I have a general knowledge of stains and have done some experimenting
with stains and some different woods, but how does one know when to
use different protecting finishes such as oils, shellac, polyurethane,
etc.? Anyone also know of a good tutorial online to provide some
insight?

Thank you

On Mon, 28 Mar 2011 08:14:50 -0700 (PDT), SBH
wrote:

I have a general knowledge of stains and have done some experimenting
with stains and some different woods, but how does one know when to
use different protecting finishes such as oils, shellac, polyurethane,
etc.? Anyone also know of a good tutorial online to provide some
insight?

Thank you

I've always referred to Jeff Jewitt's _Hand Applied Finishes_.
It's a peach.

--
If the only prayer you ever say in your whole
life is "thank you," that would suffice.
-- Meister Eckhart

On Mar 28, 9:54*am, Larry Jaques
wrote:


I've always referred to Jeff Jewitt's _Hand Applied Finishes_.
It's a peach.

Jewitt has some really good stuff out there and sells his own
finishes. If you buy from him, you can call him and get a 5 minute
consult on his products.

I always like Bob Flexnor's books better, but that is certainly a
matter of individual taste.

When I was starting out, I liked books better as I could take them
with me to the testing grounds to set up guns, try brushing
techniques, padding techniques, and to troubleshoot problems.

If you are looking for something online, just Google "furniture
finishing tutorial" and you will find things like this everywhe

http://www.creationsbykara.com/2010/...furniture.html

Good luck!

Robert

On Mar 28, 12:53*pm, "dadiOH" wrote:

* * SHELLAC
Much the same as lacquer, may color the wood more depending on what kind
(color) of shellac is used.

Not as durable, but if applied right, nothing else can
equal it for appearance and feel. Great finish for appreciative
customers who don't abuse their furniture.

On Mar 28, 11:14*am, SBH wrote:
I have a general knowledge of stains and have done some experimenting
with stains and some different woods, but how does one know when to
use different protecting finishes such as oils, shellac, polyurethane,
etc.? Anyone also know of a good tutorial online to provide some
insight?

Thank you

*No* finish is always an option. Plane or sand the wood smooth
with 2,000 grit and let the oil and wear from handling bring out
the patina.

Thanks dadiOH

From what you've explained, using these finishes eliminates the use of
stains since some darken the wood or is it safe to assume the finish which
doesn't really color wood or colors very little can be used with stains or
can any of these be a mix and match?

On Mar 28, 6:11*pm, "SBH" wrote:
Thanks dadiOH

From what you've explained, using these finishes eliminates the use of
stains since some darken the wood or is it safe to assume the finish which
doesn't really color wood or colors very little can be used with stains or
can any of these be a mix and match?

Orange or garnet shellacs lend a warm tone to
otherwise cold looking woods, such as cherry or walnut.

On Mon, 28 Mar 2011 11:53:43 -0500, "dadiOH"
wrote:

SBH wrote:
I have a general knowledge of stains and have done some experimenting
with stains and some different woods, but how does one know when to
use different protecting finishes such as oils, shellac, polyurethane,
etc.?

You forgot lacquer

Basically, one uses what one wants taking into consideration what the piece
will be used for and the finish characteristics. A brief rundown...
Here's a more extensive but similar rundown from Jeff Jewitt:

http://www.finewoodworking.com/pages/w00060.asp

My only comment to what is listed here, is that if you are going to
mess with lacquer get a high quality respirator.

Other than that, there are tradeoffs in terms of expense, ease of
application, sheen, durability, impact of the solvents on your lungs,
liver, and the environment, and how much color the finish imparts to
the wood.

I generally use boiled linseed oil to bring out the grain and shellac
or alkyd varnish as a top coat, depending on if I need the durability
of varnish. If not I'll use shellac from flakes because it is
inexpensive and fast and I can add dye if I want to adjust the color.

Jim

On Mon, 28 Mar 2011 15:24:13 -0700 (PDT), Father Haskell
wrote:

On Mar 28, 6:11*pm, "SBH" wrote:
Thanks dadiOH

From what you've explained, using these finishes eliminates the use of
stains since some darken the wood or is it safe to assume the finish which
doesn't really color wood or colors very little can be used with stains or
can any of these be a mix and match?

