Fixing Imperfections

[Alixander Beck]

I spcifically thinking of areas where grain pops out and leaves the finish of the wood more open than other areas.

I have heard of wet sanding with Linseed oil to create a paste of wood dust to fill the pours.

Any other suggestions or is this the best?

[Bob Smalser]

What wood are you having problems with?

After finish sanding, a spray bottle of water will raise the grain so you can sand off the fuzz. Doing that prevents the same thing happening beneath your finish after the wood gets wet for the first time. If sanding with different grits, raising the grain with water between grits and letting it dry before moving on to a finer grit makes the sanding go faster because the raised grain fills the sanding scratches left by the coarser grit, making them easier to remove.

Wet sanding with 180-220 grit lubed with boiled linseed or boat soup makes a slurry of dust and oil that fills the pores of open grain woods like mahogany and walnut, but takes a while to dry before varnishing. There are commercial oil-based wood fillers, often with stain in them, that use diatomaceous earth to fill the grain and these are faster and more convenient to use.

Occasionally you get a piece of usually figured wood with a patch of fuzz that simply won't remain smooth to the touch, regardless of how much grain raising and sanding done to it. On these you build up more finish coats sanded smooth between each coat to fill and cover it.

[Alixander Beck]

i'm having trouble with cedar. I am well aquianted with the water and finish sand to raise the grain but there are still areas of "fuzz" or loose grain that will fill up with varnishing.

I guess in these areas i'm looking for a "tighter" grain which it doesn't have and a method to fill in those "loose" spots.

It's tough for me to explain properly.

thanks for your advice

[Bob Smalser]

i'm having trouble with cedar...

You sure the wood is not still too wet to finish? High moisture content areas raise their own grain, and cedar can have wet spots.

[Alixander Beck]

I don't think moisture is an issue. These planks were purchased over a year ago and have been air drying since.

I'm not specifically speaking of raised grain due to moisture but more about areas where the grain was running straight in line with the plank but has curved to the surface at some point along the run of the plank.

ah well I'll try some methods on test pieces and see what happens.

Thanks

[chainyank]

So while I worked as a wood and canvas canoe builder we saw alot of boards with fuzzy spots in the grain, from a twist in the tree or a crotch of a branch. I think this may be what you are discribing, if it is it will never go away with sanding, and I think the best thing has been suggested, that is sand it the best you can and build up the area with finish. It will look fine:cool: . If you try to sand it out you will soon be at the inside of the other side and still trying to find where the fuzz ends:eek: !!

happy finishing!
Joel

[Bruce Hooke]

This is just a speculative idea, not one I have actually tried -- but I am wondering if applying a thinned coat of varnish or paint would harden up the fuzz enough to allow you to sand it smooth?

[ssor]

I have often used one pound cut shellac as a sanding sealer with good results.

[chainyank]

This is just a speculative idea, not one I have actually tried -- but I am wondering if applying a thinned coat of varnish or paint would harden up the fuzz enough to allow you to sand it smooth?

this is the principle for the built up varnish, you sand between coats and you basically "fill in" around the fuzz. As the other guy here said, shellac is great as a sanding sealer as well. (If this were an epoxied boat the epoxy would perform the same function, as long as there were enough coats to cover all that fuzz......

All this talk of fuzz reminds me it´s time to trim the beard. ;)

[brad9798]

Yes, Bruce, that is something I have done ... but not in a marine use. It does work.

[Bob Smalser]

Occasionally you get a piece of usually figured wood with a patch of fuzz that simply won't remain smooth to the touch, regardless of how much grain raising and sanding done to it. On these you build up more finish coats sanded smooth between each coat to fill and cover it.

I'd stick with using the exterior finish you plan for the boat as the filler.

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL12/1104763/7910361/104473753.jpg

A potential problem with shellac and other sanding sealers outdoors in the weather is they often have a shorter life than marine paint, eventually acting as a slip sheet when they degrade ahead of the topcoat. Of you do use one, use a thin wash coat of shellac, as it's more flexible than the built-up sanding sealers that are responsible for crazed piano finishes.

[Alixander Beck]

So while I worked as a wood and canvas canoe builder we saw alot of boards with fuzzy spots in the grain, from a twist in the tree or a crotch of a branch. I think this may be what you are discribing, if it is it will never go away with sanding, and I think the best thing has been suggested, that is sand it the best you can and build up the area with finish. It will look fine:cool: . If you try to sand it out you will soon be at the inside of the other side and still trying to find where the fuzz ends:eek: !!

happy finishing!
Joel


yep, that's excatly what's happening and how I have been dealing with the issue. It works well enough and I guess I'll just keep doing it this way.

thanks!