Hand-planed surface and finishing: sandpaper?

[Phil Stone]

I'm nearly done working on a craftsman-styled side table, with an ash top and shelf and quarter sawn white oak for everything else. I'm really happy with the surface I was able to get on all parts (especially the ash*) with hand planing.

I'm not the most experienced finisher; I like the building part the best, and if I can finish with Danish Oil, I'm usually happy. But I think this piece deserves more than that, so I'm going to try Jeff Jewitt's "Mission Oak Finish" recipe.

Jewitt writes: "...sand the wood with 100, then 120 and then 150 grit and wipe the wood with distilled water. Sand with 180 grit when dry...".

Can I skip this part? Like I said, I'm pretty happy with the surface I have now. He also suggests sanding with 320 grit after the sealing coat. That should be ok, though, I think, because it's just scuffing the sealer surface, right?


* A high-angle blade in a bevel-up jack made surfacing the ash a real pleasure (and workout!)

[Rob Young]

Sanding all surfaces to the same grit prior to applying a dye helps keep colors a bit more even. End grain you might want to take up another grit, perhaps two.

It has become my habit to touch all surfaces (endgrain at x2 the grit) with the same grit as an insurance policy. Takes just moments on well prepared surfaces from a plane or scraper. And is the time to break sharp corners to help with film finish adhesion.

Jeff is advising you to dampen the surfaces to raise the grain & knock down prior to applying the dye as in his videos I think the dye has been mixed in water. His method works very well on oak. Used it several times. Ash should be similar.

Edit to add, test all of the steps on scrap. And if you have sufficient scrap, try it without the sanding.

[Robert Hazelwood]

If that finish schedule involves dyes or stains I'd advise sanding with the final suggested grit (no need for the coarser grits if there aren't any blemishes to remove). This will dull the surface compared to a hand planed finish but it will accept the dye more evenly.

However, oak and ash are two species that you might get away with staining on a hand planed surface. Plane up some decent-sized test pieces and give it a try. The problem areas are going to be where end grain shows up (near knots, figured areas, runout, etc.).

If you do sand, take care near edges and use a hard sanding block where it makes sense. The worst aspect of sanding is that you can lose the crisp edges, chamfers, etc. that hand planing leaves, and turn it into a rounded-over blob.

[Rafael Herrera]

...I'm going to try Jeff Jewitt's "Mission Oak Finish" recipe.

Jewitt writes: "...sand the wood with 100, then 120 and then 150 grit and wipe the wood with distilled water. Sand with 180 grit when dry...".


The instructions are likely assuming you're preparing your stock with power tools; table saw, jointer, planer, etc. Sandpaper will roughen your planed surfaces. If it were me, I'd try the finishing steps on a test piece and go from there.

Also, if you're using a water based dye, it may raise the grain of the wood and probably require some sanding.

[Phil Stone]

If that finish schedule involves dyes or stains I'd advise sanding with the final suggested grit (no need for the coarser grits if there aren't any blemishes to remove). This will dull the surface compared to a hand planed finish but it will accept the dye more evenly.


Thanks for replying, Robert. Yes, I was considering using a 'walnut' gel stain, which would leave the wood more blonde than the usual dark mission look, but now I'm wondering, if it's the stain that requires scratching-up my nice hand plane finish, maybe I'll do without stain, since I like the lighter, more natural color anyway.

I'm wondering if the rays will still show, though. Time to take everyone's excellent advice and do some test pieces.

[Phil Stone]

Also, if you're using a water based dye, it may raise the grain of the wood and probably require some sanding.

Another reason to maybe skip the stain. Thanks, Rafael. I'll get to testing...

[Warren Mickley]

I stopped using sandpaper in 1978 and have used water stains since 1986. You don’t need to sand before or after water stains or after a sealer. If the wood is cut cleanly with the plane, there is no damaged grain to raise.

[Mel Fulks]

I stopped using sandpaper in 1978 and have used water stains since 1986. You don’t need to sand before or after water stains or after a sealer. If the wood is cut cleanly with the plane, there is no damaged grain to raise.

No steel scraper at all? Or only sometimes if needed?

[Warren Mickley]

No steel scraper at all? Or only sometimes if needed?

I had abandoned the scraper a few years earlier because I was getting a better surface from the plane. I started using the double iron plane in 1973 after reading stuff from historical texts

[Tom Blank]

I recently completed a project with Quarter Sawn White Oak and used Jewitt's finishing recipe for Sample 6 in his handout which skips the Trans Tint step. Using the gel stain following the seal coat did darken the wood some overall, but using the stain really enhanced the pores (darker) and the rays (lighter). I would not skip the gel stain step. All stock was hand planed to dimension and sanded per Jewitt's recipe.

My attempt at a Gerstner style tool chest for my selection of model making tools and supplies. Also made two more for two sons, the third son gets mine when I give up my sharp tools.

Tom

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[Rob Luter]

I recently completed a project with Quarter Sawn White Oak and used Jewitt's finishing recipe for Sample 6 in his handout which skips the Trans Tint step. Using the gel stain following the seal coat did darken the wood some overall, but using the stain really enhanced the pores (darker) and the rays (lighter). I would not skip the gel stain step. All stock was hand planed to dimension and sanded per Jewitt's recipe.

My attempt at a Gerstner style tool chest for my selection of model making tools and supplies. Also made two more for two sons, the third son gets mine when I give up my sharp tools.

Tom

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Nice job Tom!

[William Fretwell]

Agree with Rafael, it assumes power tools, power planers can compress wood fibres and make stain uptake uneven.
Hand planing with a sharp plane puts the best finish obtainable on a wood surface.
Z

[Mel Fulks]

Beautiful! I've loved those things since I saw a photo of one as a kid. Had no real use for it ,just admired the precision
and coveted the luxury. Now...here's what I would do with it. Fill it with neatly organized snacks and keep it on a table
right next to a fine leather chair.