Finishing Oak

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Jaco

Established Member
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Location
Gauteng RSA
I have just completed two white oak mirror frames for my kids. Size 910mm x 670mm
For the finishing I did following after the T&P:-
Orbital sander with 180 grit.
Assembled using biscuits.
Hand sand with 240 sand paper.
Scrape with scraper and Stanley knife blades. Slow, but what a finish!
Rub down with 0000 steel wool and Danish oil. Very “wet”.
Spent about 20 minutes on this, before rubbing down with a cloth.
Need to ensure that you get all the steel bits out of corners.
After 24 hours, applied another coat of Danish oil with a cloth, rub down after 20 mins.
Left for a week, and then rubbed on some Liberon wax.
Looks great and has a very smooth finish.
The oak is “reborn”. Salvaged from a store that changed their display stands.
:D :D :D
 
Good work Jaco! I hope the kids appreciate the effort!
But beware using steel wool with oak. The steel can react with the tanins in the oak causing nasty staining in time.
Do a search on here and you'll see lots of people advising the same thing.
If you work down through the grits (after filling the grain) and apply the oil with a rag, you will get a superb finish. I tend to sand down to 400-600 grit and cut back between coats of oil with 1200 grit. 4-7 coats depending on the application.
 
Hi Jaco

Sounds good. I haven't tried scraping yet but many people on the forum seem to consider it well worth the effort. Any chance of adding a picture to the gallery?
 
Tony":3sd08nuh said:
I haven't tried scraping yet
Tony, Tony, Tony. :roll: You're missing out of one of the great woodworking techniques, chum. Treat yourself - give it a go. :D

Jaco, they must have come out well, 'cos you sound chuffed. :wink: Nice one.

Cheers, Alf
 
chum???? I suspect that is the first time I have ever been called 'chum' :eek:

What do you think Alf, jump in at the deep end and buy LN (again!!!) or try a hand scraper? I suspect I have avoided scrapers as the process appears to be a time consuming operation - I don't get much free time :cry:

Cheers

T
 
Tony":2jqsbxa1 said:
chum???? I suspect that is the first time I have ever been called 'chum' :eek:
Yeah, it's a dying art. :wink:

Hand/card scraper is definitely the way to go. A couple of quid (no need to buy any fancy named scrapers - they're all just bits of sheet metal) and some practice and you'll have a whole new way of finishing wood opened up to you. A quick search of the archives should find all the useful "how to" links.

Cheers, Alf
 
On the subject of hand scrapers, if you know of an engineering works, on somewhere that does sheet metal work, you may be able to get some off-cuts of spring steel which can be used for scrapers. Quite successfully too, I believe. I work with sheet metal myself and have access to the very stuff. I'm hoping to get some off-cuts soon ( 0.9mm & 1.3mm thickness) and I'm going to try making some myself. I'll put a post up to let you all know how I get on. May even be able to supply a little to those who are interested...:wink:

Gary
 
I eventually founf a "round-tuit" to post pic.
It weighs in at 8.5kg's, used a chain and rawl bolt to hang it. This is at youngest son pad. :D :D

Jacopj-Hanging3.JPG
 
Thanks Chris.
I had another 2 mirrors same size which i had cut, 1 length & 1 width. Now another 4 frames to do. Will use same wood but try vary the pattern on the surface. Have to fing a lot moe "round-tuits"! :D :D
 
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