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I worked for about seven years in an unfinished furniture shop. We did custom finishing. This video is nearly exactly how we finished everything.

That brown paper bag trick is gold. My wife bought some unfinished drumsticks for our son about 10 years back and he was complaining that they were rough - I brought out a lunch bag and rubbed the sticks down for maybe 20 seconds and they felt like silk when I was done. It blew their minds!

You're not the first to recommend a brown paper bag as a final smoothing step, but your affirmation of that process lends a lot of credence to it. Great video, thanks for the upload

My Dad was blind. But he never let it stop him. As he taught me through the years, MUCH, if not MOST of what he taught me was to FEEL more than see what we were doing. From wrench sizes to sanding and even the quality of cuts, I learned to FEEL more than see what I was doing. The back of your hand can tell you ALOT more than a calloused palm.

I’ve done a lot of car painting, and one of the tricks we use to get dust out of the air is to spray water in the booth prior to painting.

I worked at a custom door and trim finishing shop and the owner told me that a piece of notebook paper is basically the finest sandpaper. I was skeptical at first but after feeling how smooth it made the finished product, I was convinced! I’ve been using it at the end of all my projects and people are amazed when I tell them I used a piece of paper to get that smooth finish.

The brown paper bag at the end works really well . Sometimes I’ll even use the back of the old sandpaper you’ve gone through on the project. often it’ll have similar material as the brown bag and you can get double use from it .

Scotch-Brite pads are also useful and there are charts that provide grit equivalents - up to about 1500. This can really save on sand paper as well.

I've been keeping up with your videos for a few years now and they're still captivating. The above average tips and subtle humor keep me coming back.

When I was working for a painter back around 1999, we used 0000 steel wool to sand the clear coats on the doors and trim we were finishing.

I'm not procrastinating at getting around to applying the next coat of finish, I'm just waiting for it to fully cure!🙃

retired furniture maker here. always finished the last coat with 4 o steel wool and homemade wax. always left a perfect silky smooth finish.

Finishing. The final step in a project and the most time consuming. It requires the most diligence to achieve perfection. Your sanding tips should help to reach perfection. Thank you for sharing. Have a great day and stay safe.🙂🙂

Fantastic video. My biggest problem in learning to get a good finish was that I was too cheap and didn't change sandpaper as often as needed. Keep the videos coming.

I’ve used the brown paper bag final rub over for years and one of the reasons I use my favourite supermarket is because they have the very best brown paper bags.

Good stuff! "Boogers of partially dried finish" made me laugh. Keep it up.

I was skeptical, but the brown paper for the final sanding worked great. I will now keep this in my paper bag of tricks. Thank you so much!

Great how-to finish process for polyurethane finish. I've used polyurethane on projects many times for many years. A great tip for using a paper bag is brilliant! One thing you may want to consider for the final finish. You can apply paste wax using a white 3m pad or fine steel wool then buff.

When doing the final rub down of a oil based finish, I use the paper rags/towels that I used to apply the earlier coats of finish. I always lay them out on my concrete floor to dry without starting a fire. By the time I use them, they are mostly cured and they get about as stiff as a brown paper bag, and they work just as well.

You can buy a tack cloth to remove the dust, I have found that plain old water on a rag works just fine and saves you money. Do NOT soak the rag, just a little damp is what you need for this first coat as James aka Stumpy said in this video. That way your projects will come out silky smooth and if you do not have 320 grit sandpaper, 380 or even 400 will work, just make sure you feel the work surface to make sure there are no bumps on it, otherwise you will hate how it comes out in the end if even one bump gets through. Trust me, I learned this the hard way.

For some reason when you said "Sand with both hands" My mind went straight to the movie Karate Kid

Impeccable timing, as I’m about to start finishing my new desk tabletop. Thx!

Thank you very much for your finishing tips James! I have two upcoming furniture projects that I will definitely use these tips for. I believe your advice is second to none! Thank you for your time and sharing your wisdom. 😊😊😊😊😊❤❤❤❤❤

I have been refinishing my kitchen cabinets for 2 years. This is my first large project. I am learning a lot, sometimes after the fact. You have been a big help to me! Thank you very much!

