I’ve researched the articles on using Paste Wood Fillers, and none of these experts ever mention, raising the grain, during the prep phase of the finishing process. I remember this from high school shop class, we were finishing a mahogany top and the instructor wanted us to fill the grain with paste filler, after sanding to a fine grit we took a wet cloth and rubbed it over the surface to ‘raise the grain’. After the wood dried you could feel little nubs on the surface, which we sanded lightly to remove before applying the paste filler. My question is; Is this a necessary step and if so why didn’t these articles ever mention it? Buck
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Replies
Peter Gedrys is working on an article about this very subject for an upcoming issue. I'm sure he can give you a prelude to that article....
It's not absolutely neccesary to raise the grain before filling with paste filler. Since the filler goes over a surface that has been wash coated it never touches raw wood.
If you were using a water based filler on raw wood, it would be a concern, but in my opinion, not otherwise.
However, a nod to your shop teacher. Raising the grain once just helps perfect a surface and is a step I always use on new wood.
Peter
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