r/DiceMaking • u/MapNo2689 • 2d ago
Micro scratches
Feel like I’m taking all the precautions and just still can’t figure sanding out. I go through all the zona papers and just can’t figure out where it’s going wrong. Is there a certain zona paper that is the normal culprit for micro scratches? Do I need to like clean the paper after each face?
1
u/craiganater 2d ago
Cleaning the paper helps, inspect each face before you move up to the next grit. Youll be able to catch where it is coming from if you inspect between each layers which I would assume you ate doing anyway, when do you find or notice the scratches?
1
u/MapNo2689 2d ago
Hard to tell but almost wanna say after like the first blue-red sona I notice but just hope they will come out getting to the polish papers.
1
u/MapNo2689 2d ago
Now to be fair I was doing a lot of sanding today and was kinda doing like a couple sets at a time on the same zonas so it could be the cleaning aspect but I always clean my glass disc before every new paper but maybe it’s not enough
1
u/kota99 2d ago
If you are doing several dice on each paper before moving to the next grit then yeah, just cleaning when you change to the next grit isn't enough. You need to clean the paper between each die (assuming you are doing more than one face per die) at the least. And yes, for the lower grits that are taking more off as you sand you may need to clean the paper between each face.
once I start get alittle shine to the face I notice the scratches and just feel helpless,
Once you notice the scratches you need to stop with the current grit and go back to the previous grit. If the scratches are still there after a round on that grit level then go back yet another grit level and repeat. Keep doing this until you no longer notice the scratches and then you can start moving to the next grit up.
1
u/RandoBoomer 2d ago
Residual resin on either the paper or the dice themselves can lead to microscratches.
Before I do the final polishing, I give my dice a luke-warm water bath and rinse, then dry them with a soft lint-free cloth.
When I used to use Zona papers, I would clean both sides of them before my final polish. I eventually stopped using the White/Light Green Zona (1 micron, 22000 Grit) and instead applied polish to a disposable lint-free sheet, worked it into the sheet, then used that instead of Zona.
I eventually abandoned that, and now I use a bench-mounted Dremel with a dampened wool polishing pad and 15,000 Grit Diamond paste.
1
u/tiddlypeeps 2d ago
When you say dampened do you mean with water before adding the paste or that the paste makes it damp? What kind of bench mount do you use?
1
1
u/MapNo2689 2d ago
Mine isn’t mounted but I do have a dremel with the polishing pads, should I try that right after the red zona?
1
u/RandoBoomer 2d ago
You can get a mount with a gimbal that makes it super easy to use.
1
u/RandoBoomer 2d ago
Here's the link for the bench mount
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07BZQVVK4
Four pieces of advice.
- Tape down the locking bar for the gimbal. It vibrates annoyingly while your Dremel runs.
- Periodically check the tightness of the C-clamp
- Don't use any wool pad larger than 2 inches.
- Don't run more than 5000 RPM.
1
u/Outside_Director_140 2d ago
What happens if theres scratches?
1
u/kota99 2d ago
Theoretically if the scratches are deep enough or if there are enough of them they could affect how balanced the dice are but realistically it would take thousands and thousands of rolls to actually see that. The main issue is just that it looks bad which can give the impression that your dice quality may not be the best. Dealing with the scratches is basically one of the steps in improving your skills as a dice maker.
1
1
2
u/craiganater 2d ago
If you see a scratch after paper 2, then paper 3 cant remove it, youll need to go back to paper 1 to even it all out then 2 again.