I found that using paper, rather than a sponge, led to scratches from where the paper was folded. Just that little bend caused it to go deeper than the rest of the paper. Every little imprefection in the paper, a crease from a fold or the edge of the paper, was enough to scratch it.

Finally! The finish video I've been impatiently waiting for!😂

You are so correct. We are all very tech tile creatures. Great sanding tips. We all love to sand so much. Love paper bag sanding. Thank you for sharing. Everyone stay safe, warm, happy and healthy. From Henrico County Virginia

Fantastic tips, James! Thanks a bunch for the lesson! 😃 Stay safe there with your family! 🖖😊

An old woodworking teacher used to hang a drying flat surface upside down to stop dust settling on it.

Thank you so much for all the great finishing tips.

that reminds me of years ago, in junior high shop class, I did a project on the lathe, and to sand it I worked to progressively finer sandpaper, until I finally reversed the sandpaper, and used the paper side for the final. I finished it with an oil finish, and it was beautifully smooth.

Thanks for sharing with us James, great information. Fred.

Thank you Mr Nubs. There aren't many of your videos I don't save to my "how to" list.

You have developed an excellent teaching delivery.

Thank You very much for your help… I am a novice and have been trying to learn how to be better at finishing which has been very trying!!…. I’ve been using water based poly and leaving 24-30 hours between coats but 320 grit was the finest paper I have so will definitely get some 600…. I also have been using a oscillating wax buffer for my last coat finish and been pleased with the results…. Appreciate your efforts and advice

I made some animal step stools for the grandkids and painted the with a rattle can after applying a primer. They felt rough when completed so rubbed them down with a brown paper bag. They were silky smooth after rubbing them down slightly. It’s amazing what a brown paper sock can do! Great video!

Love all of your helpful tips to get better finishes. I've grown as a quarter l woodworker because of you the most!

A well presented and informative vlog, I experimented many years ago, with oil based polyurethane varnish, to achieve a smooth durable satin finish and ended with a final finish using automobile paint cutting back polish, followed up with a good hand buffing. Just make sure the varnish has dried and cured before applying the polish and the finish will be glass like.

Didn't see anyone in the comments mention Aqua Coat, not sponsored but, very easy to apply after stain before poly, made my project look like it had a sheet of glass on it. And I used a can of wipe on poly for my finish. Seriously try it you won't regret it!

Thanks Stumpy for another really good "To the point" video! I think your tips on thinning the finish and wiping instead of brushing have made my life (and projects) so much nicer and easier. Now I have to try "paper" sanding..........

ISOtunes are the best noise canceling earbuds I've ever used I have a lawn care business and my large mowers are very loud and I have tried all brands. The noise canceling is so good I don't have to have the music very loud at all.

The paper bag trick also helps to burnish if you apply more pressure. Gives it a nice finish

@Stumpy Nubs: Your explanations and information is so clear even a newbie, like myself, can get it. Thanks for sharing your wisdom. 👍😎

Those were some very useful tips and tricks. Pretty much all the questions I had were answered. Nice job 👍🏻

Noted. Thanks man. Keep safe

Chock full of great ideas and insights. Thanks again !

Thank you, sir. Very helpful information.

Great tips as always thanks for sharing

Thin later coats, dissolving oil base, very fine. Thank you sir. Had a knife handle I used varathane exterior poly for that led to chasing chunks.

Good video. I do a little similar. When I use poly for higher traffic surfaces, I cut it 50/50 with mineral spirits with all coats. It dries faster and picks up less dust. After the final coat is cured, I typically add a coat of paste wax applied with 0000 steel wool and buff when hazed over. It has not failed me to leave a silky finish to the touch. For surfaces that should not receive a lot of wear, I still like and prefer hand rubbed/applied oil finishes. I still add the paste wax as a final smoothing for a nice feel. Before I get hit with comments, I understand that there are some finishes that should not be paste waxed in the event another cost may be needed at a future date. In short, I DO consider the final use of the finished surface. I'll also add that my comments are my preferences, and I am NOT a professional finisher by any stretch. Well, except in my mind. lol Thanks.

