: I'm starting to fair the deck on my RBA. I may have to use the fairing board
: accross the grain to get the fairness, that only a fairing board will
: accomplish.

: I stripped my rear deck pattern off the boat on a bench. It consists of
: strips of diagonal, alternating pine/walnut strips, and the pattern is
: bordered with pine/cedar/pine around its perimeter. The deck was cut to
: the pattern shape and it was glued in place with epoxy. I sanded the
: diagonal feather pattern on the bench with a belt sander before installing
: to try and keep the soft wood/ hardwood the same thickness.
: My problem is: The joint where the inlay meets the deck and where the
: diagonal strips meet the border, need to be faired flat with each other.
: This is a flat rear deck and I would like to use the fairing boards I like
: so much (I use 7 different ones) but, I will have to sand accross the
: grain of the walnut/ pine strips. Will I be able to sand out the cross
: grain scratches, if I use the fairing board?

: I don't think my ROS will get to the flat surface I can with the long board
: for the initial fairing. I will use the ROS for final finish before epoxy.

: What should I do?

: Larry C.

If you sand up through the grits and when close to finished, switch to w/grain sanding, you can get all the scratches out. The ROS will do the trick at the end as long as you progressively work out the bigger scratches. I have 4 boards myself and I cut every which way with the first two, 60 and 80 grit.( as much as possible ) Don't take it down to where it is fair with the course paper, but ever so slightly higher, thus giving yourself a little wood to take off with the finer grits. Work those with the grain and finish with the ROS. Get as much off with the boards as you can and just touch up with the ROS. It will take too much soft wood out. Should be fine.

Rehd