Replies

1. 
   user-148830 | Aug 28, 2007 05:38pm | #1

   Hey Capper,
   Yeah, don't sand so much.

   I used to sand just like you, starting at 80 grit and sweating my way up to 220. It's a pain. The only way to get rid of the marks is to carefully go over each surface with each successive grit. Then check your results by holding the work up to a light source and looking for marks. A splash of paint thinner over the surface will also help to highlight the swirls. Drudgery. [Some folks swear by random orbit sanders whose sanding pattern is more random. Start with the sander in full contact with your wood, turn it on and, start to scour. Be sure to check after each grit that the new scratch pattern is consistent.]

   I think you'll be much happier if you learn to hand plane and scrape. I use those tools to get rid of milling marks, level surfaces, and clean up areas and then lightly hand sand with 220 grit and I'm done. It saves me time in the long run.

   You will of course have to learn how to use these tools, how to tune and sharpen them, but I guarantee that you will be much happier cleaning up your surfaces with cutting tools like these than by using sandpaper. Get good quality cutting edges too. Don't buy cheap or you'll be saying bad things about those experts at FWW.

1. 
   capper | Aug 29, 2007 03:24am | #2

   thanks for the help. I have actually just started to learn how to use a scraper. bought a lee valley kit hpe its good enough.