Hi All,
I am building 43″ long X 15″ shelves for a built-in shelving unit for my family room. I will be using a torsion box approach (thanks to David Ring for suggesting it and supplying me with pictures). The torsion box will be two pieces of 43″ X 15″ plywood with spacers about every 12″ in between (the spacers are like the meat in the plywood sandwich). This sandwich will be glued together and I may possibly use brads as well. Then for the front edge I am going to use 3/4″ maple hardwood (2 1/4″) that will hide the edges of both sheets of maple plywood. My question is about sanding. I don’t want to sand through the plywood so it is my guess that I should be using 220 grit and not any further? Also, should I be using an ROS or should they be hand-sanded. For the hardwood fronts should I run the full gamut (60, 100, 150, 220) or would sticking with 220 be fine? One other thing, does it make more sense to assemble everything and then sand or sand the hardwood fronts separate from the plywood torsion box?
I guess I am wondering what is the best practice?
Regards,
Buzzsaw
“Don’t ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” Gil Bailie
Replies
Buzzsaw
When I make my shelves with solid fronts, I profile the solid fronts. I use glue and pocket screws from the underside to attach fronts, that way, no brad holes show. Otherwise, brad them and fill the nail holes. If you have a biscuit jointer you can use biscuits as well.
I would sand the shelves with 220 only with the ROS after the fronts are installed, flushing them up. If your fronts are not profiled, I would use a smoothing plane. Do you have one? If not, it's a great time to learn, and your results will be achieved very quickly without all the sanding time. 3 to 4 passes on each front, and they're smooth as a babies bottom, without all that dust.
When you sand the shelves, be very careful not to blow through the veneer. Most commercially applied veneers are very, very thin, 1/40th of an inch. It's very easy to sand through. I don't know what your experience level is, so I'm saying this anyway. Please don't take as an insult. If it's your first time sanding veneer ply with the ROS, practice a little on some scrap to see how fast you can blow through.
Jeff
Jeff,
When you say that you profile the fronts I assume you mean you chamfer them? I was thinking of doing this using my router with a chamfer bit or a roundover. Regards,
Buzzsaw
"Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive." Gil Bailie
buzz
Any profile will do. I make a moulding that's alot like a chair rail, and apply that. Whatever profile floats your boat. You can use ogee's, chairrail.......let your imagination be your guide. It all depends on your (or your customer's) tastes.
Jeff
Hey there. I work in small custom cabinetery shop and biscuits would be the way. It's easy and quick other than the glue setting up but in a heated shop 3hrs is good. We 120 and 180 all our shelving (clear lacquer coating) and the finish is great, good luck.
carpenter5
The plywood you buy will have been sanded by the manufacturer to about 180 grit. At most, I would just hand sand with 180 grit--nothing lower-- on a sanding pad to avoid sanding through todays thin veneers. After you get an initial coat of finish on, you can sand with 320 to get a smooth surface. At this point, you are sanding the finish and have less risk of sanding through the veneer. In any case, avoid a ROS. It will be too agressive and will leave swirl marks.
Howie,
Since you say it is already sanded to 180 how about just using 220 grit, hand sanded. Also, do you think that I should use the full gamut for the hardwood maple fronts and use either a belt sander or an ROS before I even glue the fronts on?Regards,
Buzzsaw
"Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive." Gil Bailie
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