I just completed building a chessboard and I'm deciding on the finish. At first I thought I would go with water based poly so as to not darken the maple (it's maple and wenge). But I was using lacquer on the pieces I made and they do look nice. It's a high gloss Minwax lacquer. The poly is the Minwax polycrylic.

Any thoughts on the pros and cons of each, or a better solution?

-Jim

On Mon, 19 Dec 2011 04:25:57 -0800 (PST), jtpr
wrote:

I just completed building a chessboard and I'm deciding on the finish. At first I thought I would go with water based poly so as to not darken the maple (it's maple and wenge). But I was using lacquer on the pieces I made and they do look nice. It's a high gloss Minwax lacquer. The poly is the Minwax polycrylic.

Any thoughts on the pros and cons of each, or a better solution?

If you're partial to bluer overtones, go with waterborne finish.

If you're partial to golder overtones, go with oil-based finish.

An oil-based finish will probably give you a better contrast between
woods due to the slight darkening effect, which will be a bit more
pronounced on the darker wood than the maple.

(I'd use Waterlox, but y'all knew that already.

--
If you're trying to take a roomful of people by
surprise, it's a lot easier to hit your targets
if you don't yell going through the door.
-- Lois McMaster Bujold

On Monday, December 19, 2011 10:31:39 AM UTC-5, Larry Jaques wrote:
On Mon, 19 Dec 2011 04:25:57 -0800 (PST), jtpr
wrote:

I just completed building a chessboard and I'm deciding on the finish. At first I thought I would go with water based poly so as to not darken the maple (it's maple and wenge). But I was using lacquer on the pieces I made and they do look nice. It's a high gloss Minwax lacquer. The poly is the Minwax polycrylic.

Any thoughts on the pros and cons of each, or a better solution?

If you're partial to bluer overtones, go with waterborne finish.

If you're partial to golder overtones, go with oil-based finish.

An oil-based finish will probably give you a better contrast between
woods due to the slight darkening effect, which will be a bit more
pronounced on the darker wood than the maple.

(I'd use Waterlox, but y'all knew that already.

--
If you're trying to take a roomful of people by
surprise, it's a lot easier to hit your targets
if you don't yell going through the door.
-- Lois McMaster Bujold

Larry,

Thank you. So I gather you don't like the lacquer idea. Which Waterlox product would you suggest?

http://www.woodcraft.com/Search2/Sea...brand=Waterlox

-Jim

On Dec 19, 4:25*am, jtpr wrote:
I just completed building a chessboard and I'm deciding on the finish. *At first I thought I would go with water based poly so as to not darken the maple (it's maple and wenge). *But I was using lacquer on the pieces I made and they do look nice. It's a high gloss Minwax lacquer. *The poly is the Minwax polycrylic.

Any thoughts on the pros and cons of each, or a better solution?

-Jim

Poly is a little tougher but lacquer is much nicer to rub out to a
finish and repairable. I do use poly for table tops but I think a
chess board is like a fine piece of furniture. I would use lacquer or
shellac.

"jtpr" wrote:

Any thoughts on the pros and cons of each, or a better solution?

--------------------------
Shellac?

Lew

On Mon, 19 Dec 2011 08:19:30 -0800 (PST), jtpr
wrote:

On Monday, December 19, 2011 10:31:39 AM UTC-5, Larry Jaques wrote:
On Mon, 19 Dec 2011 04:25:57 -0800 (PST), jtpr
wrote:

I just completed building a chessboard and I'm deciding on the finish. At first I thought I would go with water based poly so as to not darken the maple (it's maple and wenge). But I was using lacquer on the pieces I made and they do look nice. It's a high gloss Minwax lacquer. The poly is the Minwax polycrylic.

Any thoughts on the pros and cons of each, or a better solution?

If you're partial to bluer overtones, go with waterborne finish.

If you're partial to golder overtones, go with oil-based finish.

An oil-based finish will probably give you a better contrast between
woods due to the slight darkening effect, which will be a bit more
pronounced on the darker wood than the maple.

(I'd use Waterlox, but y'all knew that already.

Larry,

Thank you. So I gather you don't like the lacquer idea.

I've just never been much of a fan of Minwhacked stuff.


Which Waterlox product would you suggest?

http://www.woodcraft.com/Search2/Sea...brand=Waterlox

The original stuff, but in Satin, unless you -must- have a really high
gloss. Once it's cured, I then use 0000 steel wool with Johnson's
paste wax to degloss it further.
http://www.woodcraft.com/Product/200...ish-Quart.aspx
This could be used as-is high gloss or steelwooled/waxed for satin.

Be sure to squirt some Bloxygen, propane, or argon into the can before
resealing it. I had half a quart gel on me when I forgot once.

--
If you're trying to take a roomful of people by
surprise, it's a lot easier to hit your targets
if you don't yell going through the door.
-- Lois McMaster Bujold

On Dec 19, 1:55*pm, "SonomaProducts.com" wrote:
On Dec 19, 4:25*am, jtpr wrote:

I just completed building a chessboard and I'm deciding on the finish. *At first I thought I would go with water based poly so as to not darken the maple (it's maple and wenge). *But I was using lacquer on the pieces I made and they do look nice. It's a high gloss Minwax lacquer. *The poly is the Minwax polycrylic.

Any thoughts on the pros and cons of each, or a better solution?

-Jim

Poly is a little tougher but lacquer is much nicer to rub out to a
finish and repairable. I do use poly for table tops but I think a
chess board is like a fine piece of furniture. I would use lacquer or
shellac.

Lacquer is the more durable of the two, but that shouldn't
be an issue if the chess pieces have the obligatory felt
pads on the bottom. Shellac is impossible to beat for
looks, *especially* if French polished.