A spilled glass of water on my workbench showed me why prep is key.

Last Tuesday, I was getting ready to seal a cherry dresser. I had a glass of water on my bench, and I knocked it over. The water spread fast and got under my sandpaper and tools. I had to stop and clean everything up. While wiping it down, I saw how dust and debris can ruin a finish if not cleared. Now, I always do a full clean of my space before starting. That spill taught me to respect the prep stage. It makes the actual finishing so much smoother.

3 comments

3 Comments

aaron3841mo ago

Yeah, messy bench, messy finish. That spill was a good teacher.

james6611mo ago

Sometimes a spill is just a mess you have to clean up, it doesn't always come with a lesson. The real teacher is paying closer attention next time, not the accident itself. You can have a messy bench and still nail a clean finish if you're focused. Doesn't it depend more on where your head's at during the work? A spill just means something went wrong, the learning part is a separate choice.

the_jennifer17d ago

But a messy bench can distract you, and that's what causes spills in the first place.

-1