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A bad finish on a cherry vanity made me rethink my whole sanding routine
I was finishing a custom cherry vanity for a client in Boise, and the top coat looked awful. It was blotchy and rough, even after three coats. I was ready to blame the new brand of lacquer I was trying. Then my buddy, who runs a shop across town, stopped by. He ran his hand over the raw wood before I sealed it and just said, 'You're still sanding to 220, right?' I was. He told me to feel it again, but with a damp rag to raise the grain. The surface felt like sandpaper. I'd been sanding dry, which leaves tiny wood fibers standing up. When the finish hits them, they swell and make a rough surface. Now I do a light water pop after 180 grit, let it dry, and *then* sand with 220. It adds a step but the difference is night and day. Anyone have a different method for dealing with grain raise on open-pored woods?
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the_susan11d ago
That water pop step is so key. Read an article a while back that said cherry and ash, like @garcia.tyler mentioned, are some of the worst for this because the grain swells so much. The article said you can use denatured alcohol instead of water for the test, it dries faster and doesn't raise the grain as much. But honestly, just using a damp rag is simple and it works. It's boring but it saves so much headache later when you're putting on that final coat. Skipping it is just asking for a rough finish.
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garcia.tyler12d ago
Man, I feel your pain. I had the same exact thing happen on an ash table last year. Spent all that time on a perfect build and the finish came out feeling like a cat's tongue. That damp rag trick is a lifesaver, isn't it? It's one of those simple steps that's so easy to skip when you're in a rhythm, but it makes all the difference.
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