Do I need to sand it off?

[gilljc]

For a while now I have been finishing my stuff with microcrystalline wax which gives a lovely finish - usually.
Have just spent ages making an inlaid jewellery box in elm for an order, really quite pleased with it until I waxed it, and it just hasn't come up nice it's not awful, but it isn't all lovely and gleamy :-?
Really not sure what has gone wrong, but can only guess it needs more sanding, although I did think I had sanded it just the same as everything else.
Does anyone have any experience in sanding a wax finish back off again, is it even possible?

 

[Chippygeoff]

Hi Gill. You could use some sandpaper but that would clog up. In the past I have used a cabinet makers scraper and then re-sanded it down. Are you going through the grades of sandpaper to get it really smooth. On something like your jewellery box i would end up with a 400 grit. When you get it back to bare wood you could try a sanding sealer before and then the lightest sanding down afterwards before re-polishing. I use the same wax as you and it gives a lovely finish, mind you, it should for the price of it.

 

[marcros]

when you say that it hasnt come up nice, exactly what do you mean? Can you see scratches in it- if not, then sanding likely isnt the problem. Did you seal the wood before waxing? Was the wax applied in a low temperature environment?

I would probably bring it into a nice warm place and try buffing it quite hard with a soft cloth- see if it makes a difference. If you didnt seal it, then it should still come up ok, even if you have to reapply much more regularly. We need to sort the underlying issue before worrying about that.

You wont be able to sand it off- you may be able to scrape it, but it may also have soaked into the wood. My thoughts are that you would be able to see if it wasnt sanded fine enough.

 

[gilljc]

thanks for input guys marcros, I wonder if you have come up with the answer, I usually bring anything I am working on into house overnight, but today I was working in the shed on the whole box including the trays and dividers, which took a bit of time, and very unusually, I applied the wax while in the shed. I usually plane my wood, then sand from 120/180, 240, 320, 400, 600 and sometimes 800 ( I'm a bit neurotic about sanding :wink: ) I don't always use a sanding sealer, because I rarely feel the need.
I did think something was off, because normally when I apply the wax, the grain pops up at me beautifully, and it didn't today. I normally get a lovely sheen from the wax, but today it was looking almost matt.
Anyway, following suggestion from the finishing forum, I have wiped it all down with white spirit (now the grain is popping out ) and will resand and try again tomorrow, really could do without this, got to deliver the box on sunday, and finish another three Christmas orders, and can't do any work on Saturday cos I'm going to pick up my new super amazing upgrade hegner from jmac80!!!!!!!!!!! =D> =D> =D>

 

[Jmac80]

cos I'm going to pick up my new super amazing upgrade hegner from jmac80!!!!!!!!!!! =D> =D> =D>

It's calling out for you