white dust in the grain from final finish sanding

[dwolf]

I have a client who likes his final coat sanded with the 500 grit pads.. He likes it over my final rub which is steel wool and wool lube.. Yes his approach is smoother, but because we are not using grain filler and don't really want that look, and all of his pieces are dark woods, we end up with that final sanding dust in the grain where it stays. I wet sand with mineral spirits.. I wipe the piece dry and then apply a liberal amount of more spirits and wash the piece off and then I use air, but still some dust gets in the grain and stays.. I friend who is a finisher, say's yup, that can be a problem. When it happens to him he will use a colored wax to cover up the dust.. But he usually fills his grain, so it's not much of a problem.. One thought would be to try to spray a good sanding sealer firsts... I use Campbells Duravar three coats.. Anyone else have this issue.. ? Any thoughts ?

Joel

[dpb]

...

Your thought is my first one -- on occasion have similar and only solution I have is a bristle brush and more air. Have to try it to make sure doesn't scratch your surface, however.

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[nailshooter41]

I guess I don't get the desired end result. You smooth with lubircated steel wool, and he sands it with something as coarse as 500 grit you have smoothed with steel wool? I don't get it.

Walnut? Black Ash? Stained Oak?

Since you already have a satin finish, you can to be more aggressive at cleaning the grain out. Put your cleaning agent on, and clean the wood pores out with a super soft brass bristle brush like you use for restoring fine woodwork. It is time consuming, but you will get the pores cleaned out.

No comment. I personally wouldn't seal debris in my finish.

A better solution.

I sanding sealer will not do anything but the smallest pore filling, and won't help you by simply putting on a coat under your finish.

If I was you, I would contact these folks:

luck!

Robert

[whit3rd]

Two good suggestions (bristle brush and brass brush) have already been made. Two more are tack cloth (yeah, it's old fashioned, but it WORKS) and plastic erasers (I really like Staedtler-Mars Plastic erasers). Both work by adhesion to the dust, and neither leaves any residue.

If your ventilation is good, you can try compressed air, too. A little sunlight (or a UV lamp) would be recommendable, because the dust can take on electrostatic charge and get REALLY stubborn, The brass brush should discharge it without the UV assist, of course.

[beecrofter]

Is it dust or just torn wood fibers reflecting light to appear as dust? If so a cabinet scraper is the toll you need.

[dwolf]