On Sun, 22 Aug 2004 12:57:52 +0000, Mike S. wrote:

I've pretty well weened myself off of pine except for some trinket stuff and
have mainly been using red oak. After running it through the planer and
getting it sized. I start with 100, 120, 150 & 220 grit using the PC RAS.
The wood feels pretty smooth but after the finishing is done I can run my
hand across the wood and feel the texture or the grain of the wood. I'm
wanting to build the A&C Library desk that David Marks built and a rough
surface on a desktop would not work. Is there something else I need to do or
should I use white oak?
Thanks, Mike

There was a neat finishing method for open grain woods like oak in a Fine
Woodworking about a year ago. Varnish is fooded on to the surface and then
sanded in. The sandpaper make an oak sawdust slurry with the varnish, then
you wipe off the excess. Repeating the process with 180, 220 and 300 is
sand paper. Once the grain is filled you could continue to build and
polish coats.

Tigger