of micromesh feels rather rough vs paper of the same grades

[eccles]

Yes it's the same. The higher the number, the finer it is.

We get different brands of wet and dry at work, and the same grade can feel different between the makes. I think the number itself is irrelevant, just the results.

[Spottedlaurel]

The kit I got starts with 3600 and goes to 12000 for the finest, which I use on model car paintwork. I used to then finish it off with T-Cut before Autoglym resin polish, but now I skip the T-Cut.

[steveo3002]

Spottedlaurel said:

The kit I got starts with 3600 and goes to 12000 for the finest, which I use on model car paintwork. I used to then finish it off with T-Cut before Autoglym resin polish, but now I skip the T-Cut.

yeah i think mine starts at 3600...feels and looks v rough , more like 400

[The_Jackal]

I've heard from people in the business that the grades are not officially defined or consistent across different companies and products. So that a 1000 grit sander is not identical to another company's 1000 grit sander.
When you buy a range of sanders or cloths, just treat them as smooth to rough and work through them.

The idea that you look at a piece of work and decide that needs exactly 1500 git is ridiculous. Grits are not an absolute, its more of an analog scale.

And those micromesh systems are famous within the scale modelling hobby for being wildy misnumbered.