Always keep the sander moving without forcing it. This not only makes smoothing more uniform and allows dust to be evenly collected, but it also helps prevent scratching or digging in. Done correctly, a sander should glide lightly over the work.

In terms of feed speed, here’s a good rule of thumb: move a random orbit or orbital sander over the workpiece at no faster than about one foot per second.

Uneven panel surfaces and tabletop glue-ups may need special attention, and this is often where tilting the sander is tempting. Although possible to effectively level a panel with a random orbit sander, it’s time-consuming and invites error. Instead, this is a good place to call in a belt sander with its large, flat pad that more easily bridges high spots.

First, locate all the high spots. Use a raking light to show where light sneaks under a reliable straightedge. High spots will be dark, with light shining on each side. Use a pencil to mark the high spots as you move the straightedge over the surface.

Cut the speed on your belt sander way down, and sand diagonally over the high spots to remove the pencil marks. Stop frequently and recheck with your straightedge to monitor your leveling and find remaining high spots.

Once the high spots are leveled, sand with the grain to remove diagonal scratches. Again, keep the speed down and the sander moving, overlapping with each pass. The goal here is making a uniform surface, not finish sanding, so go with a light touch.

The last step is to recheck for high spots with your straightedge. Any remaining spots should be small. Hand-sanding with an extra- long sanding block works best to level these stragglers, followed by smoothing through all the grits with a finish sander.

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Even better is to replace the bag or canister with a direct hookup to a shop vacuum or dust-collection system. Adapters like Rockler’s Dust Right FlexiPort system are extremely helpful for connecting most sander models.

For finish-sanding or polishing, high speed is great. But for most other sanding chores, constantly running sanders at their top speed can prematurely wear out abrasives, unexpectedly over-sand delicate workpieces, overheat motors, raise vibration, cause the sander to dig in and even make the tool harder to control. All quality sanders have speed controls these days. Don’t neglect them.

Two other poor techniques go hand in hand. The first is the oh-so-tempting practice of tilting the sander on-edge to quickly level glue joints or joinery. Yes, it works, but the odds of a poor result are high. It’s deceptively easy to sand a depression into the material. It also retards the spinning mechanism of a random orbit sander, defeating the whole purpose, and it invites swirls and scratching. Do this a lot, and you’ll also wear out the mechanics that make random orbits possible.

For the same reasons, don’t force the sander down into the work. Too much pressure overstresses the motor, slows down the random orbit pattern and causes swirls and scratching. Excess heat shortens the life of sandpaper and encourages clogging. Instead, hold the sander tightly enough for control, but let the weight of your hand and the sander itself do the work.

All woodworkers know to “work through the grits” for a gradual smoothing, but it’s easy to skip the important step of cleaning the workpiece between grits. No matter how efficient your dust collection is, dust always adheres to the surface along with loosened grit. The next-higher grit simply grinds this all into the surface. Always brush — or better yet, vacuum — the surface thoroughly between grits.

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The three most useful abrasives for woodworkers are aluminum oxide, silicon carbide and ceramic.

Aluminum oxide is by far the most common material. It’s moderately priced, very friable and has a decentlifespan. You can’t go wrong making this type your go-to for day-to-day use. It’s also the most readily available due to its popularity.

Silicon carbide is a harder, sharper material that lasts longer than aluminum oxide. It’s often available in extremely high grits — I have some 2,000-grit in my shop — and it’s great for wet-sanding and rubbing out finishes. It’s also a bit more expensive.

Ceramic abrasive paper for woodworking is more recent. It’s very hard, and although somewhat less friable than the other two types, the grains remain sharp until depleted, making it incredibly tough and aggressive. It’s a bit pricey by comparison, but it easily lasts the longest of the three.

Sandpaper is either open- or closed-coat. Open-coat paper uses less grit, creating spaces between the grains that help prevent clogging or “loading.” It’s best for softwoods and other high-resin materials. Closed-coat is just the opposite, with the grains densely packed together. It’s best for harder, low-resin woods and for hand-sanding.

Speaking of longevity, it’s natural to want to use a disc or belt as long as possible. But overused sandpaper is an exercise in diminishing returns. Resin buildup, torn edges and dust holes and “bald” spots all lessen sandpaper’s effectiveness, leading to poor results that, maddeningly, take longer to achieve. Check your paper often, and discard paper sooner rather than later.

That said, if paper is still fairly new but clogging, extend its life by simply cleaning it. A stiff brush — an old toothbrush or even a soft wire brush — can remove a lot of buildup, while a gum cleaning block helps with more serious clogging.

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Christine Adams, marketing director for General Finishes, reports that this cross-linked polyurethane is an ideal topcoat for protecting figured woods and can be used over paint that already has a flat sheen. “With Dead Flat, the beauty of the wood grain displays with natural clarity, and the color of painted projects shows with more intense saturation,” Adams says.

Due to recent advances in its patented polymer technology, General Finishes has formulated Dead Flat without the use of the durability reducing matting agents required in the past. This gives it the durability of higher gloss finishes with a more natural appearance and low luster.

Adams reports that Dead Flat has a <5-degree sheen (compared with the company’s Flat Out Flat product that has a <10-degree sheen), with improved chemical and water-resistance properties. It meets KCMA durability standards, contains no Prop 65 chemicals, uses renewable resources and is VOC compliant nationwide.

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It applies with a cloth and, after the excess is wiped off , dries on the surface in about 20 to 30 minutes. Bumblechutes recommends that the paste be reapplied every two to four weeks. It can be used as a stand-alone finish or to improve the moisture resistance of surfaces treated with Woodworker’s Oil.

