Stu, 2-3 days in general. I just dip the sandpaper in a bowl of water and shake off the excess, just enough to keep the paper wet. I hold the piece on a towel in my lap, so there's not much worry of water getting in places it shouldn't.
Travis, as usual that is absolutely, incredibly, breathtakingly beautiful!!
I guess I'll go burn my woodpile now and throw my turning tools in the garbage.
No, wait! Maybe if I go out to the shop and practice for 18 hours a day for, Oh I don't know, maybe the next 60 or 70 years, I can be as good as you. Nah, not going to happen. Instead, from now on when I look at one of your projects I'll just try to remember to wear a bib. LOML tell me that it's embarrassing to see me walking around with a shirt full of drool.