Finishing
The function of the tools I use and how they work are explained here. Specific tools used are noted in bold.
The first step in finishing is to sand all the pieces. The table is disassembled, and each piece is sanded with orbital sanders and by hand. Pencil lines are drawn on the pieces prior to orbital sanding. This ensures an even and thorough sand; once the lines have been sanded off, sanding can progress to the next higher grit. The final 220 grit sand is done by hand to ensure a perfect prep. A light is projected across the pieces at a severe angle during the sanding. This helps show any scratches and imperfections that need to be sanded out.
Several stain samples were made for the customer, but they ended up choosing to leave the wood natural. This is a perfect way to highlight the color and grain of the table top. A specially formulated table top varnish is applied using a High Velocity Low Pressure (HVLP) sprayer. The base coats utilize a gloss sheen formulation, with the top coats utilizing a satin sheen formulation. Sanding is done between coats, and the final coat is buffed out after curing to ensure a glass smooth finish.
