Just went to Lee Valley and picked up a book on finishing cause I have=20
several projects on the go and need info..

Think I can recommend this book...

http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.a...3D1,190,43047=


Understanding Wood Finishing
=09
Understanding Wood Finishing - Woodworking
by Bob Flexner


It seems to answer a lot of the questions that come up here.


FYI it points out that many of the beloved finishes that get rhapsodies=20
here are polymerized oils -- (plastics -- oh the horror of it all!)=20
things like BLO and Polymerized Tung oil... Geez no better than wipe on=20
poly -- grin

Think I'll finish my cherry table project in stain and wipe on poly. :-( =

Just kidding Tom -- recall the hit squad. (sheesh -- just a joke!) But=20
what I did do was used Deft -- fruitwood colour -- which according to=20
Flexner acts more like a die -- does not obscure the grain and can be=20
topcoated by a finish more resistant to water and alcohol. This is used=20
to bring the cherry to a more consistent colour instead of waiting and=20
praying to the colour gods for a favourable transition. A rather neat=20
trick... And it does seem to work as I did this on the lamps I made with =

no seeming ill effect, now I know _why_ it works.

Anyway -- I found it very useful particularly in the recommended finish=20
charts (comparing finish characteristics) , notes on compatible stains=20
and top coats, compatible dyes and top coats etc.

Other useful charts identify many common finishes as to their=20
components. This is really useful when you wish to get good grain "pop=20
out" but need to top coat to protect.

One of the problems he points out -- through comparison charts is that=20
you can get good transparency through oil, or oil/varnish combinations,=20
or you can get good protection -- but you can't get both without using=20
conversion finishes (professional finishes) and losing repairability. In =

other words -- you can't win. Something I have long suspected.


=2E..and well worth the $20 in CDN pesos. Save me money in wasted effort =

already, and in understanding why some of my WAG's worked. (And why some =

would not have if I had tried them and wasted the project...)

(Toller -- maybe a dye would have popped the curly cherry -- maybe not=20
but worth a try...)



If you get it, hope it helps you as much as it helps me.

This blurb is from the Lee Valley site...

---------------------------------------------
Understanding Wood Finishing
=09
Understanding Wood Finishing - Woodworking
by Bob Flexner

This is clearly the best-researched, most complete book on finishing=20
that we have seen to date.

Flexner stresses understanding the chemistry and mechanics of finishing, =

developing in his readers not only a knowledge of what materials and=20
techniques work for a given finishing problem, but why they work and how =

they work. He debunks myths, gives valuable tips, and presents numerous=20
tabulations of problems with their solutions in a clear, usable format.

All readily available finishes are covered, from their history,=20
composition and chemical behavior through application and repair=20
techniques and relative merits, with advice on how to assess which is=20
best for any situation.

Flexner's straightforward prose, well illustrated with color and=20
black-and-white photographs and drawings, makes this book a complete=20
education in finishing





--=20
Will R.
Jewel Boxes and Wood Art
http://woodwork.pmccl.com
The power of accurate observation is commonly called cynicism by those=20
who have not got it.=94 George Bernard Shaw