OK, so heres my problem. As a novice, it is nice to have a reference handy that gives you a clear description of various recipes involved in the staining, coating, etc of wood. At this point, the only thing that I have been able to find are a few books with some basic information and more time spent on how to sand then what to use to get a particualr look.
Since I dont have the time to experiment everytime that I need to finish something, it would be nice to be able to open a book and find a page that says (better yet shows) ‘You do this and this is what you can expect’. If there is a book available that does this please let me know. If not…
I think I may have a go at writing one. However, to do this, I need a whole bunch of help. What I need most are recipies. You know, two parts this and one part that with a coat of this. I realize that variations on a theme are going to occur, but as is the case with most hings there must be a base line. Somewhere you can start from and experiment. I dont really have any intention on focusing on the technique or the equipment as that is done much better by other people. If you all have knwo any one else on other forums who have that great ole recipe there dying to share, then send them my way and we can have a go at this.
Replies
Take a peak at the two recent books by Jeff Jewitt. I think one is "Great Wood Finishes" and the other a compendium published by Taunton.
I like Jeff's books, but my favorite is Understanding Wood Finishing by Bob Flexner. It has cookbook finishes, but its strong suit is discussing the "why"s and "wherefore"s not just the "how"s.
And, no matter how detailed and accurate the book, it is STILL necessary to make tests on scrap before finishing the actual project. Wood is a natural product, and not all boards behave the same way. Also, finish manufacturers keep changing the products, so this too may require adjustments in methods. For that matter, your taste in what you want the end result to be may differ from the author's.
Yes I have read all of those books. I think what I am looking for are 'cookbook' finishes. My biggest problem, and I am sure the problem of many people, is that I lack the creativity to mix this with a bit of that to get X result. I think everyboby can agree that the final look of the finish, at least in the eye of the finisher, is extremely subjective, and while 2 more coats of kusmi shellac dont make a big difference as far as water resistance goes, it can make a slight difference in color. Tell me what to expect, how to mix, and what can go wrong and i am ok.
Edited 3/31/2006 11:14 pm ET by hdgis1
hdgis1,
I've been kinda pursuing the same objective, cookbook formulas for consistent results.
A couple weeks ago I took a piece of mahogany(4x6x42about)and built two 20x15" trays. Obviously, each tray was treated exactly the same. I showed it to my wife last night...she likes the darker one best. Sure enough ones darker although I can't explain why.I think it's best to divide the quest(cookbook formulas) into three catagories:
Formulas for finishes...varnish, shellac, lacquer, oil, etc.
Formulas for specific looks.....arts&crafts, federal period, shaker, etc.
Formulas for achieving specific color....stain, dye, bleaching, etc.In reality, I think most of us try to get reasonably confident with 2-3 approaches and let the experts(Steve, Howard) help us when we screw up.
I second Steve's comments. Bob Flexner has demystified the subject of finishing for me, once and for all. I'd highly recommend it be on every serious woodworker's library shelves.
Sawdust Eater
PMBI but on everyone's recommendation I ordered the Flexner today. I like the Jewitt one I have but there's less "why" in it, if I'm reading your comments right.
Thanks all... just wanted you to know that lurkers are getting benefits of your posts too. :)My goal is for my work to outlast me. Expect my joinery to get simpler as time goes by.
I agree also. I bought Bob Flexner's book and it is really interesting. I am anxious to start using some of the knowledge gained from this. There is nothing that beats experience but some good upfront knowledge is good too.
Kenney66
I've now read (Amazon delivers FAST) about a third of Flexner's book and it's excellent! This is exactly the book I needed.My goal is for my work to outlast me. Expect my joinery to get simpler as time goes by.
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