Refinishing an old desk?

[Mike Phillips]

Originally posted by Jbirk
It looks very good.

If you really were unable to sand a stain out, you would just need something more powerful like a planer or your good old fashion rotary.

I want it to look good, but I have a limit as to how much work I'll put into it... I'm not much of a wood guy. I have to say it's coming out better than I thought it would.

Also, it looks to be all veneered, at least from what I can tell. Don't matter really as what I like about it is that it's big and rectangle. The edges are square so my arm holders will attach easily. Did I mention it's big?

[Mike Phillips]

Originally posted by papi_Jay
THEN - get a piece of beveled glass cut exact same size as the top maybe 1/2" thick - beveled edges to cover the top and protect it. Probably about $60

I'm thinking about this one, it sure would prevent scratches, gouging and make cleaning up a breeze.

[rusty bumper]

Nice work Mike!

That's the 1st time I've ever seen the G100 used for wood sanding. I guess it works better than a B.& D. palm sander?

I've been trying to find a backing plate for sanding purposes for my G100, but I haven't had any luck yet. Where did you find yours?

[the other pc]

The service notes for the PC are available on Porter-Cable's website. They show the parts breakdown and list part numbers of the various backing plates and counterweights. You should be able to order them (or even find them on the shelf) at any Porter-Cable service center and many dealers.

The backing plate mounting interface is standard for DA industrial sanders and buffers so other suppliers' plates will also work.

You just need to decide whether you want 5" or 6", hook&loop or PSA (sticky back), with vacuum holes or without.

There are also vacuum shroud and hose accessories available for the PC to connect it to a dust extraction system.


PC.

[Mike Phillips]

Originally posted by Rusty Bumper
I've been trying to find a backing plate for sanding purposes for my G100, but I haven't had any luck yet. Where did you find yours?

Lowe's had both the foam style and the Velcro style backing plates. Since I already had the Velcro style that I use with foam pads I purchased the sanding paper with the hook & loop backing instead of the adhesive backing for the foam backing plate.

Both options work well as Lynn used the foam backing plate option and the adhesive sanding papers on her G100 to sand all the paint off the 59 Caddy.

[Ranger72]

Mike, I know your thinking about a nice piece of glass atop the desk. If you only know how easy latex poly is to apply and clean up. You could put all three coats in one days (2 hours) and thats with sanding with 220 or fine by hand (lightly, just to knock the roughness down that the polly creates with the wood) imbetween that 2 and 3rd coat.
Latex/ acrylic polly is like #80 in that it is, as you put it, "Bubba proof".

[rusty bumper]

Thanks for the link PC. ....I downloaded the pdf file for reference.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Since I already had the Velcro style that I use with foam pads I purchased the sanding paper with the hook & loop backing instead of the adhesive backing for the foam backing plate.

Ok, Thanks!

I didn't know that Meguiar's backing plate could be used for sanding purposes.

[Pete-FWA]

Originally posted by Mike Phillips
Lowe's had both the foam style and the Velcro style backing plates. Since I already had the Velcro style that I use with foam pads I purchased the sanding paper with the hook & loop backing instead of the adhesive backing for the foam backing plate.

Both options work well as Lynn used the foam backing plate option and the adhesive sanding papers on her G100 to sand all the paint off the 59 Caddy.

How did the sanding go on the Cadillac? Did the Porter Cable do OK, or was it too slow? How did it work in comparison with a normal pneumatic DA?

http://meguiarsonline.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=73237#post73237

[Mike Phillips]

Originally posted by Pete-FWA
How did the sanding go on the Cadillac? Did the Porter Cable do OK, or was it too slow? How did it work in comparison with a normal pneumatic DA?

Lynn says it worked pretty good. First she removed as much of the paint as she could using Aircraft Quality Paint Remover, then she sanded down the rest of the car.

I didn't actually do much or even any of the sanding as I was in charge of engine/transmission, drive line, brakes, etc...

[ViperArry]

Wow Mike!

And you're getting this result being not a "wood guy"

I'm so not a wood guy...

it is amazing.

I would also go with papi_Jay's idea to get a piece of beveled glass.

Arjen

[Mike Phillips]

Originally posted by ViperArry
Wow Mike!

And you're getting this result being not a "wood guy"


it is amazing.

I would also go with papi_Jay's idea to get a piece of beveled glass.

Arjen

The finish has set up now for a couple of weeks and actually, yesterday I took the day off, and cleaned out my home office, shampooed the carpets and this Sunday the new/old desk will be going in!

[Murr1525]

Did you put any lacquer, etc over the stain? Or just going with glass?

[Mike Phillips]

So far it just has 3 applications of stain.

[Ranger72]

Originally posted by Mike Phillips
So far it just has 3 applications of stain.

Trust me, you will want to put some sort of protection on it!
Here is a link (I know shame on me, I linked something ...)
to Benjamin moores site: Clicky
Good reading...poly
Staining the wood, then not adding a protective coating is just like polishing freshly detailed paint, not waxing then wasing 10 times with dish soap and a wheel brush...