Sanding with the grain

[frank]

This is a question for Mica, but If anyone has an opinion or knowledge on the subject, please share.
 
I have a highly figured bookmatched curly walnut top for a guitar my brother and I are building, and we are going to need to start sanding soon. How do you sand with the grain when it's going in so many directions and has those ripples (flames, curls or whatever) going right across the grain?
 
I'll try to upload some pictures at a later date.
 
Thanks!

[elwoodblue]

My first thought is that you have to use a good hard sanding block,  
   ... maybe in a figure eight motion.    
 
  Working lightly,  and methodically changing through the grits to make sure each new grit takes care of all the scratches from the last grit.  
 
   ...without a good hard sanding block you run the risk of the grit diving into the softer parts of the grain and preventing the next grit from doing its job.
I'm looking forward to more tips as refinishing is something a few of my projects are screaming for and I'd rather do it right the first time if possible.
 
(Message edited by elwoodblue on July 09, 2008)

[h82w8]

random orbit

[white_cloud]

Im a furniture maker and the random orbit working through many grades of paper sounds good to me. Lots of boring sanding in front of you my friend but it should be worth it

[frank]

Wicked. Boring sanding is my specialty! Now I just have to get my hands on a Randon-orbit sander.

[gtrguy]

I think you need to apply grain sealer first and then sand it with finer grits and then go on from there depending what you want to do.