We all have it, it's our favorite go to finish that we are comfortable with, we know it works, it yields great results and it may not always be the easy finish, it may take multiple steps to complete, but your comfortable with it.

So let's hear what is your favorite finishing schedule, more details the better so we can all learn.

Thanks!

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John Morris
The Patriot Woodworker
Proud Supporter of Homes For Our Troops and Wounded Warriors Project

Sorta depends on the project and the "look" I'm after. Plus, I'm a lazy and unsophisticated finisher.

For non food contact small objects, I like a wipe on finish of 50/50 Marine varnish and Watco. Depending on the wood's characteristics, a sanded coat of shellac first. 

For a food safe finish, mineral oil or Behlens. 

Just a personal preference, but I don't like a high gloss, shiny finish. If poly is used it's always several sanded coats and final rub out with the various Scotch Brite pads. Same process with matte, semi gloss or gloss poly. Oh, yeah. The water based crud I've tried just doesn't do it for me. It just lays on top and is way too easily scrubbed away. 

When I was making cabinets, Aniline dyes were my go to for color. The finishes were always the same. At least 3 coats of marine varnish, sprayed with a HVLP gun and rubbed out with the mesh pads. They all got a final rub down with Johnson's paste wax and a new can always went home with the cabinets.

A final thought re: finishes. A friend of mine (and sometimes guru) had a sign in his shop that read: "If God wanted your furniture to look like plastic, he'd have made plastic trees." 

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Gene
'The true soldier fights not because he hates what is in front of him, but because he loves what is behind him.' G. K. Chesterton

As for me doing scroll work, I depend on Deft Lacquer.  I apply it with a spray gun.  Quick drying and 2nd -4th coat bonds with the previous coat (unlike paint type products that stick to the previous layer).  Because of all the inherent dust in the shop, quick filmming is a must.

For large flat projects (table, chest, etc) I use General Finishes Brushing Lacquer.  Provides a bubble free finish.

---

Fred
aka Pop's Shop
www.pops-shop.com
'Soooooo many patterns - sooooo little time'
Scroll Saw Forum Host

Used to be, i brush on three coats of Minwax poly-gloss, and call it done.   lately, it has been that "Smelly Stuff in the Blue Can"   BLO..   Can't stand the smell, but it looks nice on plane handles, and maybe a table or two. 

ps:  it stilll STINKS! ;-))

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Planer? I'm the 'planer', and these are what I use...

Thanks guys for your responses! Anyone else? I know we have some really good finishers here that would love to share your schedules, I have seen your work and it's absolutely beautiful!

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John Morris
The Patriot Woodworker
Proud Supporter of Homes For Our Troops and Wounded Warriors Project

Like Gene said it depends on the project and the effect I'm looking for. For the wifes quilt rack I used a wipe on Minwax stain and then numerous coats of wipe on Poly. The wipe on finishes have come a long ways, When I first tried them years ago the finish had a blotchy look but now they work very well. Wile looking on Steve Good's forum for Scroll Saw Work Shop he uses Lemon oil on hes projects. Have any of you guys tried this and if so how did it come out? Also can you apply Poly over it?

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www.thepatriotwoodworker.com Proud Supporter of Homes For Our Troops

For the outside of my Cedar Chest, I like to spray a couple of coats of Shellac, sand lightly and then spray several coats of General Finishes Enduro Var.

It gives a nice clear finish that is hard and smooth.

---

John Moody
Site Administrator


John Moody Woodworks
http://www.johnmoodywoodworks.com

WATERLOX

Mike, I have a bottle of lemon oil in my cabinet now, and I like to use it to rejuvenate finishes. It works great on old plane totes and other items that need a boost of new life. I have not tried it on unfinished wood though, I will today and I'll let you know my results.

