Make That Sandpaper Last!

You can’t wet sand the first coat of primer, the water can soak into the body tube and wood fins.
The primer can really load up sandpaper and shorten it’s usable life.
I’ve been able to extend the usable life of 220 through 400 grit sandpaper by brushing and knocking off the accumulated primer.
The brass brush is available at Home Depot and Lowe’s in the paint department.

As this is a wood sanding block, I’ll try not to get the wood wet when cleaning off the buildup.
Instead, I hold the brass brush under running water then shake off some of the excess water.

Using a circular motion on the sandpaper, the brass brush knocks off and removes the buildup.
Repeat the wetting of the brush and removing the primer.

The first picture shows the buildup on the paper.
The second picture is the sanding block after cleaning off the clogged primer.

After brushing off the primer, the sandpaper is finer and a bit smoother than new 400 grit paper. But it’s still usable.
A single piece of sandpaper can last three times as long before throwing it away.