Filling And Sanding

Today I hit the store and spent $50 more bucks on supplies including paint, wood filler, sandpaper, and stuff to do the control panel later. I spent this evening filling and sanding. It was my first time using wood filler putty. For some reason, I was expecting something like wood colored spackle, but the stuff really is putty. You use your fingers and pack it into the holes like Play-Dough.

Next I gave the cab a looksie and filled any dings and gouges with spackle. After it dried, I hit the right side with some 100 grit sandpaper. After finishing with it I noticed my sinuses acting up. I realized I sanded the whole side without lung protection. Oops! ;D


I did the rest of the sanding with an old Metallica shirt wrapped around my nose and mouth with a clamp holding it behind my head. The makeshift mask worked well, but I know I should've used a respirator.


My plan is to rough up and smooth all the paint and repaint over it with black semi-gloss latex paint. I have a fine foam roller ready to go. I'm reading constantly how everyone strips, sands, primers, sands, primers, sands, paints, sands, paints, sands, and paints... and I think they're nuts. If it's bare wood, sure throw a coat or two of primer, maybe sand to level it out, then paint. I'll do my painting with my daughter on Wednesday, to get her involved in the project. Tomorrow I'll work on the control panel. Can't wait to get GooGone and metal shavings all over my hands tomorrow. ;D

The only question I have is, do I clean all the dust off before I paint? The thing is covered with black dust from all the sanding.