Maple Spalt Filled and Sanded

Here's the patch after being sanded.  And yes, it is lighter than the surrounding lines once the shellac is added as the first layer of finish it will darken as you will see in the next posting.  I sand with 300 grit sand paper at this stage.

In sand paper the higher number, the finer the sand paper.  So, 60 grit is extremely course and 600 grit is super fine.  For large scrapes a lower number is fine.  For finishing, I believe the finer the better.  After this I will sand in 600 grit.  After the first layer of finish 600 again.  One of the contingencies is once the first layer of finish is applied, the grain will robably be raised and feel like a course peach fuzz.  Not appealing in something you are going to hold in your hand for the next 10 years.  Once the first layer is sanded and the second layer is placed, 600 may be too course and I will either go to a 1400 grit or to steel wool.  The steel wool is called "4 Aught" which means "OOOO" (four zeros) of steel wool.  You can get this unsoapy steel wool at any hardware or home improvement store.      

Yup; Un-soapy steel wool.  You can't use the kitchen kind.  It isn't pretty.  Of course I have tried it thinking it wouldn't really make a difference.  It does.  It is course and now particles of siap smashed into the finish.  Don't do it.  Well, I wouldn't advise you to do it.  You can see if you want.  But you will probably have to sand off the finish you've put on and loose hours if not a whole day.