Edge Sanding Question

[Neill]

I am sure that this issue has been discussed but I cannot find a definitive answer.

I am a hobbyist.  I use a lot of poplar because of the cost, availability, light weight, ability to hold fasteners and glue, and the way it looks in its unfinished state.

It seems that no matter which wood I use, when sanding after staining I seem to sand through the edges.  I hand sand and try to use as light a touch as possible with a 320 or higher grit.

I almost always use water base finishes. I have tried stains and dye stains with sanding sealers on top without any luck.

Any tips, other than "hey, that looks great distressed"?

Thanks in advance.

Neill

 

[AlexThePalex]

Have you tried scuff pads? They work great because they're flexible and are not so aggressive. Sanding sponges are also an option.

But edges are always a problem. It sure is very easy to go right through them, especially when staining, because when you stain it you apply just a very thin layer.

You could try to sand very closely to the edge and leave the edge itself untouched.

 

[Neill]

Alex,

Thanks for the reply.  What version of the scuff pads do you use?

Neill

 

[AlexThePalex]

Well, don't know for sure ...... they're green and they feel rough but not as rough as real sand paper. 

I don't know if there are so many different versions. Not here in Holland where I live.           

 

[JeromeM]

I am sure that this issue has been discussed but I cannot find a definitive answer.

I am a hobbyist.  I use a lot of poplar because of the cost, availability, light weight, ability to hold fasteners and glue, and the way it looks in its unfinished state.

It seems that no matter which wood I use, when sanding after staining I seem to sand through the edges.  I hand sand and try to use as light a touch as possible with a 320 or higher grit.

I almost always use water base finishes. I have tried stains and dye stains with sanding sealers on top without any luck.

Any tips, other than "hey, that looks great distressed"?

Thanks in advance.

Neill

Do you leave a sharp edge or have you rounded it off?

 

[Neill]

Do you leave a sharp edge or have you rounded it off?

[/quote]

Jerome,

Thanks for the reply.  I usually round edges to varying degrees, depending on the piece, to eliminate splintering.

Your interest in helping me out is most appreciated.

Neill

 

[woodshopdemos]

Neill,
  Don't sand the stain coat. Save your sanding for when you have one or two clear coats. Sand carefully then with 240 or so. Wipe off the sand thoroughly using a soft rag moistened with either water or mineral spirits depending on what your clear coats are (waterborne or poly). It take very little sanding at this point to smooth out the  nibs and imperfections. Then add more finish coats of same material. No further sanding should be required. If your finish isn't as smooth as you would like, let finish cure (5 days or so) and rub out -- I use automotive polishing compound..

the page:  http://www.woodshopdemos.com/trays-13.htm

 

[Neill]

John,

Thanks, as always, for taking the time to help us amateurs.  I did put two coats of sanding sealer on before my initial sanding.  Maybe my coats were too thin because they dried very fast.

One of the nicest things about your replies is that you usually acknowledge the expertise of your assistants.

Neill

 

[AlexThePalex]

   Don't sand the stain coat.

It's better to always sand every layer of stain/paint you apply. A fresh coat is simply too smooth and will have the result that the next coat won't stick too well. You don't need to sand a lot. Just a tiny bit to roughen the surface. The scuff pads I suggested are excellent for that. They're not good for smoothing out uneven bits like you would with sand paper, they're just for roughening the top layer.

 

[woodshopdemos]

Neill,
  And thank you for your kind words. Applying the seal coats before the stain makes a different story...in fact, in my estimation, may make it more difficult to not sand thru the stain.
  Alex suggests a method that is probably practised by many real fine finishers. I cannot say it is wrong, just diiferent than my experience...and difference is also what makes this forum a success. I was brought up by custom automotive finishing where the goal was to lay on 25 coats.. You would sand it flat every fourth coat so by the time you got to the final four, your surface was  perfect and very high gloss...ready to be buffed even finer.

 

[Neill]

John,

Maybe I was not clear.  I put the sanding sealer on after the stain.  I did not sand after the staining only after the two coats of sealer.  That is why I said that I may have put the sealer on too thin because they seemed to dry very quickly.

You and Alex have been very helpful.  I am most appreciative of your interest.  I will experiment with both methods and will post later with what I come up.

Thanks.

Neill

 

[Bob Swenson]

Neill, John likes to see things from a broad point of view.

 

[Neill]

Neill, John likes to see things from a broad point of view.

Bob,

Sorry for the delay but I never got notified in "New Replies to Your Posts".  Anyway, as a former Garden Stater myself I assume you are refering to "broad" in the same sense as that crooner formerly from Hoboken  Ya think? 

Neill

 

[mwhafner]

I do work with Poplar quite a bit, and it can be a little challenging to finish.  A little experimentation will go a long way towards getting great results.  There are a lot of ways to get great results, so experiment a little.  Below is my process -

First, seal your end-grain with a light cut of shellac.  Sanding Sealer seems to flash off a little to fast for Poplar. 

Sand end-grain lightly

I like to use Danish Oil on Poplar (and many other woods).  I generally apply three coats, but do not sand between coats.

After the final coat has cured, which takes about 36 hours, I start to apply my lacquer or poly.  For these, I sand between each coat.

 

[Neill]

I do work with Poplar quite a bit, and it can be a little challenging to finish.  A little experimentation will go a long way towards getting great results.  There are a lot of ways to get great results, so experiment a little.  Below is my process -

First, seal your end-grain with a light cut of shellac.  Sanding Sealer seems to flash off a little to fast for Poplar. 

Sand end-grain lightly

I like to use Danish Oil on Poplar (and many other woods).  I generally apply three coats, but do not sand between coats.

After the final coat has cured, which takes about 36 hours, I start to apply my lacquer or poly.  For these, I sand between each coat.

First, thanks for the information.  If I am understanding correctly, you do not stain poplar at all, just the danish oil on the primary surfaces and then apply your finish coat.  Of course, I understand sealing the ends.

Apparently I was not doing the right thing on poplar with the stain and sanding sealer.  If you have tried it, have you noticed any difference on poplar between solvent and water based stain?

Thanks again.

 

[mwhafner]

I don't use much stain, but have in the past.  The process doesn't really change, except that you can apply your poly or lacquer sooner and you don't have to be as careful about what you use as a final coat.

 

[polarsea1]

The maroon colored pads are 320-400 grit, Mirka Mirlon is the same. They're good for scuffing between coats.