rayc94•2mo ago

Unpopular opinion: I've gone back to using a hand plane for final smoothing on solid wood doors

For years I used a random orbit sander, convinced it was faster and just as good. That changed after a big maple kitchen job where the sander left a slight haze I couldn't get rid of. Now I take the extra ten minutes per door to use a sharp No. 4 plane for the final pass. The surface is clearer and the glue-up lines practically vanish. Anyone else find power sanding can sometimes leave a less-than-perfect finish on certain woods?

4 comments

4 Comments

kelly_rivera2mo ago

I've had the same thing happen with cherry.

hernandez.gavin2mo ago

My neighbor's cherry tree dropped a ton of fruit last year and it stained her concrete patio. What kind of mess did the cherry make for you?

fionanguyen2mo agoMost Upvoted

What grit do you stop at before you switch to the plane?

joseph_bailey3d ago

The biggest jump for me was going from 220 grit straight to the plane. I skip the 320 and 400 grit paper altogether now. That ultra fine sanding just burnsishes the wood fibers instead of cutting them clean. You get a dull look that can't compete with a planed surface. Plus the plane leaves it ready for finish with no dust stuck in the grain.