Woodworker's Journal 1981-5-6, страница 5

Letters

Enclosed find a piece of wood I removed from the packing crate of a piece of heavy machinery. I believe it is rock hard maple. Can you advise me how to stain and finish it suitably for furniture?

Harvey Spaulding, Kenosha, WI.

We've examined the wood sample you sent along and as you suspected, it is maple. In regard to your question on finishing this wood, it can be done in any one of a number of ways - which one is best depends upon your personal preference. Stains are available in a wide range of colors. There are also various kinds of clear finishes: regular varnish, polyurethane varnish, shellac, lacquer, or penetrating oils. There really isn t a ' 'best'' one for all applications, it depends upon the piece, how and where it will be used, cost factors, etc. Generally speaking though, when we finish maple here in our shop we usually use the following procedure:

1. Sand thoroughly with aluminum

oxide paper, starting with 80 grit, then 120, 150 and finally 220.

2. If we choose to stain (maple often looks good unstained) we usually use Minwax. The color depends upon the piece, its style and where it will be used.

3. For a final clear finish we like a penetrating oil finish such as Watco Danish Oil. This finish penetrates the wood surface (absorbed by the cellsJ and then hardens. It's easy to apply and the satin finish that results is most attractive.

I have been working with wood for some time now, making snack tables, plant stands, etc. However, I've hit a stumbling block. I need some 3" long dowel screws and I've been to just about every hardware store and lumber yard in this city - all to no avail. Do you know of a source for dowel screws?

Raymond Follmer, Chicago, 1L.

Dowel screws are related to hanger bolts. A hanger bolt has a wood screw thread on one end and a straight thread on the other, whereas a dowel screw has wood screw threads on both ends. They're available from The Woodworkers' Store, 21801 Industrial

Blvd., Rogers, MN 55374. Sizes range from 'A" x l'A" long to 5/16" x 3" long.

We have a small craft business in our home. Recently we've been asked to build a shelf that features brass gallery rail. To date, we have been unable to find a source for it.

David Byram, Mapleton, MN.

Brass gallery rail is available from The Wise Co., 6503 St. Claude Ave., Arabi, LA 70032.

In your September/October 1981 issue, you asked for names of woodcraft organizations. I think many of your readers would like to learn of our organization, the Marquetry Society of America. As you know, marquetry is a companion craft to all forms of woodworking and most of our members are woodworkers, either professional or amateur. We are always eager to assist craftsmen with their particular

(Cont'd on page 8)

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