Mike Dillen said:

Like Gene said it depends on the project and the effect I'm looking for. For the wifes quilt rack I used a wipe on Minwax stain and then numerous coats of wipe on Poly. The wipe on finishes have come a long ways, When I first tried them years ago the finish had a blotchy look but now they work very well. Wile looking on Steve Good's forum for Scroll Saw Work Shop he uses Lemon oil on hes projects. Have any of you guys tried this and if so how did it come out? Also can you apply Poly over it?

---

www.thepatriotwoodworker.com Proud Supporter of Homes For Our Troops

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John Morris
The Patriot Woodworker
Proud Supporter of Homes For Our Troops and Wounded Warriors Project

Gene, what are the mesh pads, and where do we get them, thanks!

Gene Howe said:

Sorta depends on the project and the "look" I'm after. Plus, I'm a lazy and unsophisticated finisher.

For non food contact small objects, I like a wipe on finish of 50/50 Marine varnish and Watco. Depending on the wood's characteristics, a sanded coat of shellac first. 

For a food safe finish, mineral oil or Behlens. 

Just a personal preference, but I don't like a high gloss, shiny finish. If poly is used it's always several sanded coats and final rub out with the various Scotch Brite pads. Same process with matte, semi gloss or gloss poly. Oh, yeah. The water based crud I've tried just doesn't do it for me. It just lays on top and is way too easily scrubbed away. 

When I was making cabinets, Aniline dyes were my go to for color. The finishes were always the same. At least 3 coats of marine varnish, sprayed with a HVLP gun and rubbed out with the mesh pads. They all got a final rub down with Johnson's paste wax and a new can always went home with the cabinets.

A final thought re: finishes. A friend of mine (and sometimes guru) had a sign in his shop that read: "If God wanted your furniture to look like plastic, he'd have made plastic trees." 

---

Gene
'The true soldier fights not because he hates what is in front of him, but because he loves what is behind him.' G. K. Chesterton

---

John Morris
The Patriot Woodworker
Proud Supporter of Homes For Our Troops and Wounded Warriors Project

Fred, the General Finishes Brushing Lacquer, is it water base or oil?

Fred Wilson said:

As for me doing scroll work, I depend on Deft Lacquer.  I apply it with a spray gun.  Quick drying and 2nd -4th coat bonds with the previous coat (unlike paint type products that stick to the previous layer).  Because of all the inherent dust in the shop, quick filmming is a must.

For large flat projects (table, chest, etc) I use General Finishes Brushing Lacquer.  Provides a bubble free finish.

---

Fred
aka Pop's Shop
www.pops-shop.com
'Soooooo many patterns - sooooo little time'
Scroll Saw Forum Host

---

John Morris
The Patriot Woodworker
Proud Supporter of Homes For Our Troops and Wounded Warriors Project

BLO is cool Steve, instant gratification in the finish, you get to see what it will look like, then it drys! LOL

steven newman said:

Used to be, i brush on three coats of Minwax poly-gloss, and call it done.   lately, it has been that "Smelly Stuff in the Blue Can"   BLO..   Can't stand the smell, but it looks nice on plane handles, and maybe a table or two. 

ps:  it stilll STINKS! ;-))

---

Planer? I'm the 'planer', and these are what I use...

---

John Morris
The Patriot Woodworker
Proud Supporter of Homes For Our Troops and Wounded Warriors Project

John, do you sand the shellac. And what's your cut ratio, and what do you use, blonde, amber etc.

John Moody said:

For the outside of my Cedar Chest, I like to spray a couple of coats of Shellac, sand lightly and then spray several coats of General Finishes Enduro Var.

It gives a nice clear finish that is hard and smooth.

---

John Moody
Site Administrator


John Moody Woodworks
http://www.johnmoodywoodworks.com

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John Morris
The Patriot Woodworker
Proud Supporter of Homes For Our Troops and Wounded Warriors Project

How applied Dragon. Thanks

dragon1 said:

WATERLOX

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John Morris
The Patriot Woodworker
Proud Supporter of Homes For Our Troops and Wounded Warriors Project

I have two basic finishes depending on the project that I am comfortable with.

