wrote in message
oups.com...
I had asked this in the long thread I had going but decided to pull it
out of there into this subject specific post.

In the other thread, someone had warned me against using tackcloth and
had advised me to make my own using old shellac. I responded with:

I see no reason to avoid a tackcloth. I have never had a problem with it in
the last 25 years.


So, if tackcloths are out and I don't want to make my own as you
describe, what about wiping off the wood with mineral spirits, thinner,
or alcohol?

In some cases like when using an open grained wood like Red Oak, the liquid
used can actually cause the pores to fill with sanding dust and cause an
uneven appearance.


Do these raise the grain and require light resanding after
use as water does?

Petrolium pased products do not raise the grain like water does.


I don't like the idea of having to sand again AFTER
wiping sawdust off with water -- it seems like an endless cycle --
water -- sand -- water -- sand...

I would not either. You are apparently wetting down too many times. Sand
through all your grits and then lightly apply water to raise the grain.
Then do a final light sanding to remove the fuzz. This most often will be
all you will need to do before applying a water based finish.

I prefer to use compressed air over anything to remove the dust of the
project and out of the pores of the wood.