Quick Finishing Tip!


Hey Reader,

Sanding is easily the least favorite part of the job for most of us, so it’s tempting to rush through it.

But if you move too fast, you end up with those annoying pigtail swirls or blotchy spots once the finish hits the wood.

A quick way to get a professional look is the 50% overlap rule.

When you’re using a random orbital sander, move it about one inch per second. That feels painfully slow, but it’s what the tool needs to actually do its job. On your next pass, overlap the previous one by exactly half.

It ensures you aren't missing any spots and gives you a much more even surface for your finish to soak into.

Now go build something awesome!

John - Biscuit Tree Woodworks

P.S. If you want to support the shop and help me keep these tips coming, come join us over on Patreon:

Biscuit Tree Woodworks

Are you ready to take your woodworking projects to the next level? I teach beginner and intermediate woodworkers how to build awesome projects while saving them money on tools and equipment! I make tool and technique videos, downloadable woodworking project plans, tips and tricks, and more!!

Read more from Biscuit Tree Woodworks

Videos | Plans | Tools Hey Reader, I have new and exciting news! I just finished completely rebuilding biscuittreewoodworks.com from the ground up! The old site was getting a bit clunky, so I wanted to create something cleaner, faster, and much easier to navigate whether you are looking for specific project plans or just browsing. The checkout process is also a whole lot smoother now, which should save you some frustration. After getting lots of questions, I finally put together a brand new...

Videos | Plans | Tools Mission Accomplished: $7,000 for the Purple Heart Project! I am absolutely blown away! When I started this 30-day mission, I knew this community was special, but you all truly exceeded every expectation I had! Over the last month, we had 491 orders for the Cedar Planter Box plans. This generated $4,419 raised for the veterans and Purple Heart Project! As promised, I am contributing my personal pledge of $2,500, and I’ve decided to round the final total up for a grand...

Videos | Plans | Tools Hey Reader, I think we all get a little bit of "analysis paralysis" when we’re about to cut into a nice piece of walnut or cherry. You’ve spent the money on good quality lumber, and you don't want to blow it on a simple mistake. The best way I’ve found to get past that is to test your setup on some scrap pine or plywood first. Once you’ve cut that joint or shaped that curve on a piece of scrap wood, you can be more confident everything will go right with the more...