Sanding Time. Yay?

Time to start sanding the Salon table. Which is my least favorite phase, but I’ve come up with a few tips to make it easier:

• Friction Pad: It’s also used as shelf liner, and it keeps the wood from slipping on the table when you sand, finish, etc. I also have a workbench with bench dogs and in-line clamps if needed.
• Sanding Discs: It’s nice to have a wide assortment of grits. Start rough, finish fine.
• Grit Guidance: The decorative posters above my workbench are actually pretty handy. The chart on the top right recommends grits for different applications and wood types.
• Palm Sander w/Vac Attachment: My Palm Sander is directly connected to my vac, resulting in (mostly?) dust-free sanding. More on dust collection in a later post.
• Workbench: I built my main workbench 25 years ago. It includes a vice and a full shelf underneath. The white pegboard on the surface provides a splinter-free surface and a 1 inch x 1 inch grid for quick, rough measuring.
• Ear Protection: The vac isn’t as loud as my old one, but when coupled with the sander it can do damage. These are pretty comfortable if you have a thick skull like me.