Mission Accomplished, Part II

Jenny and I spent just about all day today working on the baseboards in the room, and I’m happy to say that they are sanded and ready for finish!  We were trying to save some time and mess with regard to the chemical stripper on these baseboards–we had tried it in two spots previously, and found that it was pretty difficult to scrape clean the curves.  They were too small for the smallest curved scraper that we had available, and too big to do easily with a flat-edged scraper.  Our solution on the baseboards was to use some card scrapers designed for woodworking to scrape the surface mostly clean, then follow-up with the sanding regiment.  I had initially hoped to be able to skip the 80 grit and go straight for the 100/120, but there were still some rough bits when I was finished.  Card scrapers are meant to be used a certain way, and the correct stance to use them in the right position is difficult to impossible while operating so close to the floor.  The result is that there were some bits that I couldn’t clean nicely with the scrapers, so we did a round with the 80 on the 1/4 sheet sander.

I showed Jenny how to use the power sander, and put her to work with that.  While she went around the room, I followed her with the MultiMaster to do the parts that the bigger sander couldn’t easily handle.  After she and I were done with our first pass, we went up my parents’ house to grab some food (thanks Mom and Dad!), then it was back to work in the room.  We did the same arrangement where we followed each other around the room with 120 grit.  These baseboards are looking good at 120, so I’m stopping there.  It’s also a royal pain in the neck to do the curved and detail bits on these baseboards for some reason, so this is making life somewhat easier.  I was also able to do a pretty good job in the detail sections with the scrapers, so they don’t need a whole lot of help. 

So we end the day with all of my card scrapers (eight edges each on two standard scrapers, and four curved edges on a profile scraper) dull as all get-out, a few sheets of sandpaper used, and baseboards that are clean and ready for finishing!  Woot, as they say. 

This week is going to be pretty busy for me in the evenings.  Jenny is going to work on cleaning up some of the top of the door to the hallway, and then it will be ready for finish, too.  My only full free day is Wednesday, but I plan to work a bit on Monday and Tuesday evening to get the floors taped-off around the baseboard.  I also need to pick up some more shellac on one of those days.  Wednesday will be a finishing night, then, with the baseboards getting at least one coat, and maybe getting additional coats on the smaller window and the pocket door frame.  If I’m in a position to get a coat on the door to the hallway, I’ll do that, too.  I have a feeling that one may have to wait a bit, though–I don’t know if I’m going to have time to sand it in time to finish on Wednesday. 

I’m hoping to be painting by next Sunday.  I think we can do it. 

jonathan