The weather forecast was correct – Today was gray and rainy in southern Ohio, ideal to lightly sand the lacquered wood parts and the application of a second coat of lacquer.
Lacquer brings out the beauty of the wood grain but it also highlights any imperfection in the surface finish. To stop the parts moving as they are being cut out by the CNC router, I add tabs to hold the part to the surrounding wood. These tabs are then cut and the sanded smooth. However smooth I think that I have sanded these tabs, the application of lacquer highlights where they were and I have to re-sand the surface. Excess glue from joints that was not cleaned off also shows up after lacquering, especially on end grain wood.
Although the second coat of lacquer is still drying, I am pleased with the surface quality on most of the parts. A few parts will need a third coat and, even though I try hard to apply a thin coat of lacquer, a few runs have appeared that I will let dry, sand smooth, and re-lacquer the local area.
The plan for tomorrow is to re-sand the parts that need it and apply another coat of lacquer.