… and more sanding. I’ve got the top finished and now I’m on to the frame.
Sanding a frame … is hard … and time consuming. I start with 80 grit and move to 220. As I said the top is finished but I’ve just started the frame. It’s going to take me into tomorrow given I have some things to do for my youngest’s class today.
I did cheat and use a power sander on the top. I felt that it’s such a crucial piece that needs to have a great finish surface that I didn’t trust my hand sanding. Even so, it took me most of the day to get it to where I was happy. The frame is exactly the reverse. I don’t trust that I could use a power sander and keep the corners crisp and the surfaces flat and that I wouldn’t mark up other elements while sanding one element. I’m using various sanding blocks so I can get into the tight corners around joints and such. I do think that I am getting better and seeing the scratch marks from one grit to another (a skill needed for sharpening which I’m getting pretty good at).
Perhaps the most important lesson I’ve learned is that you start with a low grit and keep with that grit till you have all the blemishes worked out. After the blemishes are gone, you stay with the low grit until you have a nice even scratch pattern. If you stick to that, the sanding with the higher grits takes a lot less time.
After sanding, I plan to attach the top and then start on the drawer.
