Rusty metal is a very desirable finish in these days of worn, industrial, antique, distressed furniture. I have developed a technique for burning and finishing metal hardware to make it look very old.
I thought everyone made their own filler, especially when they ran out of filler from the store. Just take some wood dust, mix it with some sort of binder, and voilĂ , you have wood filler.
The quality of a sanding job can be the difference between a masterpiece and a large paperweight. Poor sanding techniques cannot only ruin the actual piece but can also ruin the finish.