Cabinet Door finishing sanding


Burr

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Hello,

First time poster.  Not really a woodworker, just do what needs doing.  I made some cabinets for the kitchen, nothing fancy.  The door are a combination of hickory and zebra wood.  I finger jointed them together in a 10% Hick, 20% Zebra, 70% Hick arrangement.   I then flattened them be taking a hand held belt sander with 36 grit to them.  I thinking was that a mistake? 

Here's my dilemma, I can't seem to get some scratches out then seem to be trailing the hard rings of the grain.  Let me explain it another way, the soft rings seem to have belt sander marks right after the hard rings.  I have done belt sand to 50, then 120, then Random Orbit Sand to 100, then 120.  But I think its maybe the way the wood is?  I compared a virgin piece and I see the same marks, just not as profound.  I just can't seem to get to them, like I'm just chasing it.  One door I have actually taken 3/16" off.  I figure 1/2" thick be my min, and the doors started >3/4", getting a little to close for my comfort zone.

So, pros, help me out if you could.  Is this normal wood behavior?  Should I find a millwork facility near me to finish them?  Do I just keep at it?  Kinda at the end of my rope.  Been grinding on these a few weeks, different doors, different methods.  I going  a little nuts.

 

Thanks in advance

Brian

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Thanks for all the responses!!.  I forgot to mention that I did use a scraper to start, be it a paint scraper but it worked.  I then wen to the 36 grit for bringing it straight.  The lumber was for a mill/lumber yard, unpreped so it was pretty nasty.  Then when I joined them the two species were vastly different thicknesses.  That why I was thinking 36 grit.  It smallest door is just out side 13" so an affordable planer was out of the question.

I also tried spot sanding, just to see if I "could" make progress.  I made a noticeable divot in the wood and it just didn't look like they were going away.

I snapped some pics, hope they are good quality.  I left the sanding dust in the scratches I'm concerned about to accentuate them.  The ones by the knots show up really good.

Thanks again

Brian

 

20170122_092005.jpg

20170122_093105.jpg

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I haven't actually used a cards scraper Aj, I have seen them in use, I did modify the paint scraper and got kind of the same shavings.  I'm sure a card scraper would be better.  I will prolly get a set for my next project if I survive this one.  And thanks for the vote that it doesn't look too bad.  If I blow the dust out its barely noticeable, but I can see them if I get right up on it.  I was hoping that it was me just getting too critical.

I'll assume "the abrasive step are on the ROS, and to not try smaller grits on the belt sander and leave it on the shelf?  I will try to get them rubbed out a little more, but will stop when I don't feel like I'm making any progress.

 

Thank you!

Brian

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Sanding at a single grit should be limited. Pine is one that can be over sanded badly. There is a huge difference between the soft and hard grain. Over sanding will chew the soft grain well below the hard grain and will leave a surface that is not flat and smooth. The cure is often hard platens and moving through grits with only the necessary passes. I suspect the hand belt sander did not stay flat enough (hard platen and curves not compatible) and was allowed to dish out the soft grain. You might try sand paper on flexible hard board type sheets. Fully writing this up would take too many words. I hope this snap shot helps you process. 

Oops, no curves in the OP. The bowl was another post. 

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Ok...  I either am trying to get something out that can't be gotten out or I have wood from another planet.

I stopped using the belt sander and stuck with the ROS. Started with 60, then 100, then 150, then 220.  No joy.  Same piece of wood and I just started grinding on it by hand.   I started with 150, then to 220.  I'm using a prepin weapon sanding block.

It kind of looked like I was doing something, but then again not.  I feared, in the beginning I was just chasing the scratches, so what I did was take my slide square, set it on 15" from the end to the end of a scratch, and low and behold, the scratched moved a 3/8" after about a half hour of 220 on the sanding block by hand.

What am I doing wrong, or am I not suppose to get those scratches out.

Attached is a pic after it moved 3/8"  I didn't take a before, should of, but you see the deep darker scratch at the 15 3/8 mark, that was at the 15.  I got 15.5 marked with some sand paper.

Thanks

Brian

WoodScratches.jpg

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Thanks for the helps guys.

Yea, the ROS has a shop vac on it, clears as it goes.  When I hand sanded, I did maybe 10~20 passes and blew it out clear with the compressor.

Its Hickory, same as Oak?  So I AM trying to get something out that can't be gotten out?  The picture I see here looks like what I'm concerned about, so you're seeing what I'm seeing.

Feeling better that I'm not going crazy.

Thanks again.

Brian

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