Glue stains appeared on veneer after first coat of poly. Can I sand it down again to erase them? Or should I just give up on woodworking/ life altogether?

If you're feeling defeated, don't rush into trying to fix it. Sleep on it. The pain will ebb, even just a little, and you won't try to do something hasty or haphazard in frustration.

Then come back to it a day or two later and try what's been suggested (or that's come to mind while you're in the shower, on the can, etc.)

Good luck. We've all been there and just remember that the only people who don't make mistakes are the ones who never try something new.

It's good to feel bad about something that didn't work out ... because you will remember it for the next time you perform the same task.

You can go through a ton of work to fix the problem or just live with it as it is and leave it as a reminder for yourself when you were just learning something new.

I wouldn't worry about it ... in a year or two, your successes will outnumber your failures. And all you'll remember is all the great work you did and seldom look back on little problems like this.

Damn. I felt that last sentence. But for what it’s worth, mistakes will happen. That’s how you learn and become better. The question is: is the problem going to interfere with the use of the product? Bonus question: is it worth the effort to fix it, or can you live with the mistake?

Take it from me, I often talk myself out of doing things out of a paralyzing fear of making mistakes (something I’m actively working on). Don’t be like me. 😊

I always apply the first coat with a cloth so I can see where the glue wasn't fully sanded away. That way I can very quickly see where I'll need to spend some attention and not waste a bunch of effort where it isn't needed. once you get a few coats in you can't tell.

Just give it up, there's no saving yourself now. The traditional woodworker seppuku on live stream, using a chisel is in order. You can have a friend with you to decapitate when the pain is unbearable, using a skilsaw. If not done promptly your casket/urn will be hastily finished with a single coat of water based poly, a mark of extreme shame for any woodworker.

Or fix it, else it will haunt you until the sweet sweet relief of death. I had to resand 1000sqft of wood floor I fucked up with improper preparing before applying stain.

Definitely do not give up! It won't always be like this. Woodworking (apparently) takes a long time to get great at. I wouldn't know since I still suck lol.

I would think you could fix the glue stain by sanding and refinishing (assuming the veneer is thick enough?), but I am a noob and I suck, as mentioned above...

Don't give up, try a scrapper if the finish sits on top of the vaneer. If the finish soaks into the vaneer and you don't want to sand through, you can always sand back a bit and then use touch up markers with a fine tip using a close match to the wood grain colors shades to mimic the wood grain pattern overtop of the stained sections. Then reapply finish. Or just live with it as others have said. You are hyper critical of your work but others who admire and don't know about the "mistakes" likely wouldn't notice and/or care.

You could give up, but then the wood wins, and really you can’t have that. What an affront to your ego!

No, the better course is to make that project regret crossing you, by learning where you went wrong and doing it better next time. Weep over that, glue marks! Learn your place!

In all seriousness, can’t help with your first question but I’ve fucked up more often than I’ve gotten things right, and it’s wicked demoralizing, but that’s the process to improve. If you were perfect at everything right from the start, where would be the fun in even doing it? No growth no challenge.

Don't give up! Give it some time. You're going to either be able to fix it, or learn from it.

Sure, sand that poly off, sand through that glue stain and give it another try.

Woodworking is about 14% cutting boards to size and doing joinery, 14% sanding and finishing, and 94% hiding mistakes.

ever try hide glue? I'm using it more and more precisely because it doesn't show up in the finish.