Half right rule

[kmealy]

Half of what you hear is true. Just find out which half

https://www.popularwoodworking.com/flex ... e=hs_email

[Nickp]

Half of what you hear is true. Just find out which half

https://www.popularwoodworking.com/flex ... e=hs_email

As if it wasn't hard enough...

Generally, I'm happy with how my pieces come out...it's when I'm trying to match a finish that makes it tough...

One thing is sure...I've learned not to sand too fine.

[Cherryville Chuck]

I bought into the one about sanding too fine. I knew about not leaving hard corners. A pro finisher taught me that one. The reason leaving hard edges causes problems is because of the surface tension in the finish. As a finish dries it shrinks but surface tension pulls it uniformly in every direction except at hard edges. It won't pull around the corner so finishes wind up being pulled away from them. Even a little bit of rounding fixes that.

[DaninVan]

Then there's the issue of hard edges being (more) prone to denting. I assume it's because the applied force is concentrated on a very small area as opposed to a gently rounded edge/corner. That's my theory and I'm sticking to it...besides, I like rounded edges.