Finishes and powders.

[Monkey Mark]

As a novice, I've been overwhelmed by the many different types of finishes available. Which ones to use and when is still something I find I have to check each time.

I'd be interested to know what are your more commonly finishes and where do you typically get them from.

And if anyone uses abrasive powders like rotten stone etc, where do you purchase these from as other than ebay I'm struggling to find may out there. I was hoping to get a set with different grades.

 

[marcros]

one tip from me. choose a default finish and only use another if that one wont do what you need it to. Try to avoid endless part bottles of finish slowly going off on the shelf.

Personally, I use a hard wax oil for most things- I have used the Chestnut one, but am going to try Osmo next, due to recommendations on here. I do also have some shellac flake that I mix up when needed, but those two options would cover 85% of what I do.

Sometimes it is fun to try an alternative and experiment, but like sharpening, master 1 method and then look to vary if needed. Dont try to do a bit of everything from the start.

 

[ED65]

Finishing is one of those somethings that can be made much more complicated than it needs to be.

A great way to start is just to have three default finishes that you use for virtually everything, exceptions being exterior pieces and things like wooden spoons or cutting boards (which don't need any finish really).

Since I don't require a water-white finish my picks would be one oil (not an 'oil finish', a straight oil), a light-coloured shellac and oil-based polyurethane. There's not much you can't finish with those three, and they can be used in various combinations to give you a wide range of finishing options. Each one of these things can easily be coloured too to further expand their versatility.

And you're not limited as to sheen either, you can make something more or less glossy with any one of these with slight changes in application method and/or by knocking back afterward.

And if anyone uses abrasive powders like rotten stone etc, where do you purchase these from as other than ebay I'm struggling to find may out there. I was hoping to get a set with different grades.

Do you just want to try these out and see what the fuss is all about firsthand or do you think they'll provide something that current options don't?

I think it's fair to say that there isn't really anything these can provide the average bloke that other alternatives won't. Other alternatives including steel wool, nylon abrasive pads, brown paper and various types of abrasive paper or cloth. All of which don't require a specialist provider or taking a chance on quality buying on ebay.

 

[MIGNAL]

You can get virtually all the grades of pumice on ebay, and Tripoli powder. Don't forget that as you work these they become finer. Personally I much prefer them to wirewool.

 

[Monkey Mark]

Do you just want to try these out and see what the fuss is all about firsthand or do you think they'll provide something that current options don't?

I think it's fair to say that there isn't really anything these can provide the average bloke that other alternatives won't. Other alternatives including steel wool, nylon abrasive pads, brown paper and various types of abrasive paper or cloth. All of which don't require a specialist provider or taking a chance on quality buying on ebay.

One of the things I would like to make is a chess board. one of the nicest "tutorials" I've seen so far is the one done by Steve Ramsey several years ago. He uses these to give a very nice finish.
There may be alternatives available, but as a novice I simply don't know what these would be.

 

[custard]

One of the things I would like to make is a chess board. one of the nicest "tutorials" I've seen so far is the one done by Steve Ramsey several years ago. He uses these to give a very nice finish.
There may be alternatives available, but as a novice I simply don't know what these would be.

Mark, I'm not familiar with the Steve Ramsey tutorial, but tread carefully finishing a chessboard. You'll have a dark wood and a pale wood, so Ebony/Holly, Blackwood/Maple, Rosewood/Boxwood, or some such combination. Use abrasives incorrectly and it's a banker's bet you'll transfer sawdust from the dark timber into the grain of the pale timber. I've done it and it's a dreadful realisation that you're never going to get that smudge out of the paler timber's grain. Think in terms of timber surface finishing with a scraper and a hoover to lift the debris, then apply a finish to build up a film sufficient that there's no chance of you rubbing through it and into the wood surface. Or, if you've sunk many hours into making your chessboard and have any doubts about your finishing competence, then you could play safe and just use a hard wax oil like Osmo.

Good luck!

 

[ED65]

One of the things I would like to make is a chess board. one of the nicest "tutorials" I've seen so far is the one done by Steve Ramsey several years ago. He uses these to give a very nice finish.
There may be alternatives available, but as a novice I simply don't know what these would be.

Many ways to skin a cat. I think the main thing is that abrasive powders aren't one of the things novices should bother with, no matter where their use falls in the finishing schedule.

It's worth knowing that many pros who were trained up on them back in their college or apprenticeship days no longer rely on them, which says a lot about how must-have they are. In short there are simpler and more straightforward ways of achieving the same end(s).