Am I Sanding Too Much?

[ragswl4]

I am prepping some cabinet doors to apply finish. Here is what I am doing and I am wondering if I am sanding too much?

1. Panels are run through the planer with 1/64" taken on the last pass.
2. Raised the panels on the router.
3. Sanding using ROS with 150, then 220, then 320 grit.
4. Finish sander with 400 grit.

The panels look really nice with a mirror like finish. I have applied Watco Danish oil to one panel and it absorbs the oil OK. I will topcoat with Resisthane Plus (Satin).

So I would appreciate some advice on my preparation process. I have a lot of these to do and don't want to waste time over-sanding. Thanks.

[cabinetman]

Depending on what wood you are using (you didn't say), you might not have to go over 220.

[ragswl4]

Depending on what wood you are using (you didn't say), you might not have to go over 220.

I am using Goncalo Alves (Tigerwood). It is pretty dense, weighs 7 lbs per board foot. It is not oily at all. Sands easily.

[Ken Massingale]

The harder the wood, the lower I stop. Some stop at 150-180 with Maple, I 'usually' go to 220 lightly. The thing is with hard wood, if you go too high it kind of burnishes the wood and the finish can have trouble getting into the pores.

[pecker]

400 grit is what you typically start sanding a finish with. There's a good chance you might have to do a bit of sanding to the Resisthane, if my experience is typical. That stuff doesn't flow out as smoothly as nitrocellulose lacquers or oil based varnishes.

I personally wouldn't sand the bare wood past 220, 240.

[JimD]

I go higher than 220 grit usually only on highly figured wood. Maybe 320 if I am feeling like more sanding (not normally close to true). End grain can use a finer sanding so it will not get so much darker. I kind of feel guilty if I do not go up to 220. I also think it makes the swirling of a RAS more visible to stop at a grit lower than 220 but have only rarely tried it. Softwood does not seem to show the swirl as much but staining tends to bring it out.

Jim

[ragswl4]

I wouldn't say that the wood is highly figured but there is a considerable change in the color of the wood in some pieces. I don't mind doing the work I am just concerned about the finish, especially the Resisthane adhering to the wood. Here's a pic of two doors ready to be sanded.

Edit: The stiles and rails are not attached to the doors yet

[Stytooner]

When I was building custom cabinets, we never sanded over 220. We typically used basswood, oak, maple, birch and pine. I will say that most of these also received custom coloring and if you sand it too much, typical stain won't get as dark. Dyes and things work well no matter how far you sand.
I have some goncalo alves and it is pretty hard, but I liken what I had to be more akin to soft maple rather than hard maple.
Some of the shark feeders I made had those type handles at one point.
All this said, I don't think the 400 will effect adherence of your finish. I think it would only come into play with stains.

[JimD]

I have not noticed any issue with resisthane adhering. I can't say that I have sanded with 400 grit before applying it but I still don't think there will be an issue. It adheres to itself without sanding between coats but then there is probably a bit of a chemical reaction going on. I think resisthane is an advanced finish that will adhere. I do not know about adherence over oil. Did you check the can? Resisthane is recommended for use without a sanding sealer under it. I am working from memory which is not a great idea for me but it seems like adhering to other finishes is one thing Resisthane is not great at. The oil will need to be throughly dry, at the minimum.

It looks like you may be finishing the panels before glueing up the doors. That is also my normal practice. I hate unfinished edges.

Safest thing to do would be to test the process on a scrap.

Jim

[ragswl4]

I contacted the makers of Resisthane to ask about using it over danish oil. They said it would be fine as long as I let the oil finish cure for a minimum of 72 hours. I will still try a test before I go shooting a bunch of doors.

Thanks to all for your inputs. I think I'll stop where I am and completely finish a test panel. Just ruined one on the router table so it will at least be good for something.

Lesson learned, when someone walks into your shop and starts talking to you, stop what you are doing and turn everything off. I didn't and it cost me a door panel. Glad it wasn't worse.

[Jeffrey Schronce]

I personally wouldn't go past 180 for the raw wood. This is after reading recent articles in FWW. I used to go to 220 but now I use dual drum sander with 120 and 150 then finish with 180 on ROS. Hand sand any areas of concern after putting wood under high power lamp with 180 or 220, what ever is laying around. This is on some highly figured woods like tiger maple, QSWO and curly cherry. All dense wood. Watco with General Finish Arm-R-Seal. I still am not spraying much as I still have Arm-R-Seal left. I am down to my last 1.5 gallons.

[JimD]

Jeff,

If you tested your approach and can't tell the difference then you have your answer. I tried going finer on a gunstock that was laminated and used some curly maple and I thought the figure was a bit more clear sanding to 400 grit versus some scraps of the same blank sanded to 220 - my normal practice. Maybe I was fooling myself. I have seen probably the same FWW articles you have and I usually believe what FWW says.

I also looked at my can of Resisthane again last night and came to the same conclusion - my memory was not so great yesterday. They do not really counsel against putting it over other finishes that are intact. My wife was to order some white Resisthane today, maybe I'll try it on some kitchen doors that have nicks.

Jim