Sanding the cutaway end grain

[todd_sh]

Hi All,

So, after the second coat of Wudtone base coat the colour was starting to look nice and rich, but I noticed two big scratches I had missed sanding out right on the front of the body near the 'top' cutaway.

Having worked a bit with timber before I knew these would likely only get worse with gloss coat, so decided it was 'now or never' to sand them out. So, 15 mins later and I've pretty much got two coats of wudtone off in that area. Oh well.

I also noticed quite a few scratches 'in' the cutaways. To be honest, we were a little lost when sanding this area, as it's a little hard to tell which direction to sand in given it's effectively rounded over end grain of the timber.

So, any tips on how to make sure these areas are scratch free .. and also if my plan of just starting wudtone again is going to work??

Cheers

Todd

PS I suppose all of this should be in my build diary, which I still haven't started! Will include problems and fixes when I get around to starting the diary!

[Gavin1393]

As you layer the Wudtone and use steel wool between coats these should disappear....

You need to get it as smooth as you can beforehand though.

[Brendan]

Todd - think you've done the right thing - with those tooling scratches on the end grain, I had to go down to 180 grit sandpaper, wrap an eraser with it (thanks Gav) and then give it a go - then you need to go back up the grits and start the staining again. For a consistent colour, you may need to bring the whole top back to the same level of colour - unless you're going for the distressed look.

[todd_sh]

Thanks guys - so, are youy saying that the the deeper scratches in the bottom pic need more sanding, but the light scratches on the top pic will likely disappear with coats of wudtone? Because it seems whichever direction I sand in (side to side inside the cutaway, or front to back 'over' it) I end up with some degree of scatching.

Thanks also for the reminder about sanding the whole top to the same level of colour,definitely planning to do that.

The hard decision in these things is whether to leave well enough alone or whether it should be better.

Cheers

Todd

[Gavin1393]

You need to make a determined effort to get rid of all the scratched. Around the edges if you can get rid of the scratches to the point where they are minor by going from possibly 80 to 120 to 180 to 2220/240 grit then any very minor channels will be filled with Wudtone. Wudtone does level as it cures and hence the reason why you do not need to apply filler to more porous wood. This is also the reason why DB and I suggest the 48 hour curing time between coats. If you don't rush the process, you will see terrific results!

So SAND properly! Get that body looking terrific before starting to paint. Wiping the Basswood with a damp cloth will not only raise wayward fibres but will also highlight scratches and glue spots.
Only when you have a smooth surface free of hindrances should you start painting. I almost feel that DB should not send out the Wudtone for a week to encourage this patience!

[todd_sh]

Thanks Gavin ... and the bit that has been frustrating me - do I go side to side or front to back in the cutaways?

[Gavin1393]

I generally follow contour of the cutaways. Use the eraser wrapped in sandpaper. Works a treat!

I typically sand in one direction only though...from both peaks down to the trough on both sides.

Hope this helps

[todd_sh]

Thanks Gavin, my wife's out tonight, so once I've got the kids to bed, I'll be out in the man cave giving it a good crack!

[Walrus]

I agree with following the contour in the cutaway. If the finer grit paper is not getting rid of the deeper scratches, you need to go to a course grit. I had some deep scratches on the base of my ST-1 (where the strap pin goes) and I had to go back to 80 grit to get them out.

[todd_sh]

Thanks - and how smooth is smooth enough? If I run my finger over it and can't feel scratches is that a good guide, or do I need to go by sight?