Thread: Raising the grain on round table legs

Originally Posted by WackyWoodie

I finished the table top easily, using a wire brush and a wire wheel to raise the grain.

I have no answer for you, but this made me laugh as it caught me totally by surprise. There was a thread on here last week about how to raise grain for finishing and the discussion was around shellac/meths' ability, or lack of, to raise the grain, rather than water based products. So that was the frame of mind I started reading this thread with. When I got to wire brush and wheel to raise the grain, it took my brain a little while to change gears, during which time I was hopefully confused.

I assume you're referring to getting the grain pattern to stand out, i.e. a textured surface, rather than the traditional notion of raising the grain to remove the severed fibre ends when aiming for a smooth surface. Clarifying may help get the correct advice. Perhaps some photos of the table top to demonstrate what you're trying to achieve.

Kind regards,
Lance

OMG / Raised grain
As in making the grain stand out. This is going back over 60 years. My parents purchased some "Sand Blasted" plywood for use a paneling. My mother painted the plywood with a gloss black and the harder part of the plywood came out glossy and the softer parts came out dull. I am assuming that you are trying to achieve something similar.

The suggestion here is to sand blast the legs. Or a small rotary wire wheel in a drill.

Yep my grandpa sand blasted a table top and the legs, too. The fast and slow growth timber wore at a different rate and produced a neat 3D grain. Was probably 30+ years ago.

Yes to make it stand out! I'm not too sure how to post pictures o: