# How can I remove deep cut marks from a table top?



## ferics2 (Feb 15, 2015)

I'm refinishing an oak table that sat in a garage for a while. Unfortunately, while in the garage someone decided to cut some stuff using a razor on top of the table. 

I have already stripped the old finish off and sanded down the table, but the cut marks are there. I don't want to leave a bumpy surface by trying to sand them out and using a hand plane seems like it would be overkill and remove more surface than I want to. Is there a better way? Or should I use a hand plane?


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

Assuming it's solid wood if it were me I would sand the marks out with a belt sander and then finish it with an orbital sander.


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## hwebb99 (Nov 27, 2012)

A hand plane would be my first choice. It is way to easy to dig a hole with a belt sander.


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## mmwood_1 (Oct 24, 2007)

If they are deep, as you say, you will need to remove a lot of wood to get them out. Is it that important?


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## hwebb99 (Nov 27, 2012)

It might be easier to veneer the table.


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## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

You do not want to remove a lot of surface. How is the table made? If it is veneer then you can only attempt to fill the cuts with a grain filler. You will never completely hide them, but at least the top will be smooth. 

If the top is solid oak I think you should remove sufficient material to get rid of the cuts. Personally I have no problem using a belt sander. It will never "dig in" if you keep it moving. If you are good with a power hand planner then that could be used. Or a hand planer.

Regardless, the only way you will completely remove the cuts so that they cannot be seen is to remove material. 

George


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## hwebb99 (Nov 27, 2012)

A belt sander won't "dig in", but it will make dips in the surface.


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## Gary Beasley (Jan 21, 2009)

Have you tried steaming the cuts to see if they swell shut?


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## BernieL (Oct 28, 2011)

I'm with the no belt sander because you will end with a dip. So how deep is the cut? If the oak surface was cut with a utility knife, I can't imagine it was that deep. Oak is tough.

I'm thinking a couple of options. Cabinet scrapers are often overlooked. They can scrape the surface on skin layer at a time and spread out the work so no dips appear. I often use a Stanley #80 scarper for these types of problems assuming the cut isn't too deep.

The 2nd option is to finish the top and use a fill or melting stick which is like filling the cut with a plastic of the same shade as the surface. Rockler sells a kit with about 60 different shades.

Pictures would help us help you so we could all have an idea of the magnitude of the cut.


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## BaldEagle2012 (Jan 25, 2012)

Have you thought about a two part clear epoxy and coat all the scratches with it, sand it down after it has set good and cured, then put the desired finish on it.


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## bauerbach (Mar 25, 2012)

would it be worth removing the top and bringing it somewhere with a planer/drum sander large enough to fit the whole top?


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## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

BernieL said:


> I'm with the no belt sander because you will end with a dip. So how deep is the cut? If the oak surface was cut with a utility knife, I can't imagine it was that deep. Oak is tough.
> 
> I'm thinking a couple of options. Cabinet scrapers are often overlooked. They can scrape the surface on skin layer at a time and spread out the work so no dips appear. I often use a Stanley #80 scarper for these types of problems assuming the cut isn't too deep.
> 
> ...


 "I'm with the no belt sander because you will end with a dip." If you get a dip then you do not know how to use a portable belt sander.

Yes, if you let it sit in one spot you will have a problem. ALWAYS keep the sander moving.

Using it properly produces very good results. However, if you have no confidence in your ability to use the sander then DO NOT.

George


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## ferics2 (Feb 15, 2015)

Thanks everybody for your responses. It's a solid oak top, so I think I will go with the hand planner, I've needed an excuse to get one anyway. Although I may look into the scraper. I'll try to post before and after pictures.


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## BaldEagle2012 (Jan 25, 2012)

Another thought to getting the scratches/cuts out of the table top would be to use a router jig. 

http://www.woodmagazine.com/woodworking-plans/routing/exact-width-dado-jig/


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## epicfail48 (Mar 27, 2014)

ferics2 said:


> Thanks everybody for your responses. It's a solid oak top, so I think I will go with the hand planner, I've needed an excuse to get one anyway. Although I may look into the scraper. I'll try to post before and after pictures.


