Sanding Cabinet Doors

I currently lust after the Festool LS 130 linear sander, which seems like it’s made for exactly this purpose.

It oscillates along just one axis, has a bunch of profiles, and blocks from which you can make your own profiles (usually by putting a piece of sandpaper face up on the profile you want to sand).

-- Dan Lyke, Petaluma California, http://www.flutterby.net/

What you want to use first is hand cabinet scrapers. Stanley makes a set of 3 or 4 different ones in a pack for about $15. I find that the gooseneck scraper and the rectangular scraper work best for me. When the scrapers are right out of the package they will just peel that old finish off,even down into the edges and cracks.And if you are careful with a light touch they won’t scratch the wood. Next on the contours you really have to sand them by hand with those foam sanding sponges,starting with 80 and stopping at 150. I just haven’t had good luck with any sort of detail sander, on those small contours they always seem to leave some sort of trace swirl mark that doesn’t become visible until I put the stain on. So I just go it by hand and be done with it. An alternative way to sand those contours requires a light touch and some money…I recently tried out a Fein Multimaster. It’s expensive but did a nice job. It seems to work with an odd vibration rather than a random orbit pattern.

I agee with using the cabinet scrapers, but be careful on your panel, since it is plywood, there probably isn’t much wood to work with.

Been my favorite for two years, Rockwell Sonicrafter is what I suggest. It does pretty much everything you are in need.

Here’s what it looks like.

Good luck.

-- Sawing, sanding, scraping, cutting? Let Rockwell Sonicrafter do the job. http://rockwellsonicrafter.com

I agree with thoughtfulconsumer on the scrapers. I would make sure you use a RANDOM ORBITAL sander on the flat surfaces. An orbital sander, vibrator sander, or a drill attachment will leave swirl marks that will show up badly when you finish the wood. I’d also do some hand sanding after the orbital sanding just to ensure it’s free of any cross-grain marks.