It’s human nature, we all do it. We have a project going - whether it’s a piece we are building or a piece we are refinishing - and there is a whole bunch of time and energy in the rough stages of the project. We keep carving on it until it takes the form we had in...
Month: July 2016
John and Apollo 700s, named for the Space Capsule
In 1984 John brilliantly submitted independent laboratory tests to SCAQMD demonstrating that Apollo’s turbine system could produce over 80 percent transfer efficiency, which meant that 80% of the coating stayed on the work surface. Far less solvent blew out into the...
TIP: Lacquer Over Glaze
As long as you are using a spray gun for application and lacquer for your finish, you don’t have to let an oil-based glaze dry overnight before applying the finish. You can do it fairly quickly, without problems. The trick is to mist some thinned lacquer onto the...
Woodworking Tip: Wood Prep and the Look of a Finish
The way you prepare the wood for finishing, whether by sanding as most do, or by scraping or planing as some do, has no affect on the way the wood will look with the finish applied. Different finishes add more or less color to the wood, but if you aren’t staining the...
TIP: Water-Based Finish Should Powder
As with all finishes, you should always sand the first coat of water-based finish smooth because it always dries rough to the touch. It’s also the best policy to sand additional coats smooth after they dry to remove dust nibs and other flaws, until the last coat,...
A Glossary Of Basic Finishing Technology
As with any technical field, understanding the terminology of finishing is critical. It’s also critical that we all mean the same thing with the terms we use. With that in mind, here are some of the most common finishing terms, in alphabetical order, and their...
“Equalizing” Sapwood
Finishing Tip by Bob FlexnerBut it’s usually better to equalize the sapwood to the color of the heartwood.One method is to bleach the wood using two-part bleach (sodium hydroxide and hydrogen peroxide). This will remove the coloring from the heartwood, so you can then...
Wetting to Predict Blotching
You can usually get a pretty good idea whether or not the wood you are using will blotch when a stain or finish is applied by wetting the wood.You can use any liquid, but water will raise the grain causing you to have to sand more. Mineral spirits (paint thinner)...
Step Up to Spray Finishing
The vast majority of hobbyist woodworkers, and quite a few professional woodworkers - who might only complete a project or two a month - do their finishing with brush or rag. However, as you begin to undertake more projects, or you move to larger carcass work, it's...
Spray Finishing in a Small Shop – You Bet!
If you work in a small shop you might think that spraying is out of the question. However, that's not the case. A knock-down spray booth will enable you to spray waterborne finishes easily and safely. Use a Waterborne Finish Waterborne finishes are ideal for the home...