Refinishing Oak table - RS2E advice

[RonMiller]

I'm refinishing a large oak kitchen table for an important, repeat client. It's very flat and not too gouged or marked up, altho there are a few places needing "help". I own and love my ETS 150/3 which is great for final finishes. But I want to make sure that any sanding I do keeps this top flat. I don't want "new wood" hollows. I'll be removing the old finish with a stripper. Do you think I can then just lightly and carefully use the ETS 150 at about 120 - 150 grit and be done or should I get the RS2E to avoid risking the hollows?
TIA

 

[jonny round boy]

There's no reason to create any hollows with the ETS150. Just keep it moving.

It might help to get the hard pad (496150) too.

 

[Brice Burrell]

I'd look at like this. If you can justify buy the RS2E for your day to day work then go for it. I'm assuming it's a tool you don't envision using much or you wouldn't hesitate. I'd guess you'd be okay with the ETS/5 in those grits. But here's the rub, oak is porous and removing the finish with stripper might be a bit challenging. You're likely to need to sand more than you're expecting.

I'd look into borrowing a demo RS2E if you've got a good relationship with a dealer.    

 

[WarnerConstCo.]

Unless it is white oak, which is not porous.

 

[mouppe]

I would take a straight edge and using a pencil mark the high spots by sighting along the edge. Then you will have a guide as to when you have sanded sufficiently. As you get close to the desired level, you could switch to a hand sanding block, or even a block plane or smoothing plane.

Richard.

 

[Brice Burrell]

Unless it is white oak, which is not porous.

You're right.

 

[RonMiller]

I do have the hard pad for the ETS and plan to use it. But as I've stripped off the polyeurethane (or whatever that top really hard stuff is), the stain isn't coming out at all...perhaps dyed? It's whitened (?) red oak to match kitchen cabinets. So it looks like alot of sanding coming on, so, I'm off to get the RS2E.

Brice - I've thought about getting this several other times for projects in the last year, and when that happens, my history has shown I never regret the green tool. So thanks for the reminder of the ooh too obvious that I'd forgotten.

 

[johnnyinnb]

If your close to a cabinet shop with a wide belt sander they can sand it flat in a few passes without the worry of creating dips, as long as you can take apart the top to fit in the sander

 

[WarnerConstCo.]

It all depends on how you want it to look.

Wide belt sander would be awesome.

Belt sander with a frame would be great too.

It takes a lot to get all the old finish out of the grain pores on red oak, got to take more off it all.