Replies

1. 
   sschefer | May 02, 2002 06:13pm | #1

   Ed, take a look at the 150lb table post of mine. There's a picture in there and those legs are black laquer, brushed on straight out of the can then wet sanded with 600 wet/dry sand paper followed by polishing with 0000 steel wool. Dying the wood and shelacing will allow the grain pattern to be visible and you probably don't want that. I'm not sure what brand I used, I just went to the paint store and had them mix me up a quart. Its probably dupont since the store is a dupont franchise. If you don't absolutely have to use laquer, the cheaper and less problematic way to go would be waterbased poly acrylic high gloss black. You can sand it and polish it just like laquer.

   Steve - in Northern California

   
   

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   Edited 5/2/2002 11:14:26 AM ET by Steve Schefer

1. 
   Azeddie | May 02, 2002 06:58pm | #2

   THANKS FOR THE INFO, VERY HELPFUL...WHERE IS YOUR POST WITH THE TABLE?

   This new site is a PAIN!!

1. 
   sschefer | May 02, 2002 07:36pm | #3

   Ed the thread is in the General Discussion Area. Just look for 150lb table. I tried to copy a link to it but I couldn't get it to go.

   Steve - in Northern California

1. 
   Azeddie | May 02, 2002 07:41pm | #4

   Found it Steve, Nice looking table ..I think the legs will be ok if rock maple, Just MHO

1. 
   sschefer | May 02, 2002 07:51pm | #5

   Thanks Ed, fortunately the customer accepted it as it is so I don't have to do anything else but complete the finishing process. Steve - in Northern California

2. 
   observer | May 04, 2002 11:18pm | #6

   Ed, if you want a rubbed-out finish you would be better to stick to solvent based finishes, particularly when your colour is 'unforgiving' black. They polish much better than water based, especially after they have had a few days for the finish to harden properly. Water based will work if you just plan on spraying a coat and don't plan on touching it after.

   Dick

3. 
   SgianDubh | May 05, 2002 12:08am | #7

   I use a water based aniline dye mixed from dry powder to stain black after raising the grain with warm water and sanding the fuzz down. Water dyes are much less fugitive than the oil or spirit soluble versions in my experience, and as a bonus they are not dissolved by subsequent oil based polishing products. Not all dyes give you a really deep black, with some casting a blue tone. You have to experiment a bit, and you can buy the dye ready mixed too. Black India ink is also a good way to get the base colour if the project is not too large.

   After dying my prefered method is to spray black tinted polish. This way you don't have a brush dragging out the background colour and if your brush work is very poor you might make the original dye job patchy, especially if your dye was oil or spirit (alcohol) dissolved. Alcohol soluble dye powders can be added to the nitrocellulose family of lacquers, i.e., pre-cat lacquer, etc.,  to shellac, and even to oil based varnish, and these can all be sprayed successfully, and pre-cat can really only ever be sprayed, but you can brush it on if the project is very small. Again you can buy these dyes ready dissolved as saturated solutions. When tinting polish with this stuff, a little goes a long way.

   I don't use water based varnishes-- I didn't have good experiences with them many years ago, therefore I avoid them----  so I have no first hand experience of this, but if you wanted to use one of these products, my bet would be that water based aniline dye could be added to tint the stuff. In the past I've applied water based varnishes with both a spray gun and with a brush. I hear that these water based varnishes have improved a lot in the seven or so years since I tinkered with them, but I haven't had any need to experiment with them recently. Slainte, RJ.

   http://www.RichardJonesFurniture.com

1. 
   Azeddie | May 05, 2002 12:20am | #8

   Thanks all for the Info, As I don't use spray Equipment. Will probably try Aniline dye, Or Laquer out of a can. And I like oil based  products too, MAybe finish off with sellac

   This is for a Hallway plant stand I want to make

   The 2 shelves will be Curly Maple

   with Contrasting BLACK legs

1. 
   SgianDubh | May 05, 2002 12:25am | #9

   I assume you plan to do any dying and all polishing prior to assemly? Slainte, RJ.http://www.RichardJonesFurniture.com

1. 
   Azeddie | May 05, 2002 12:31am | #10

   Oh Yes, I would think thats the only way. BTW..I checked out you website, VERY nice pieces...

   It was  funny seeing your chest of drawers with the sliding dovetails.. I had printed out the plans for the same one  a month ago..Someday I hope to make it..:o)

1. 
   SgianDubh | May 05, 2002 02:27am | #11

   I've just made a pair of bedside cabinets as a commission based on that piece. The buyer spotted the original in a gallery,..... and wanted. All the construction essentially the same, but scaled down. They haven't got onto my website yet. Walnut, zebrano, and maple drawer parts, all solid timber except the cabinet back and drawer bottoms. Slainte, RJ.

   View Imagehttp://www.RichardJonesFurniture.com

2. 
   Azeddie | May 05, 2002 03:54am | #12

   excellant!! , those would go great with the chest