Opinion on these open pores?

[dmraco]

Maybe:
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w3zzzu6ybvo[/youtube]

Maybe not:
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EBnZfR7i-1U[/youtube]

My heat gun experience has been someplace in the middle.  Not as clean as the 1st and not as messy as the 2nd.  The clear is coming off nicely but there is still a color coat still on the wood.  It may have been applied with a dye.  I think it all depends on what the original finish is made up from

 

[TonyFlyingSquirrel]

Anyone else ever been tempted to shave 1/128th inches off top and bottom with a planer? I'm sure it's been done.

I'm sure it's too risky.  You have so many variables to contend with, ie; humidity affecting the wood thickness ever so slightly, sharpness of tools in relation to relative measurements, etc...

The best alternative is some elbow grease with some 320 or 220 grit.

 

[Steve_Karl]

My heat gun experience has been someplace in the middle.  Not as clean as the 1st and not as messy as the 2nd.  The clear is coming off nicely but there is still a color coat still on the wood.  It may have been applied with a dye.  I think it all depends on what the original finish is made up from

Yea. My heat gun use over the past few days has been very conservative only heating a small section then scraping it, then moving on to the next section. Setting on low. When on hi there was too much chance of making a black burnt mess which was then harder to remove because some of that black mess would settle down into the wood.

 

[Steve_Karl]

Finished hand sanding and first coat of sealer on late yesterday ...
... and first pass at grain filler on the back and slightly over the edges just now.

Latex gloves and finger tips and wearing an Optivisor and watching closely trying to get every one of those little devils.
A plastic bowl with mixed filler on one side and a puddle of water on the other.

No squeegee / credit card as it seems to want to pull the filler out of some of the pores.
Getting a good mix of water / filler and continually adjusting it seems to be the ticket.

Watching very closely and no worry about time.

 

[Cagey]

Watching very closely and no worry about time.

Good. Surface prep is everything with fine finishes, so patience is definitely called for.