Popular Woodworking 2000-10 № 117, страница 6
H? Call 1-800-642-0011 Mention offer 7421 for a free catalog ♦ Grandfather Clocks ♦ Mantel & Wall Clocks ♦ Clock & Furniture Kits ♦ Satisfaction Guaranteed Emperor Clock, LLC PO Box 1089 Dept 7421 Fairhope AL 36533 Circle #102 on Resource Directory Coupon Rockler.com WOODWORKING SUPERSTORE Visit the best site for woodworking supplies on the web,and we'll give you $10 off your first order! To activate this offer, go to this page: www.rockler.com/go/pw301 ROCKLER' WOODWORKING t I AND HARDWARE Call our order entry department 1-800-403-9736 Call 1-877-ROCKLER for the retail store closest to you Shop online at www.rockler.com V1301 Circle #112 on Resource Directory Coupon Letters My cherry table has me afraid of blotching How Can I Prevent this Project from Looking Like a Mess? I'm an avid reader of your publication and owe any finishing ability that I may have to Contributing Editor Bob Flexner's book "Understanding Wood Finishing." I have a finishing question that I hope he can help me with. I'm about to start finishing a cherry table that I've built and intended to use WoodKote's Gel'd stain to avoid the splotchy effect. Unfortunately, despite my best sanding and scraping efforts, the table has a number of mill marks and scratches that are evident in a raking light. I understand that a dye stain would not highlight these defects as much as a pigment stain (such as WoodKote) would. I'm having great difficulty finding a gel stain that is also a dye stain. Could you suggest any brand names? Phil Serruya Thornhill, Ontario Flexner replies: Any type of stain that you wipe or brush on and wipe off is going to highlight the flaws in your table top. The reason is that you are leaving more of the colorant in these depressions, like the scratches, no matter what type of colorant you're using. My first suggestion would be to sand or scrape the surface until you've eliminated these flaws. Then you've solved the problem. If you leave the flaws, the only way to stain your table without accenting them is to spray on a stain and leave it; that is, spray just enough to give you the color you want and then don't wipe any off. This method will de posit an equal amount of colorant everywhere. With practice you can even spray a fast-drying stain, like an NGR (non-grain raising) dye stain, so it flashes so quickly that it doesn't soak deep enough to bring out the natural blotching in the wood. You could also seal the wood with a first coat of finish and then spray on a toner coat (the finish with some colorant in it). This method would be safer because you wouldn't highlight the mill marks or any potential blotching in the wood. But you also won't bring out any of the figure in the wood. The best type of colorant to use here is probably dye because pigment will muddy the wood. If you can't spray, you could seal the wood and then apply a glaze. But the more color you add, the more you will muddy the surface because glazes are pigment. Whatever you decide, you should practice on scrap first to be sure you can get the results you want. — Bob Flexner, contributing editor Making the Case for Using Native Woods, or Free Ones I get a kick out of the woodworkers who have a mahogany or walnut appetite and a pine pocketbook. Let's get down to basics: a woodworker of any skill level would not produce a better table if he used walnut or if he used pine. There is a solution for those with limited money. Buy native woods, which are less expensive than imported ones. There also is a large source of wood that is free. Pallets and skids are free for the asking. continued on page 10 WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU Popular Woodworking welcomes letters from readers with questions or comments about the magazine or woodworking in general.We try to respond to all correspondence. Published letters may be edited for length or style. All letters become the property of Popular Woodworking. How to Send Your Letter: • E-mail: Popwood@FWPubs.com • Fax: (513) 531-0919 • Mail carrier: Letters • Popular Woodworking • 1507 Dana Ave. Cincinnati, OH 45207 20 Popular Woodworking October 2000 www.popwood.com |
