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Alembic Club » Alembic Basses & Guitars » Archive: 2008 » Archive through August 25, 2008 » Sanding with the grain « Previous Next »

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frank
Member
Username: frank

Post Number: 68
Registered: 12-2005
Posted on Wednesday, July 09, 2008 - 11:34 am:   Edit Post

This is a question for Mica, but If anyone has an opinion or knowledge on the subject, please share.

I have a highly figured bookmatched curly walnut top for a guitar my brother and I are building, and we are going to need to start sanding soon. How do you sand with the grain when it's going in so many directions and has those ripples (flames, curls or whatever) going right across the grain?

I'll try to upload some pictures at a later date.

Thanks!
elwoodblue
Senior Member
Username: elwoodblue

Post Number: 467
Registered: 6-2002
Posted on Wednesday, July 09, 2008 - 1:20 pm:   Edit Post

My first thought is that you have to use a good hard sanding block,
... maybe in a figure eight motion.

Working lightly, and methodically changing through the grits to make sure each new grit takes care of all the scratches from the last grit.

...without a good hard sanding block you run the risk of the grit diving into the softer parts of the grain and preventing the next grit from doing its job.
I'm looking forward to more tips as refinishing is something a few of my projects are screaming for and I'd rather do it right the first time if possible.

(Message edited by elwoodblue on July 09, 2008)
h82w8
Junior
Username: h82w8

Post Number: 13
Registered: 12-2005
Posted on Saturday, July 12, 2008 - 6:14 am:   Edit Post

random orbit
white_cloud
Advanced Member
Username: white_cloud

Post Number: 390
Registered: 11-2007
Posted on Sunday, July 13, 2008 - 7:12 am:   Edit Post

Im a furniture maker and the random orbit working through many grades of paper sounds good to me. Lots of boring sanding in front of you my friend but it should be worth it:-)
frank
Member
Username: frank

Post Number: 69
Registered: 12-2005
Posted on Monday, July 14, 2008 - 7:17 am:   Edit Post

Wicked. Boring sanding is my specialty! Now I just have to get my hands on a Randon-orbit sander.
gtrguy
Intermediate Member
Username: gtrguy

Post Number: 146
Registered: 9-2004
Posted on Tuesday, July 15, 2008 - 3:22 pm:   Edit Post

I think you need to apply grain sealer first and then sand it with finer grits and then go on from there depending what you want to do.

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