I'm so glad i came across this channel. I'm just starting out on my wood working journey and these videos are some off the most educational and easily digestible videos out there. I appreciate the heck out this channel

Everything he explains here is dead on correct! Thanks for spreading the knowledge.

Thank you! -Absolute Beginner.

Great tips. I love your channel.

Thank you!

Great video, as always.

There's also the idea of the gloss of the finish intended. When I built a custom blanket chest, the finish was to be high gloss poly. The road to high gloss anything comes down to how much work on the previous layers one puts in. However, using anything to smooth out the final coat almost always leaves scratches that are visible in a raking light.

Justo le voy a poner el terminado a unas cajas, siempre aprendo algo con tus videos un saludo y gracias

Thank you so much❤

TL:DR = Raise the grain and sand, Sand lightly between coats, minimize dust, rub the hell out of it with brown paper after the final coat.

I set a pedestal fan up to blow a layer of air just above the surface of the curing finish to dissuade insects from landing on it. I learned to use a handful of sawdust or chips to smooth timber on a lathe and found rubbing a handful on after the finish does a good job at smoothing too, but I like the bag trick as that may be less messy.

When I applied laquer to the maple plywood cabinets that I made, I found that using those blue foam drywall sanding blocks worked really well after the first coat.

Excellent!

You mentioned it's in our nature to look with our eyes as well as our hands. True. You even go further and demonstrate how using our hands to feel and "look" for progress and/or imperfections. Our hands con pick up things sometimes the eyes don't register (especially as we get older). All that to say, "thank you".

No matter the subject: you finish this video and at the very least you know why things you have been doing worked, but more likely there are bits you have missed until now

Love the Original 7 tumbler!

Great explanation. I've done some of these things, but never such a comprehensive list.

I have even used this approach between the first coat of paint and the second. Paint is a 'finish' as well.

i dont know if it works for wood, but i like polishing metal with a piece of retroreflective cloth tape ( the kind sewn to construction vests) just an idea i figured id share. The glass beads seam to make a good polisher, and since its glass and cloth, its pretty durable. You can just by it in a roll, no need to cut it out of anything else.

On the last coat, I use 000 wire wool and then a fine coat of clear wax. This is what I learned from cabinet makers in Italy. And you get the added wax smell. The result is so smooth.

thanks

i also like to use wet/dry blk sand paper for a smooth finish. but brn ppr works very well

I have found that running a box fan with a furnace filter stuck to the intake side in my small garage keeps the dust from settling on my project while it's drying. That made a huge difference in finish quality for me.

I did a project where I sprayed about 18 coats of lacquer with 320 grit between coats. Put the last coat on and waited a week. Then I sanded it up to 2500 grit. Then used rubbing compound> Then swirl remover, Then a polish. Then the final glaze. It took a while, but not as long as you might think. I wasn't really digging in with the super fine paper and the automotive products went through the stages in 1 sitting. It was work, but you can see your reflection in the finish.

In my latest video I mentioned how I finished the table top. I have to say I just might change my technique a bit based on this video. Thanks!

I've been using 0000 steel wool and paste wax and love the results

Thanks! I've used 0000 grade steel wool between coats before, with good results. Obviously you have to be very careful to not leave any metal behind, so after the wool I'd come behind with a tack cloth and physically remove any debris.

I've always buffed out my final finish with steel wool. Hard enough to still cut. Fine enough to polish. Sometimes, I'll buff with steel wool and wax then hand polish with a microfiber, depending on the sheen I'm looking for. But I will be trying the paper bag trick. A lot of my work is on veneer in concept automotive interiors. Sometimes traditional finish. Sometimes West System. Sometimes Urethane. Lately, I've been doing more furniture. Pay attention to Pebble Beach for a cadillac convertible this year (July/August) if you're interested in checking out some of my work. 😁 I'm also out of Michigan if that gives you a clue as to where I work. lol

Good tips, I will even go as far as wet sanding with water or mineral spirits, let finish cure for a few days before final coat. I find it can take as long or longer to finish a project as it did building it.

I'm A fan of water base finish it's easy to work with but the main reason I like it is that clear finish don't change color on you like some other finishes give it a yellow tint and so on.

