I have a quick question.
This weekend I will be attempting to finish an end table that I made from mahogany and birds eye maple.
Here’s what I was planning. Let me know if this will work.
First I found a stain from minwax that looks good on the birds eye and mahogany.
Second I wanted to use pore o pac (natural) and dye it to match the grain in the mahogany. Then fill the grain.
Third I wanted to seal it all with clear shellac. (two coats if not three)
Fourth I was planning on using a paste wax and steel wool to dull the finish a little and protect it.
The biggest question I had was will minwax be ok for the first step.
When I get it done I’ll post some pictures.
Just wanted to also add this is my first piece I’ve ever built and would like to thank every one for all the great information.
Thanks
~Joe
Replies
I'm not a finishing expert, but in my experience I usually let stain dry for a couple of days before top coating. I've used minwax and they say it will dry in 8 hours, but for me it was still always still sticky, so I left it dry for longer. The grain filler might take a while to dry as well. I'd go for more than 2 coats of shelac, but the choice is yours. I don't think you can finish this in a weekend [IMO].
I would also apply a coat of shellac (about 1 1/2 lb. cut) after the Minwax stain, unless you want the pore filler to color a lot more than the pores. A couple of days for the Minwax to dry is a good idea unless your finishing room is closer to 80° than 70°. The pore filler itself should at a MINIMUM require 3-4 days, and I usually prefer to give it a week.
You can use Clear shellac as a top coat if you wish, though I generally prefer Blonde or Super Blonde. Those are a bit more durable than the Zinsser Clear the Zinsser has been chemically bleached, while the very light Blonde shellacs are just mechanically filtered.
Several applications of shellac does make a fine top coat. How many depends on what cut you use. Out of the can Clear (or Amber) is 3 lb. cut, and most of us find than a bit heavy for comfortable application, whether by brushing or padding.
Steel wool, lubricated by wax is one of the good ways to achieve a mellower sheen on shellac.
Minwax's products are good quality. But you need to be careful that you're buying a wood stain, and not a "Wood Finish".
The difference is that the Wood Finish products are a stain/varnish mix. And if you use a varnish mix for the first step, you might have problems with the grain-filling.
I won't be laughing at the lies when I'm gone,
And I can't question how or when or why when I'm gone;
I can't live proud enough to die when I'm gone,
So I guess I'll have to do it while I'm here. (Phil Ochs)
Just to clear up a point. Minwax Wood Finish is Minwax's name for their basic oil based pigment stains.http://www.minwax.com/products/wood_stains/wood_finish.html>>> Wood Finish products are a stain/varnish mix. <<<I think you are referring to their Polyshades which is a poly varnish tinted with stain.http://www.minwax.com/products/one_step_stain_and_finishes/polyshades.htmlHowie.........
Just looking... The minwax I have is the first one you listed>>> http://www.minwax.com/products/wood_stains/wood_finish.htmlWill that still be okay for a base color?I'll have to try the combination on a scrap piece of wood to see how it all works out. ~Joe
Edited 10/26/2009 4:39 pm ET by joe53016
I've used that in the past. It has varnish (poly) in it.From their site: "It penetrates deep into the pores to seal and protect the wood. "Seal and protect? That's not just a stain. Stain does not seal, and offers almost no protection.As I said earlier, it might have an effect on your plan to use a grain filler.The Cabot products that are labeled as stain are also a tinted poly product. (I tried one earlier this year.)Find a dealer in your area that sells General Finishes products. These are great products (I have no affiliation), and their stain is just stain.
I won't be laughing at the lies when I'm gone,
And I can't question how or when or why when I'm gone;
I can't live proud enough to die when I'm gone,
So I guess I'll have to do it while I'm here. (Phil Ochs)
I'm afraid you are being misled by the Minwax Marketing Department. Minwax Wood Finish is an oil based pigment stain. ALL oil based pigment stains contain a resin in order to hold the pigment particles onto the wood. If there was no resin, the pigment would simply wipe off the surface after the oil penetrated and dried. General Finishes oil based stain and Cabot Oil Stain contains a resin also and will "seal" the surface.Here is a quote from the General Finishes web page.QuoteGF Wood StainsOil based Wood Stains are made from the highest quality oils, resins, and pigments.Close QuoteHere is one from the Cabot website:QuoteComposition:
Tung and linseed oils, alkyd resinsClose QuoteNotice the both contain the same ingredients. Namely, oil and resin and of course, pigment.Only dye stains do not contain a resin. Dye coloring is microscopically small and is totally dissolved in the oil, alcohol or water and actually colors the cells of the wood. Pigment particles are much larger and are not absorbed into the cells of the wood. Instead, they sit on the surface or in the pores of the wood and the resin holds them there. The resin in all the pigment stains will slightly "seal" the surface. Minwax has just elected to amplify the effect of the resin to make customers think there is something unique about their product. All oil based pigment stain manufacturers can say the same things about their product that Minwax says about theirs. They are all almost identical.
Howie.........
Based on results in my experience inventory, I'm gonna stick with what I said.I'll concede that the Minwax might not actually have poly in it, but every time I've used their "Wood Finish" products, they acted way too much like tinted varnish. And quick-drying varnish at that.Apply with either brush or rag.
Allow to soak for a minute or two.
Try -- just try to get some even-looking result when you remove the excess. Mostly what I've had is the rag stuck to the board.
I won't be laughing at the lies when I'm gone,
And I can't question how or when or why when I'm gone;
I can't live proud enough to die when I'm gone,
So I guess I'll have to do it while I'm here. (Phil Ochs)
Yes, I will be fine. Follow the directions exactly and test it out on some scrap. Go through your whole finishing plan.
Howie.........
Since its your first piece try your plan out on some test pieces first.
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