| Hi Nick
I find that belt sanders, even with a fine belt, are too enthusiatic in their
wood removal capabilities. Unless you really know the machine, which is unlikey
if is to be rented, and have a fair bit of experience in using it, you're likely
too end up taking off too much somewhere and then having to take off more all
around it to compensate, etc.
I have done a lot of furniture restoration with some really outstanding results,
so if it were me doing the project I would proceed as follows:
Hire a powerful orbital sander
Buy one standard size sheet each of good quality (eg. Noton) 60, 120 and 180,
sandpaper.
Cut each sheet into thirds, each resulting piece being the correct size for most
orbital sanders.
Insert one of the 60 pieces
Use it until blunt or clogged, and then change it for another 60, and then again
if necessary. Continue until you have removed all unwanted stuff (varnish,
damaged wood, etc.) and have a uniform look all over. (I tend to leave quite a
lot of the "patina" of the piece, eg. I would leave things like pot burn rings,
serious dents, etc. and simply smooth them off a bit, but that is just a
personal preference.)
Insert one of the 120 pieces
Use it until the whole surface has a uniformly smoother feel with none of the
60's scratches left visible, replacing it with the other 120's if necessary
Insert one of the 180's
Use it until the whole surface has a soft velvety feel and no more 120's
scratches can be seen
Eliminate all traces of dust from the surface
Drench the entire surface in a special furniture oil, tung oil or linseed oil,
depending on how much you want to spend
After all the oil has soaked into the wood apply several coats of funiture wax.
Add a new layer of wax each time it needs it - after a while this becomes
necessary only once every few months
You should end up with a finish that really brings out the best of the wood. The
wood should "glow" and almost come to life - especially if it had been suffering
all those years under something as banal as varnish.
As with most restoration projects, personal preferences play a big r�le. At
least if you're not happy with the result of the above procedure you can sell it
to some cottage dweller for a fortune and use the results to buy 10 beautifully
varnished dining tables from MFI!
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