zobsky asks;

red) oak is a rather open grained wood. i'm thinking of finishing it
with tung, but am worried about how to conceal the open grains.

Filler. Behlen's Por O Pac is the style I'm most familiar with. You can also
mix up a slurry of sanding dust and your finish (assuming you're notlaying on a
super fast drying finish) and apply that. Force it down into the pores with and
against the grain, wipe it off, let it dry and check for any sanding needs.

Then finish. Tung oil or whatever you choose.

With the slurry method above, you stain first, sand lightly and use the stained
dust to fill. IIRC, Por O Pac comes in various colors, some of which may match
the color you want.

Charlie Self

"If our democracy is to flourish, it must have criticism; if our government is
to function it must have dissent."
Henry Commager

I happen to like the appearance of open grain so I would be happy with
an oil finish or a gel poly, no filler for me thanks. You will not
get oak to have a 'mirror' finish without using a filler so if you
want that smooth look and feel, fill first, then stain, then I would
use the gel poly to get a nice shine and more protection.

Woodchip

(v.b.) wrote in message . com...
Hi all,

this is for a rather large speaker project due to be completed
shortly. i know there is a tonne of information out there but as they
say, ..every question is unique.


situation:
i want to use a rubbed finish in this case, as i live in an apartment
and would rather avoid the hassles of brushed or sprayed finishes if i
can avoid it.

(red) oak is a rather open grained wood. i'm thinking of finishing it
with tung, but am worried about how to conceal the open grains. i
tried a couple of coats of the oil on a piece of scrap and while the
wood has started turning golden, the surface is still somewhat rough.
i know about sanding between coats etc ... but will this ever get a
smooth finish (after a dozen coats or so)?

if i use a filler to close out the grains, can i still use tung oil
after that?

if not tung oil, can i use wipe on poly with the filler?

also, if i want to stain the cabinets (after using a filler, of
course), can i seal it with poly ( i know tung oil can't be used as a
sealer)


thanks, vin