I started out my morning by scuffing up the nice, shiny poly surface of the first coat of finish. Now tell me THAT doesn't feel counter-intuitive!
Above you see the left side untouched, while on the right is the buffing. Here's another shot of a completed surface.
Then I got into the stack of doors and drawer fronts. My mission, should I choose to accept it, was to run 0000 steel wool over all the plastic frames and wood surfaces on each piece. This was going to take some time and effort.
I got out a fresh bag of steel wool and my trusty scraper for those stubborn spots...
Here you see again the right side started, the left side untouched.
Some pieces had more to do that did others.
Notice too the frame joint here. Several will require replacement frames or heated and re-formed portions. Have to think that one through. These will be requiring some additional steps prior to finishing.
But the first step was done, and the mess was big. Steel wool droppings covered the bench and the floor in front. I brushed down the bench and the table, then each piece. Clearing everything away I did a thorough sweeping of the floor and entire area, including use of the shop vac in places. Finally wiping things down with a dry rag I set the large pieces on the table and the small pieces into this pile on the bench.
Then I wiped the camper interior and the large pieces on the table with a tack cloth - getting those final hold-outs of minute steel wool fibers and laid down a second coat of poly.
This was the fifth coat on these surfaces: one of primer, two of bronze paint and two of poly. I had become quite familiar with the process on these pieces, learning an order allowing a horizontal application of the paint and poly on each surface. That significantly reduced the potential for runs, and provided for a nice even coat in each case, giving just those few minutes needed for the liquid to stiffen before moving and turning the piece for the next surface. I think these furniture pieces are finished!
As I now move forward on the grey and fresh tank areas, working incrementally forward toward their completion, I'll have extra jobs available in-between times in the form of doors, drawers and hardware. That should get me into practice for more hand work on things like the window frames in my future.
