Humiliating yourself with mineral oil
Sanding is always a pain in the neck for me. I’ve already talked about the best general-purpose sander and the best sandpaper, but I haven’t shared the ultimate secret to fabulous finishes, not to mention saving a bundle on sandpaper: mineral oil wet sanding. Here’s what you do.
First, finish your surface to however you normally would, minus the last grit. For example, sand with 100, 150, 220. Then get ready for amazement. You can even put a coat of finish on first to seal the pores; it won’t clog the sandpaper!
Go buy yourself some mineral oil. Now, if you happen to have the simultaneous personality defects of being easily embarrased and constantly feeling like you have to explain yourself to total strangers, this may be a bit tricky. You see, while you can buy mineral oil at any place that carries wood finishing supplies, the most convenient and inexpensive type of mineral oil is good old Johnson and Johnson, sold at the supermarket. Unfortunately, it’s labeled for other uses.
You walk up to the checkout counter and carefully arrange the carrots, frozen pizza crust, and swiffer mop refils to fully surround and hide the mineral oil on the checkout belt.
Ted, the checkout clerk, picks up the mineral oil.
You: I’m a woodworker, you know. Stuff’s great for woodworking. Helps to lubricate… ah, helps to extend the life of your sandpaper.
Ted, the checkout clerk:
You: It’s funny how it’s cheaper to buy the medicinal stuff than it is to buy the industrial stuff. You’d think that if you were actually going to swallow it as a laxitive, they’d have to charge more for it. Because it’s medicine and stuff.
Ted, the checkout clerk:
You: I mean the stuff is really cheap. Too bad I’m not constipated. I’m not, you know. Totally regular. Every morning, like clockwork.
Ted, the checkout clerk: Will that be paper or plastic, sir?
In any case, back to my point: stick some 320 grit sandpaper on your Sander of Ineffible Delight, slather the whole surface of your project with mineral oil (enough so your hand “skates” along the surface when you rub it–use plenty), and sand it to holy heck. Not only with the surface be far smoother than you could have done dry, but you’ll be able to do an entire tabletop on just one sheet of sandpaper–it lasts virtually forever when you’re using this trick.
Actually, you can use mineral oil from the start (and make the lower grit sanding easier too), but when I’m planning to fill the wood pores with pumice, I find it makes that step more difficult–I fill the pores after I sand with 220, then use the mineral oil sanding trick.
By some mineral oil, and keep your mouth shut when you do. You’ll thank me for it.
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