Baically, it works like this.
I turn the call to shape. When I am ready to start sanding, I start with 100 or 120 grit and sand lightly to build up some dust. Then I soak the entire blank with thin CA glue while it is turning on the lathe. I use the piece of sand paper to spread it around. Get a good covering but dont linger as the wood dust CA glue gets hot and you will end up burning your fingers.
Let dry. About 5 minutes.
Go to the next higer grit and sand as usuall until you are ready to go to the next grit, then put the thin CA glue on the blank again same as the first time. I do this from 100, 120, 150 and 180. This fills all the pours in the wood and seals the wood completely. You will be sanding most of it off, all that is left on the blank is that which filled the pours and soaked into the wood.
Sand with 220, and when ready to switch to the next grit, take some MEDUIM thick CA glue and put about a hafl of a dime size on a folded up piece of paper towel. Make ONE wipe with the lathe running at slow speed from front to back. ONE WIPE ONLY. DO NOT go back over it even if you missed a spot. If you miss, and with the last grit and wipe the medium CA on again. Let dry, about 2 or 3 minutes, then sand with 320. When done sanding, do the medium CA wipe again. Sand at 400, wipe, sand 600 wipe with the CA. Here I usually do two wipes with the CA. Go to 800 and wipe again. Then, when the CA is dry, hit the last wipe with some 800 followed by 1000 if ou want. Take to buffing wheel and buff with tripoli and then white diamond. You will be able to see yourself in the call, and it will have a very nice high gloss look to it. Feels smooth as a young girls butt (fron what I can rememer anyway).
You do need to be careful that when you sand with the next grit that you do not leave any lines or marks before you put on the next wipe or you will have to go back and take them out with a heavier grit. You need to have all sanding marks out before you go on.
That's it. Hard, durable and prettty quick.
If you ever get one of those barrels that has a lot of pits and voids inside it, take some thin CA and squirt it insdie the barrel and then sand the inside with a piece of 100 or 12 grit sand paper on a dowel in a drill press an it will fill everyone quick as a whistle.
AL @ THO