Both products have a pleasant, lemony smell when first applied. Rockler sells Woodworker’s Oil in 8.45 oz bottles. All-In-One Wood Conditioner comes in 4 oz glass jars.

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Other benefits include milk paint’s versatility and visual appeal. It can be applied over absorbent surfaces such as wood, concrete, plaster or brick without the need for primer. It is UV fade-resistant and will accept all topcoats and finishes, which can alter the sheen or add even more durability. Milk paint dries quickly without residual odor and cleans up with water. Waste paint is worry-free, too — just pour it down the drain, flush it or compost it.

The Real Milk Paint Co. Milk Paint, now available in an assortment of colors from Rockler, is made from natural ingredients: casein, lime, pigments and a plant-based filler. The paint is simple to prepare for use by mixing it 50/50 with tap water. Each can includes 11⁄4 cups of paint powder and a handy glass mixing marble. Pour the amount of dry paint and water you need into the plastic can, drop the marble in, snap on the lid and shake the can vigorously for 5 minutes.

Once mixed, the paint is workable for up to two weeks if kept refrigerated. In powdered form, it’s shelf stable and will last for years. The dry contents of the can forms one pint of liquid paint, which covers about 35 sq. ft.

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Clapham’s Beeswax Salad Bowl Finish can alleviate any niggling concerns you may have, because its ingredients couldn’t be simpler: beeswax and food-safe mineral oil. That’s it! It contains no harmful chemicals or additives.

Unscrewing the lid and taking a deep breath of the contents will confirm the beeswax immediately — it’s subtle and the only discernible smell this product has. Clapham’s has formulated the wax emulsion to be firm enough to be solid but not so stiff as to prevent it from loading easily onto an applicator. Rubbing it over bare wood, the wax immediately liquefies and penetrates into the grain, darkening it without imparting a shine. Once it dries, the wood takes on a flat appearance again, as though the surface is damp but entirely dry to the touch.

Aside from being food-safe, the other upside to a natural blended-wax finish is that it couldn’t be simpler to apply: wipe it on liberally, give it a few minutes to soak in and wipe off the excess. The downside, however, is that it will need to be reapplied often and off ers only slight water resistance and protection.

Clapham’s Beeswax Salad Bowl Finish is suitable for wooden bowls, spoons and butcher blocks and can also be used as a cutting board wax or as a food-safe countertop finish. It comes in a 7 oz jar and sells for $19.99.

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The company claims 0 percent VOCs with no solvents, which is desirable for many woodworkers.

One Coat?

The hardwax oil does go on with one application, but there are caveats. First off, after sanding to 150-grit, you need to get rid of the sawdust. After vacuuming the swarf away, Rubio suggests using their Raw Wood Cleaner to remove the tiniest dust particles. Some woodworkers use mineral spirits as an alternative.

If you believe in raising the grain with water before finishing, now is the time to do it. When the wood dries, whisk off the raised grain with a synthetic pad.

You can apply Rubio Monocoat without using the hardener, but it will take about three weeks or more to fully cure (much like tung oil). Or, add one part hardener to two parts oil and mix them together well. Choose a section of your project that you can complete in about 10 to 15 minutes. Pour the oil onto the wood surface and use a plastic spreader, synthetic scratchy pad or a rag to spread out the finish. A little oil will go a long way. Allow the oil to sit for about five minutes and then buff the oil into the wood. When that’s done, remove any extra oil with a soft, clean, lint-free cloth.

Rubio Monocoat dries to a very low-luster finish that feels smooth and silky. It’s formulated in 50 different colors, including one that’s basically a clear coat.

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More than 20 years ago Nordy Rockler partnered with Maloof to develop a signature wood finish that not only would meet Sam’s expectations but also provide an easy-to-apply solution for woodworkers of all skills levels. Rockler’s Sam Maloof Poly/Oil Finish is the result. It’s a custom blend of polyurethane varnish and other natural oils, including raw tung oil and linseed oil, that can simply be wiped onto bare wood and dries to a satiny “close to the wood” sheen.

This moderately thick liquid has an amber tone that deepens wood color and grain patterns while offering protection against spills and normal wear and tear. Use it on interior furniture, cabinetry, millwork and accent projects that won’t be exposed to heat or excessive moisture. When the wood looks dry, the finish can be reapplied as needed without sanding or stripping the project first.

Sam Maloof Poly/Oil Finish is suitable for bare or stained wood of most species, provided the stain is fully cured. For optimal results, sand the wood up through the grits to 400 or even higher, then burnish the surfaces with 0000 steel wool. Apply the finish liberally and wipe off the excess completely to prevent excess finish from becoming tacky. After the finish dries for 24 hours, subsequent coats can be applied. Allow each coat to dry for 24 hours. Four coats are recommended.

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Made in the USA, it is FDA-approved for food contact surfaces such as cutting boards, butcher blocks and wooden countertops, does not solidify under normal conditions, is highly shelf-stable and has virtually no scent.

This wood finish goes on smooth — not too thick and not too thin — and it won’t impart a strange taste to food. It will leave your cutting board with a silky smooth finish, rich color and a little shine while it helps protect the wood from food stains and keeps it looking new. Rub on two coats for even more depth and color.

Walrus Oil Cutting Board Oil is available in an 8 oz squeeze bottle from Rockler. Or you can purchase quart-sized or even larger containers directly from the manufacturer by visiting walrusoil.com.

Walrus Oil Cutting Board Oil is just one option among a growing family of wood care products. A denser formulation — Wood Wax For Cutting Boards also available from Rockler — is made of the same ingredients as the oil but comes in a 3 oz tin. Apply it as you would other furniture or car waxes, let the wax dry for 15 minutes and buff it with a rag. It can be used over Cutting Board Oil for added protection or applied as a stand-alone wood preservative.

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