Greg, relative newcomer to refinishing, so my comments should be taken as such. What I have been shown to do involves the following process: Stripper..get as much off as you can in no more than 2 applications - acetone wash/w rags and a small brush/purple ScotchBrite - wood filler for any parts that need it - orbital sander using 100grit - paste wood filler..let it flash, and then wipe with a rubber squeegy - sand very lightly by hand, especially around the edges with 220, and you're ready. When I was shown this process, I was/am preparing parts to be finished in black...but...the person showing me this process also said he would prepare the wood in this fashion if he was going to keep the original color also. It is his 30 year experience that this process best prepares the wood for its next step. It is also his opinion that anything less than this process beings into play a compromise of what the final outcome will be. Like I said, I'm a relative newcomer to this process, but I am being shown the ropes by someone with eons of experience. -Phil
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