You never wanna make the first project with a new tool a big one. Make sure you get some practice with the plane before you take it to the table, otherwise you could end up with a very large mess. 

Gary also suggested a good idea. If you get the wood wet around the cuts, its entirely possible that the wood will swell and close up the cut marks. It won't make the fibers stick back together unfortunately, but it does a lot to reduce the appearance of them. A little bit of heat doesnt hurt the process either. Try an iron on the steam setting, with a rag between the wood and the iron, see where that gets you


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## hwebb99 (Nov 27, 2012)

A powered hand planer isn't made to plane a table top. I use one to flatten bowl blanks, for mounting on a face plate. It is almost impossible to not leave ridges.


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## 9thousandfeet (Dec 28, 2014)

ferics2 said:


> Thanks everybody for your responses. It's a solid oak top, so I think I will go with the hand planner, I've needed an excuse to get one anyway. Although I may look into the scraper. I'll try to post before and after pictures.


 If you're someone who doesn't currently possess a hand plane, it's unlikely that you use one very much, which means it's unlikely that you know how to tune one up and make it work like it should.
And trust me, if you buy anything but a real upscale plane for several hundred dollars, anything new will need to be worked on in order to perform properly.

If you just buy a plane and start right in on an oak tabletop, you're going to get tearout and divots that will make those utility knife cuts look minor.

A cabinet scraper is a safer bet if you don't have some fairly extensive experience with tuning, sharpening and using hand planes. Slower, for sure, but much, much less likely to give you the blues.


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## BWSmith (Aug 24, 2010)

Lot's of different approaches above.Usual advice is to start with the least intrusive methodolgy and proceed until your either;

1.fix the problem

2.get completely tired of messin with it and go play golf

3.go buy new tools...where's the slober icon?

4.get somebody else to do it

And could go on a few more.

I'd sit and stare at it for a cpl hrs,thinking about the above.And then,consider how much effort I wanted to expell....consider how much it's worth,to include bonus points from wifeypoo........Probably do a bit of googleing/networking in your area and look for someone that has a veneer press/vacuum bag and get them to pop a stupid cool,figured pce on there and then you can do the detail work around the edges.Only because I'm the sort that likes taking problems and stomping them out with authority......you know,drive a finish nail in with a sledge hammer type(as it applys to fixing problems).Good luck with your top.

PS.your "finish" will require a little bit of thought on choosing a fix.


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## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

BWSmith said:


> Lot's of different approaches above.Usual advice is to start with the least intrusive methodolgy and proceed until your either;
> 
> 1.fix the problem
> 
> ...


Good summary. I like answer #2.

George


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## FrankC (Aug 24, 2012)

I would use a belt sander across the grain to remove the scratch marks, ROS to get rid of sanding marks, and be prepared to refinish entire top.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*NO hand planer or belt sander for a beginner!*



bauerbach said:


> would it be worth removing the top and bringing it somewhere with a planer/drum sander large enough to fit the whole top?


This is the best approach!



ferics2 said:


> Thanks everybody for your responses. It's a solid oak top, so I think I will go with the hand planner, I've needed an excuse to get one anyway. Although I may look into the scraper. I'll try to post before and after pictures.


Not for this project!



hwebb99 said:


> A powered hand planer isn't made to plane a table top. I use one to flatten bowl blanks, for mounting on a face plate. It is almost impossible to not leave ridges.


Exacrly!

A commercial cabinet shop or doormaker will have a wide belt sander which can remove the scratches completely leaving a slat surface and almost ready to fish. OAK has unpredictable grain, so planing it by hand or with a planer may cause tearout.

I have a doormaker friend who has done this many times for me on large wide pieces like table tops and head boards. He charges a small fee for his time... $40.00 at most. 

Razor cuts across the grain will be almost impossible to completely remove by hand in my experience. :yes:


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