FINISH 1: My favorite, it's an easy application but the work up to the application is the most time consuming because it involves a ton of sanding. With indoor furnishings using solid hard woods, I like to sand through the grits up to 800 then put a 1600 grit micro pad on my ROS and buff the unfinished piece. Before you even finish the piece, it is already looking glowy, and the grain is popping because what we did is basically burnish the wood, but not to the point that the cells have closed up. Keep in mind, this is for non-stained work when you want the natural beauty of the wood to show through.

After that it's as simple as a wipe on off finish of your choice. I like to apply BLO as the first coat then follow it up with 3 to 5 coats of Watco. One coat a day. I learned this process while making my rockers, it is the way Hal Taylor finishes his rockers and I latched on to that process for more then my rocker. I love it, it is very rewarding at the end to simply take a rag saturated in finish, and wipe to your hearts content.

FINISH 2. For furnishings that are larger in size, and for larger surface, I am a spray guy. I have not had much luck brushing on finishes. Every time I try to brush, the results leaving me sanding it out and I grab the compressor and gun and move the operation out side.

The following is how I work with larger surfaces and furnishings.

I love the powdered dyes, Homestead Transfast Dyes is what I have been using and I love it. There is a wide range of color choices and you can manipulate the colors by adding more or less water. So when I am staining my work, this is what I use. Just remember when using water based dye stains, you need to pre wet the work to raise the grain, then sand to 180, yes 180, it's all that is needed, you really want the stain to soak in. If you don't pre raise the grain, then the water based dye will, and your first coat of finish will be a tad rough. Not a game changer, just another step in sanding.

After the stain is set for about 24 hrs, we go to the BLO, I like the BLO for two reasons, it pops the grain, as any finish will actually, but beyond that, it adds a honey glow to the overall finished appearance.

I'll then apply a 2lb cut of shellac, fresh flakes that I'll mix 24 hrs before I apply it. I like Amber shellac, it adds more warmth, can you tell our project is getting very warm now. After the shellac is dry, usually in a just a few hours, I'll hit it with 400, I have had bad luck with 220 as it seems to burn through the shellac and touching my stain, causing the lighter wood color to be exposed and a blemish in the work, so I lightly hit it with 400. The main sanding comes between the last and final coat of oil base finish.

Next, oil based varnish. I love Minwax interior "Warm Glow" oil based varnish. Or, as for the settee I finished, I used Cabots Oil Base and it works quite well too, though the set time is much longer then Minwax. I am not sold on the water base yet, I don't see the warmth coming off the water base finishes that I see with the oil based. I have been to a few woodworking exhibitions in the last three years and I see the difference in an oil based work, verses a water base, the warmth in my opinion is just not there, again, that is only my opinion, half the time I am wrong, just ask my wife. I guess what I really need to do is use it for myself and find out. Although I have read articles on water base and the authors suggest that the best you can achieve with water base is a clear finish, no warmth added.

I'll apply two coats of oil based within 2 to 4hrs of each other, without sanding obviously, this builds up the finish immediately without the hassle of sanding between coats.

After it has set up, I'll sand it out to 400 then apply the final coat of finish.

The final touch, is to rub it out with 0000 steel wool and Liberons Black Bison Paste Wax. It smells good, and it gives the piece that final richness and warmth. So there ya have it on my end guys, hope this helps someone in some way.

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John Morris
The Patriot Woodworker
Proud Supporter of Homes For Our Troops and Wounded Warriors Project

John, I usually use blonde and I usually buy the flakes and mix my own. I like to mix a three pound cut but sometimes after I let is sit, I might cut it a little more.

I do sand between coats of the Shellac but only to knock off any nibs that might have settled. Not really trying to sand it smooth, as it will fill in just don't want it bumps. And not that I have ever had one, but I will check it between coats for a run, yuk I said it. If you get one, (remember I said not that I have) a razor blade and a little DNA will usually take care of it quickly so no one ever knows it was there.

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John Moody
Site Administrator


John Moody Woodworks
http://www.johnmoodywoodworks.com