Smitty Two wrote:
In article ,
"cshenk" wrote:

Thanks all!

I will also look at the other tools out there. One minor confusion, this
isnt for 'antiques', but regular stuff. Generally mistreated bits that are
20 years old or near it. Confusion probably because I've mentioned I also
work on antiques but they are a whole nuther ballgame in how we do it!

Well, I'm still confused about respondents being alarmed over sandpaper.
My mom refinished a lot of antique furniture. Real antique furniture.
And she used sandpaper. I certainly don't think it caused any problems,
but then, I'm not talking about 60 grit on a belt sander, I'm talking
about hand sanding. She'd spend three hours every day on a piece, the
whole of a summer, doing it all by hand.

Sanding down to bare wood is considered by every authority I have ever
heard discussing it to reduce the value. "Sanding" with the very finest
sandpaper to smoothe a gloppy finish is one thing, still pretty unheard
of for fine antiques. If sanded to bare wood, the patina is removed and
you have put a NEW surface on an old piece of furniture.