sanding with 0000

[pbarra1]

I sprayed my table with 4 coats of lacquer at my woodshop class which has now ended. I very lightly sanded with distressed 320 sandpaper between each coat. It has some rough spots - I was not thrilled with results of using sandpaper between coats - How about using some 0000 steel wool? Any thoughts? Thanks

[mjgkramer]

That would be good and then rub it with a fine rubbing compound or powdered pumice and water.

When I was doing woodworking several years ago, I would use very fine sand paper on the first coat and then 0000 steel wool on subsequent coats.

My favorite finish was hand rubbed tung oil. Applied it with the fingers and rubbed it until glossy, using 0000 steel wool between coats. Tung oil is absorbed by the wood and is both water and alcohol resistant.

[Panopticon]

Sandpaper is available in grits as fine as 2000 and some types can be used wet. Also, there is synthetic 'steel wool' {non-metallic}. Much easier to use and more friendly to the environment.

A lot of the final finish quality has to do with what wood you used, if you filled the grain, used a sealer, yada yada. Too much to cover here, but this Wiki page http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wood_finishing has some good info and links to other sites.

[Mike Johnson]

Lacquer redissolves itself; it doesn't have to be sanded between every coat for adhesion the way polyurethane does.

Let the first coat cure for at least a day. Then sand, very lightly with 400 / p800 just to get the crud that floated out of the pores. Then wipe it down and/or vacuum -- I don't like using compressed air for this. In between the next coats, I sand only where dust nibs are a problem.

You could finish with #0000, sure. I prefer using a white scotchbrite, which is a little finer.

I wouldn't use steel wool between coats just because it sheds a lot. Some folks use a gray scotchbrite for dust nibs but I like using just a piece of sandpaper, no block or anything. It has to be fresh paper, though. There's debate about whether you can use stearated paper for this. I don't, but I'm not about to get into that donnybrook.

What is distressed sandpaper? As sandpaper gets used, it might feel like it's finer. But it can have bits of grit trapped in it that can scratch the bejeesus out of a finish.

If you want to fix the finish, you'll need to study any rough spots. Is it dust nibs or fish eye or what? You can sand down and reapply more lacquer. Brushing lacquer isn't too hard to work with but please remember the solvent is lacquer thinner -- nasty, flammable stuff.

[ho'ard]

[quote Mike Johnson]but I'm not about to get into that donnybrook. If you change your mind, please be sure to post a few pics of you in the donnybrook.

[Paul F.]

I second the recommendation of white (fine) scotchbrite pad rather than the traditional 0000 steel wool!

Steel wool sheds, and can leave little bits behind that must be cleaned off thoroughly before another coat.

From where you are, if you don't like the surface you're getting, I would do this;
With fresh 320 sandpaper, WET sand the surfaces.. keeping the paper and surfaces wet while you sand... don't let it dry out into a thick paste.
Thorough wipe down with damp paper towels until clean..
Dry paper towels until dry.

Let dry for a couple hours to a day (depending on your shops temp).

Apply a new coat of finish.

After it's dry, use the scotchbrite pad to "knock down" the surface flat. This gives a good surface for a new coat to bond to.

Coat of finish.

WET sand with 400 grit paper. Clean with damp paper towels.

Coat of finish.

WET sand with 600 grit. Clean and dry.

If the finish is too shiny for you, use rubbing compound or pumice and water.
Personally, I think wet sanding with 600 leaves a nice semi-gloss finish.

Now, all this applies to OIL finishes and modified polyurethane's.... I have never worked with true "lacquer" finishes....
I've gotten wonderful results on rifle stocks with tung oil and wet sanding and scotchbrite "roughing" of the early coats.

Naturally, others here have more woodworking and finishing experience than I do... but that's what's worked for me.