Ok, I know this has been discussed before, but I can seem to find it.  So please forgive me if I ask again.
My question concerns sanding 4 sides vs 6 sides and is way any better than the other.  It seems I see quite often the recommendation to do only 4 sides.  But it seems to me that misses 2 sides.  Maybe that does not matter?  I am also wondering if doing the 4 side method, which side should one start on and finish on?  And again, does it really matter?

Thanks for your thoughts,
Lon

Technically, you should sand/polish each hemisphere of a ball, so that 2 turns cover 100% of the ball surface ("2 sides"). 4 sides makes sense because you tend to leave sanding lines. While this can be intended as a final finish step (exploiting the ball's axis migration), sanding only 2 sides leaves an uneven finish. With 4 sides - assuming you rotate the ball by 90° - this problem is sufficiently dealt with.

If you want to be REALLY accurate, you might add another 90° turn, for side 5 and 6 (which ends up with each hemisphere being treated 3 times into 3 different directions). But as you take away surface material, I doubt that it actually has much effect on the finish, compared to just 4 sides?

IMO, just make sure you treat every hemisphere the same (Speed, pressure, duration).
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tc300, if by "people" you mean me, that is ok.  I am just trying to understand what the manufactures are saying when they recommend 4 sides vs 6 sides.  Asking questions is how I will learn.
My first ball, a Columbia Dr Jeykll indicated it to be sanded as follows, "Sanding Process: 500 grit cross hatch".  I assume that means 4 sides, but I surely may be wrong!

Thanks for your thoughts Bruce and Thomas.

Lon

tc300, while I do understand what you are saying I do own a spinner and want to use it the correct way.  I should have mentioned that I had a spinner, but I figured that would be understood.  I do not know about you, but I know that I would not at all be confident trying to do this without one.

Lon

I do 4 sides, starting with the thumb hole strait up(1)then thumb strait down(2)thumb to the side with finger holes down(3) Thumb to the side with fingers up(4) Down would mean below the equator. Good luck!
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Well as I attempted to ask when I started this thread, and quit possibly did a very bad job of it, is to question if the 4 side method is as good as the 6 side method.  To me, it seems that only doing 4 sides is really missing something as far as sanding evenly around the whole ball.  If one is to look at a ball and somehow square it off, it has 6 sides.  Should these not all be sanded evenly?  And if only doing 4 sides, and are concerned about sanding lines, in which direction should one start and then finish.  It seems as though some manufactures are about how the sanding lines affect the ball when doing a base sanding of 500 and then moving directly to 2000, or whatever the final sanding grit is for a short period of time.
Maybe none of this matters.

Lon

charlest, you are absolutely correct that a ball does not have sides.  That was my very convoluted way of trying to get what was in my head to make a little sense on paper.  Of course it is only one surface with one side.
And you can say "STUPID".  I often have a tendency to make things more difficult than they have to be!

Lon

I guess I asked for this.  Oh well, live and learn!!!!!