Replies

1. 
   jim | May 27, 2005 01:32pm | #1

   Try de-waxed shellac.  It brings out the grain in walnut nicely, dries fast and can be tinted with dyes if you wish to alter the color.  It is not very durable so if that is a concern it can be top coated with waterborne poly, which also dries fast.

1. 
   forestgirl | May 27, 2005 06:44pm | #3

   Thanks, BB, I have some Zinnser.  Might order some dye and give it a try.  Durability and water resistance aren't issues, fortunately.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)Another proud member of the  "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>) 

2. 
   BG | May 27, 2005 05:45pm | #2

   FG,
   The Watco process I follow takes about a month to execute (the varnish in the Watco develops slowly with successive coats)...and longer before a satin gloss appears.
   I just finished putting a couple of thin coats of Behlan's Rock Hard finish which dried rather quickly, gloss finish and is applied with a rag....as Jim MacMahon warned me, the key is a thin coat which I rubbed out a week later....not bad.
   The fastest of all of these and pretty durable is lacquer...I use the brushable stuff..

    

1. 
   forestgirl | May 27, 2005 06:47pm | #4

   Thanks, BG.  Yep, a really nice Watco finish takes time but sure looks good, doesn't it?  What did you put the Behlen's on?forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)Another proud member of the  "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>) 

1. 
   BG | May 27, 2005 09:55pm | #5

   FG,
   Actually, I started with Watco...and then applied a couple of coats of 50% Behlens (cudda been even thinner)...nice thin gloss finish. Waited about a week and rubbed out with 0000 and polish. Here is the thread where various combinations were discussed 23641.1
    

3. 
   AlbionWood | May 28, 2005 06:06am | #6

   I second the recommedation for shellac. Can't imagine why you would want to stain walnut -it's plenty dark enough and gorgeous as it is - but you can tint the sealer coat of shellac. I'd get a can of the Zinsser Amber and a can of the Clear; use the Amber for the first two coats, then finish with several coats of the Clear.

   For small pieces this can be very easy to do: Dilute to a 2# cut, per directions on can. Brush on a heavy coat. Let dry about an hour. Sand very lightly with 320 grit (btw, you don't have to raise the grain before shellacking). Brush on another coat, let dry 15 or 20 minutes, then brush on another coat. Let dry half an hour or so , then repeat; build up a good film coat. Don't worry too much about getting it perfectly smooth, just build up the finish. After four or five coats, let it dry overnight. Sand lightly with 320 or 400 until the whole surface is smooth and flat. Wipe off the dust, then pad on a finish coat of shellac, very thin - just enough to produce a gloss finish. For a satin finish, use wax after sanding, instead of padding on the finish coat.

   Brushing and padding on shellac are skills that take practice, at least for me; but once you get the hang of it, it is very fast. Small pieces are easier than big ones, where it can be difficult to keep a wet edge and avoid brush lines. The big advantage is that shellac sands so easily, so you can level it out without any effort.

   "Everything should be made as simple as possible, but no simpler."  A. Einstein

   http://www.albionworks.net

1. 
   forestgirl | May 28, 2005 06:37pm | #7

   Thanks, Tim.   re: the staining, I needed one dark version of these little pedestals for those who might want it. forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)Another proud member of the  "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>) 

1. 
   bobpowers | May 28, 2005 11:30pm | #8

   I second the recommendations for shellac. I use it on most of my interior projects. The only caveat is that is doesn't like alcohol. I use a few coats of an alkyd varnish on horizontal surfaces where somebody might decide to put a glass. I do this after the shellac.