Good finish for rough sanded 3D CNC piece

bradleyheathhays

bradleyheathhays

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I'm doing test runs on sections of this really high relief CNC piece I'm working up to carving, and it appears that I'm gonna have a fair amount of fuzzies to deal with after the whole thing is done. Here's the first test... (Sorry, can't figure out how to make it smaller)

fuzzies.webp

I've been able to make small sanding sticks using 320 grit that get fairly deep. So even though I should be able to get to the deepest of fuzzies, I'm left wondering about what kind of surface I'm leaving when it comes to applying finish. The top of the structures you see in the pic are relatively smooth, so I'm guessing they'll take finish normally. This is walnut, btw.

Any suggestion for a finish that will get all parts to a uniform color, despite the potential rough spots deeper in the crevices?
 
bradleyheathhays said:
I'm doing test runs on sections of this really high relief CNC piece I'm working up to carving, and it appears that I'm gonna have a fair amount of fuzzies to deal with after the whole thing is done. Here's the first test... (Sorry, can't figure out how to make it smaller)

View attachment 291813

I've been able to make small sanding sticks using 320 grit that get fairly deep. So even though I should be able to get to the deepest of fuzzies, I'm left wondering about what kind of surface I'm leaving when it comes to applying finish. The top of the structures you see in the pic are relatively smooth, so I'm guessing they'll take finish normally. This is walnut, btw.

Any suggestion for a finish that will get all parts to a uniform color, despite the potential rough spots deeper in the crevices?
Click to expand...
Looks like the ultimate sanding dilemma!
 
Shellac? Soaks in well, dries fast, use the super clear and it doesn't alter the color much. You can put it on as thick or as thin as you like. It would stiffen the fuzzies making them easier to sand I think. Then if you wanted, you could apply a different finish for your final.
 
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The ultimate sanding dilemma indeed. Thanks for the shellac suggestion DLJeffs. After investigating it with chatgpt I'm planning on adding a shellac application just before my final finishing cut. The final cut will only be removing the last .1mm, so a thin shellac applied before should soak in far enough to help steady fibers that deep and hopefully even further down. To get an idea of what the limits of this kind of process is, I'm leaning toward doing a number of heavy applications laying plastic on in between coats. The alcohol will get out fast, and it doesn't matter what the surface ends up looking like as it's about to be machined off anyway.
 
Sounds like a good plan to me. I like shellac for the reasons you mention. I think it'll help your process.
 
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