# Sanding challenges - Western Red Cedar - uneven results



## Tedison (Oct 2, 2015)

I am getting waves following the grain when sanding my WRC (Western Red Cedar) table project. The darker grained areas seem to be harder and are raised after sanding. Where the grain is straight and even there is no issue but where the grain is dark and wide, the wood does not sand flat. I did initial sanding with a ROS (60 grit, 120 grit, 180 grit). I then tried to smooth out the areas that are wavy with hand sanding (first with 100 grit and then with 40 grit). The hand sanding worked on some areas but not in the dark area (see pics).

Any suggestions? I have read that hand sanding is preferred with WRC as it is soft but for the most part the ROS worked fine. Of course at this point I have already used the ROS. The first picture shows the most challenging area that I have not yet figured out how to smooth out.


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## psoper (Dec 11, 2018)

A cabinet scraper, either hand held or in a holder is what you need.


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## MadMark (Jun 3, 2014)

Wear a mask when sanding WRC as WRC is a known carcinogen. Treat the sawdust as HAZMAT.

M


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## Tedison (Oct 2, 2015)

Phil Soper - cabinet scraper followed by hand sanding? I have a cabinet scraper but I have never used it.


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## firefighterontheside (Apr 26, 2013)

Early wood is soft and late wood is harder because it grows slower and is more dense. Sanding will remove early wood easier, as you've discovered. This is more pronounced with a soft wood like WRC. If putting a finish on like poly, I would recommend minimal sanding before the finish and then sand back what is raised. If no finish, then there's really no need to sand that much. You could also use a homemade sanding block that won't dip down into the soft parts.


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## psoper (Dec 11, 2018)

> Phil Soper - cabinet scraper followed by hand sanding? I have a cabinet scraper but I have never used it.
> 
> - Tedison


Cabinet scraper followed by light hand sanding with 220 wrapped around a soft wood block. YouTube has many good instructions on sharpening a cabinet scraper, with a little practice you will do much less sanding


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## meanjeans (Apr 3, 2021)

Cabinet scraper? I have western red cedar 1×4x6' lengths of old fencing I had milled over 25 years ago & now reclaimed to use for paneling in my living room. Never was sealed or painted, so natural, but slightly weathered, no bugs at all. I wanted to finish it smooth painted white, but after sanding with a variety of grits, and 2 coats of primer with 2 coats of acrylic white, I am still getting the hard grain, although fainter feeling. Sounds like the same issue Tedison is having. I had not considered using a cabinet scraper to reduce it. Would that be prior to hand sanding with a 180-220 paper? Any other suggestions? Thx!


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## Unknowncraftsman (Jun 23, 2013)

WRC is a soft stringy wood. I've never felt the need to handscrape it since I use it for outdoor builds. But I have a hard believing it would scape very well. 
Some wood are just meant for to be outdoors. And not treated like heirloom furniture 
Good Luck


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## Kudzupatch (Feb 3, 2015)

Hand sanding with a long board is best with sold wood like this. Any power sanding will do exactly what you just experienced. I have made a few paddles out of WRC and always fashion a flat board to sand with.


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## meanjeans (Apr 3, 2021)

Thx Jeff, Ill try the long board hand sanding technique. I also thought a scraper may be a bit rough.


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## cut50 (Feb 9, 2010)

Try upgrading your sand paper brand, Norton and Task are both good real and worth the extra cost.
I have drum sand so a little different, but over all the same.
After the planer it`s the drum sander 220, this will show me boards that should be pulled from the run. Next any shaping or round over, again bad apples go.
Then 320 through the drum, before I got the drum did the same thing, the "only" down press is the sander it`s self you just keeping it flat on the board. Then move back down to 220 again no down press, and slow the sander down to 3/4 speed. The only hand sanding I do is on the round overs and end grain.
Hard to tell for sure in your photos, the outside boards look to be flat grain and the inner ones edge grain, that would for sure be a tough sanding job. But, go as light as you can, so the paper stay up on the higher grain, by pushing down your sanding both soft and hard grains. Let the paper and sander do the work, Douglas Fir does the same thing and can eat discs very quickly. 
The sanding disc fresh out of the box should be very pliable, and lay flat on the bench.
Some nice colors in the wood will look great when you get the finish on.
Good Luck to you.


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