Lets hear your technique and see your results

[garfield]

Hi Garfield,

ROS is Random Orbital Sander.

Regards,

Rob

So they are OK to use? It's been suggested to that I shouldn't use any power tools for sanding but rather do it by hand as that is the best method.

[silentC]

My preferred finish is shellac. It is the most amazing stuff and very easy to apply (although I've had a problem or two as witnessed in a recent thread).

Probably the easiest finish I've come across is described in The Polisher's Handbook. I've bastardised it a bit to come up with this:

1. Use a card scraper or hand plane to remove machining marks.
2. Sand through the grits to 400 (I hand sand with a sanding block)
3. Brush on some sanding sealer. UBeaut sells a good one, or you can just mix up a very weak brew of shellac. I think mine is still too heavy. It's the colour of tea but probably straw colour would be better. Leave for 24 hours.
4. Sand from 600 to 800 or 1200.
5. Remove all dust then wipe or brush several coats of shellac (I use a pad) until you get the colour you're after. Make sure you allow it to dry between each coat
6. Leave for a couple of days or longer then using 1200 grit wet & dry with soapy water, cut the finish back being careful not to rub through it.
7. Allow to dry then buff with 0000 steel wool.
8. Apply three coats of Traditional Wax, buffing off in between.

Magic!

[LGS]

A good ROS will give an excellent finish to timber. You'll save a lot of time and effort as well. You should have no swirlies left on your workpiece if the ROS is used properly.
The Metabo Duo is another good finishing sander and a lot cheaper than the Festool.

Regards,

Rob

[garfield]

Thanks for the input Silent. And a beautiful piece you have made there

[garfield]

A good ROS will give an excellent finish to timber. You'll save a lot of time and effort as well. You should have no swirlies left on your workpiece if the ROS is used properly.
The Metabo Duo is another good finishing sander and a lot cheaper than the Festool.

Regards,

Rob

So I can power sand instead of sweating all over my piece

[Juffy]

So I can power sand instead of sweating all over my piece

You have that problem too, eh?

I've just acquired a Metabo SXE450 ROS and I swear it's the greatest thing since sliced bread. 400 grit sandpaper and a couple of coats of poly and you can see yourself in the reflection, and that's just on crappy Bunnings pine.

[garfield]

You have that problem too, eh?

I've just acquired a Metabo SXE450 ROS and I swear it's the greatest thing since sliced bread. 400 grit sandpaper and a couple of coats of poly and you can see yourself in the reflection, and that's just on crappy Bunnings pine.

Yeah I very much have that problem How much did the Metabo cost you?

I have been using a belt sander to attack the really rough stuff and then using my Ryobi rectangular sander (I don't know what is classed as) with usually 80Grit, down to 120Grit then down to 240Grit followed by 320Grit. I gues I stuffed it somehow.

[Juffy]

How much did the Metabo cost you?

No idea, it was a present.

[garfield]

But the orbital sander is the go hey? You never hand sand?

[Juffy]

I use the ROS for pre-finish sanding - I'm not confident enough (yet?) to use it between coats. I've seen a few people on here getting their hand smacked for asking "should I use my belt sander or my ROS after the 5th coat of poly?"

I'm actually in much the same boat as you - I know very little about finishing other than what I've read on here. But in terms of surface preparation, getting a ROS and some 60/120/240/320/400 grit (might need some 180 as well?) papers for it has given me a massive leap forward in where I'm starting from.

[garfield]

I use the ROS for pre-finish sanding - I'm not confident enough (yet?) to use it between coats. I've seen a few people on here getting their hand smacked for asking "should I use my belt sander or my ROS after the 5th coat of poly?"

I'm actually in much the same boat as you - I know very little about finishing other than what I've read on here. But in terms of surface preparation, getting a ROS and some 60/120/240/320/400 grit (might need some 180 as well?) papers for it has given me a massive leap forward in where I'm starting from.

I don't mind using elbow grease for the sanding between coats on the finishing, I just don't like the sound of hand sanding for prep. BUT! if it has to be done that way to get a professional finish then I'm prepared to do it.

[silentC]

That's why I scrape first. It doesn't actually take that long to hand sand if you remove machine marks etc first. I thought about getting an ROS (the Metabo is around the $400 mark) but decided against because you also have to buy the disks and it's a hell of a lot cheaper to buy sheets. I might still get one eventually but I've gotten buy OK without it until now.

[Papa]

It depends on what I am after,, some times I just sand, stain and
finish.

On the boat, I sand with 120 then seal, sand with 180 and varnish,
sand with 180 and varnish, repeat 4 more times.

I never use a belt sander on large areas, just for evening up edges
and joints.

All pre finish sanding is with a ROS. And finish sanding is by hand.

This is the seats for the boat.

One coat sealer, six coats Minwax, read the can,,,

[garfield]

Looks as though I'd better try the hand sanding for the next project then

I still ain't really hearing how people are applying their clear coat. People are mentioning their brands and the like but not all say whether or not they do it - or prefer it through either wipe on or spraying it on.

[Papa]

Looks as though I'd better try the hand sanding for the next project then

I still ain't really hearing how people are applying their clear coat. People are mentioning their brands and the like but not all say whether or not they do it - or prefer it through either wipe on or spraying it on.

Cheap'O chip brushes, cleaned first and all the loose stuff pulled out.
Buy them by the case. I keep 1, 2 and 3" on hand at all times.

Some I clean and reuse, some I just trash.