Orange or garnet shellacs lend a warm tone to
otherwise cold looking woods, such as cherry or walnut.

Cherry and Walnut are cold looking woods? yikes!

In article ,
says...

Father Haskell wrote:
On Mar 28, 6:11 pm, "SBH" wrote:
Thanks dadiOH

From what you've explained, using these finishes eliminates the use
of stains since some darken the wood or is it safe to assume the
finish which doesn't really color wood or colors very little can be
used with stains or can any of these be a mix and match?

I don't see the above as an individual post so am replying to it here.

You can use any top coat on a piece of stained wood.

Always read the instructions for both the stain and the topcoat. Some
stains aren't happy with some topcoats. Also for any combination of
stain and topcoat, try it on a test piece--sometimes the topcoat can
alter the color of the stain.

I suppose you could
use oil too but it would serve little purpose if the stain was oil base.
Oil base stains pretty much seal the wood thereby preventing top coats from
coloring the wood by wetting it.

The top coats that color the wood don't darken it so much as wet it. If you
dab a bit of spit (or water if you are fastidious) on wood it will color
(darken) the wood but that color disappears when the wood dries just as it
does with water base top coats. Color is also added by the natural color of
the top coat (which is due in large part to the oil in it for varnishes).
Color is also added as the top coat ages; again, for varnishes, that is
mostly due to the oil...linseed oil by itself becomes a blackish red when in
thick layers. Finally, even raw wood changes color as it ages due to UV and
air; light woods generally become darker and many dark woods become lighter
and warmer (eg, walnut) but some darker woods such as cherry and mahogany
become darker and redder. That natural aging also occurs under clear top
coats though an UV inhibitor in the top coat will slow the aging.

Stains are used for various reasons:

1. To make a piece of wood resemble something which it is not. EG, walnut
stain on poplar

2. To enhance the natural color. EG, a reddish stain on mahogany

3. To even up the color. EG, color lighter sap wood

4. To give wood an un-natural color. EG, blue, green, black, etc.

5. To match an existing piece, EG much mucking about to get a set of
shelves to match the color of a 200 year old book case.

IME, beginning amateur woodworkers almost always use stain regardless of
what wood they are using. As time passes and they learn to appreciate the
natural colors, grain patterns and figures of wood, they almost never use
it.

On Mar 28, 7:24*pm, "
wrote:
On Mon, 28 Mar 2011 15:24:13 -0700 (PDT), Father Haskell

wrote:
On Mar 28, 6:11*pm, "SBH" wrote:
Thanks dadiOH

From what you've explained, using these finishes eliminates the use of
stains since some darken the wood or is it safe to assume the finish which
doesn't really color wood or colors very little can be used with stains or
can any of these be a mix and match?

Orange or garnet shellacs lend a warm tone to
otherwise cold looking woods, such as cherry or walnut.

Cherry and Walnut are cold looking woods? *yikes!

When newly surfaced, before aging. Tinted finishes are
very common with older walnut and cherry.

Air-dried walnut contains lots of blue and purple.
Puts kiln-dried to shame.

On Thu, 31 Mar 2011 19:53:28 -0700 (PDT), Father Haskell
wrote:

On Mar 28, 7:24*pm, "
wrote:
On Mon, 28 Mar 2011 15:24:13 -0700 (PDT), Father Haskell

wrote:
On Mar 28, 6:11*pm, "SBH" wrote:
Thanks dadiOH

From what you've explained, using these finishes eliminates the use of
stains since some darken the wood or is it safe to assume the finish which
doesn't really color wood or colors very little can be used with stains or
can any of these be a mix and match?

Orange or garnet shellacs lend a warm tone to
otherwise cold looking woods, such as cherry or walnut.

Cherry and Walnut are cold looking woods? *yikes!

When newly surfaced, before aging. Tinted finishes are
very common with older walnut and cherry.

They still aren't "cold", IMO. Ash may be considered "cold", but even before
developing a patina, Cherry is very nice stuff. Of course it only gets better
with age.

Air-dried walnut contains lots of blue and purple.
Puts kiln-dried to shame.

I still don't see "cold".