Bl**dy IKEA!!

[Smudger]

I know, I know....

But we bought a dining table there anyway. In the white, so after many coats of Danish Oil (should I wax on top of the oil?) I started putting it together. Goes pretty OK until I get to the legs. 4 legs - 3 bolts (well, sections of threaded rod).
So I phoned IKEA to ask if I could get the missing bits. No problem, I can pick them up (on a Sunday? Don't make me larf) or get them sent.

"Have you got the fitting in stock?"
"Yes."
"Can you send it to me?"
"Yes. That will be seven to ten working days."
">Koff and splutter< Say again"
"Seven to ten working days."
"But you've got it in stock!"
"Yes."
"Why does it take ten days?"
"It has to come from Sweden."
"But (incredulously) you've got it in stock. Why can't you just send it to me?"
"Pardon?"
"Why can't YOU send it to ME - I live 5 miles away."
"That's not how it works."

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!
_________________

 

[Paul Chapman]

(well, sections of threaded rod).

B&Q do lengths of threaded rod in metric sizes so you could probably get it today and get it finished

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[Smudger]

Lost interest now!

CEO will pop in (for an hour or two) on her way home from work tomorrow.

What do you think about the waxing? The wood (beech staves for the most part) is raising nibs every time I oil it, so I'm thinking a final sand (240) and then a clear wax over the top.

 

[PowerTool]

My daughters ex works in the Ikea warehouse at Gateshead.
Apparently,his job is to take at least one bolt out of every fittings pack before it is despatched.... :wink: :lol:

Andrew

 

[Losos]

What do you think about the waxing? The wood (beech staves for the most part) is raising nibs every time I oil it, so I'm thinking a final sand (240) and then a clear wax over the top.

Smudgy,

Don't do what I once did and apply the wax too soon. I'm no expert but everything I've subsequently read tells me you must wait not only 'till the oil has dried, but in fact until it is hard, and that can take several days, maybe longer.

What I did was apply the wax after 24 hours and the resulting mess was extremely demoralising and took me weeks to get my enthusiasm back.

 

[Smudger]

Thanks - it will be a few days now!

The nibbing problem means that it takes a long while anyway, as each coat takes a good few days to harden enough to sand.

 

[MoreFillerNeeded]

If you apply the wax using a wad of 00 or 000 wire wool, it will flatten the nibbing as you apply the wax. You'll also get a very smooth, satin finish to the wax which looks lovely!

Like you say though, wait for a few days for the oil to harden off first.

The only problem that I've found with waxing is that it can tend to get water marked very easily, and once it's waxed it's a pain to apply anything else to remedy the problem. It might just be worth trying the wire wool on its own (to flatten the danish oil) to see if that gives a satisfactory finish.

 

[lurker]

As Morefiller suggests a wax top is a problem with water marks etc.

I find beech is fine with Danish oil only (I like Rustins).
You will have to nib it though.

I use this method, not sure where it came from:

a coat of oil every day for a week (ambient temperature dependent as it must dry between coats)
every week for a month
and then on a table top that takes some stick every month for ever

It seems like hard work but not a time consuming as getting marks out and it will keep the wood like new.