I like woodworking, conceptually. It's an ancient, mastered craft - But also, it's wood! It's not too hard to get into; it's easy enough to cut and work with, unlike say, metals & blacksmithing. I've never truly worked with wood in any fanciful way, but one day in the far future, I hope to make my own desk. (As utilitarian as it'd probably end up being!)

When I use polyurethane, I sand between the first 2 coats like he describes. On the last coat I let it dry 2 or 3 days and wet sand it using 360 or 400 grit. This is similar to color sanding a car. I then put the thinnest coat of polyurethane on and it comes out smooth as glass!

My Dad used to make custom cabinet back when I was young. We used cardboard for the last "sanding/polishing" step, so very similar to the brown paper trick... I guess I can see one or the other being useful depending on the situation...

I have applied the first coat, let it dry, sanded it, and cleaned it. Then, flip the project over and apply the first coat to the underside. This is done to minimize warping due to moisture being absorbed by the bottom side and not the top side. It doubles and possibly triples the time needed to finish a project, but it adds years of life to a piece.

I only use sandpaper after the first coat. 2nd and subsequent I use sponges because they make it easier to keep from using too much pressure. And a lot of times I even use sponges on the first coat if it is lacquer which tends to dry in minutes.

Paper bag trick is also perfect for the final buffing of hardwax oils, I do it on every project when using Osmo polyx and it honestly makes a huge difference in the overall look and feel of the piece. Just make sure the oil is completely cured

GREAT video, stuff like this is why your my boy blue

A wee tip for sanding. Use wet/dry sandpaper and soapy water (dish soap is good) or any liquid soap. You will a smoother result and your sandpaper will last longer because it clogs up less.

I'm in my twenties for context, anyways. When I was in middle school I took woodworking and we had a full HVAC system set up for our finishing room. I remember seeing sanding dust everywhere. It didn't matter how much you cleaned up, it was always there.

I found the 3m sponges that don't work so well actually work great for sanding between coats of polyurethane. It's not abrasive enough to get into the coat and if you aren't good at being gentle like me 😅 the sponge is forgiving.

Literally the perfect video for a channel called Stumpy Nubs

My experience with fiber swelling (learned painfully on butternut - notoriously fibrous & furry) is that it is best to apply 1 (thick) or 2 thin coats of finish and allow to harden. Follow this by "sanding" with 0000 steel wool instead of sand paper. The fibers will catch in the wool and break-off. Sanding is less helpful since you need to sand the fibers off all the while damaging/thinning the finish. By using the wool you can remove the vast majority of the fibers and dust nubs. Steel wool glides over the finish and only removes protuberances. It is critical to have sufficient finish on the wood to actually lock the fibers in place (learning this was the hard part). Too little and the fibers will just deflect. Now if your finish is uneven then sanding with a padded block can help level the surface.

This is why I use a mixture of carnauba wax, bees wax, and vegetable turpentine (Not mineral!) on all wood projects where people will put their hands on it. Particularly turned items, and disc golf trophies. The process is not fast, and it is not cheap, but the finish is incredible and it polishes crazily.

Well done James, as usual. Although I've seen all your sanding videos, it would be nice to put them all together in a compilation - providing entertaining, continuity. James :-)

I gave up and now wet sand the poly with day old chicks from the local Tractor Supply Store. I find that 3 or four will put the softest smoothest finish on a typical project.

I hit the thumps up before watching your videos😁

'partially dried boogers of finish all up in your grit' HA HA HA!

3:58 Being new to finishing, I bought a "cheap" (probably overpaid, given the type of wood) pine slab from a big box store just to practice on. While I did flatten it successfully with my router sled, and I did BEAUTIFULLY fill in natural imperfections with a fast setting resin (meant for exactly that purpose) and sanded it crazy smooth, the poly process was not great. I tried applying with a foam brush first, but after seeing some videos (including Stumpy!) about wipe on poly and how to make your own, I tried that. I must not be sanding very well between coats because I'm getting some de-lamination...

Rob cosman recommends using a card scraper between coats. I haent tried it yet but he's the GOAT so I'm sure it's the way to go.