wood is open-grained and it has been sanded with very fine sandpaper. Unfortunately, most old hopeless cases have undergone so much restoration and edge-rounding that there is no other choice. If the wood is open-grained, it must be filled. This being the case, check the surface again. Sand as smoothly as possible, going through the various grades of sandpaper step-by-step. Begin with a 100 grit garnet or aluminum oxide paper, then go to 120 and 140, before finishing up with 180. Brush the surface well to remove all wood dust from the pores. Even better, use a vacuum cleaner or a stream of air from a compressor equipped with a blower attachment.

Next, prepare the filler. If the piece is being stained, the filler should be diluted with the stain to a viscosity of thin coffee cream (half-and-half). I find that most amateurs err on the side of preparing too thick a mixture. The filler should pour and spread easily with no lumps or thick drops. Apply the mixture with a stiff bristled brush, working across the grain with a scrubbing-like action. A l-l'/i in. wide stencil brush, the kind used to ink through metal letters, works well. The intention is to pack the wood pores full of filler, therefore some excess left on the surface is unavoidable.

Allow the filled surface to become dull but not quite dry then remove the excess filler with a coarse textured rag such as monk's cloth or burlap. Scrub across the grain, further packing the filler into the wood pores. Be careful not to remove the filler from the pores as this is very easy to do at this stage, especially when stroking parallel to the grain while using a circular motion. A straight back and forth motion across the grain is best.

Allow the filled surface to dry and set up for at least twenty-four hours. If quite a bit of the dried filler stain mixture is left on the surface (and this is commonly the case) it can be removed by gently sanding with fine paper. However, it is imperative that the filler be absolutely dry before sanding. The back of the sandpaper will build up a layer of filler and this tends to drag the filler from the pores as you sand parallel to the grain. If this happens, you'll be faced with re-staining the surface. Here again, be careful not to drag the filler from the pores if the stain is applied with a rag. Some of the solvents used in stains may soften the filler and make it easy to remove. Apply the stain sparingly with a very soft bristled brush and then gently remove the excess with a soft cloth. Allow at least twenty-four hours before applying the final clear finish.

The choice of material is important and only quality products should be used. Stick to the well-known proven brands such as Minwax and Benjamin Moore. These are two of my favorites. Moore's house brand is Benwood, and their Benwood One Hour Clear Finish is one of the easiest to apply of all the finishes that 1 have tried. It flows and levels almost immediately, and dries to the touch in an hour or less. It can be recoated in approximately three hours, which means a three-coat job can be completed in one work day. Further, it is highly scratch and alcohol resistant.

The stains made by Benwood are also good, but my favorite brand is Minwax, which acts as both a stain and a sealer. I like the fact that Minwax stains are color compatible, which means their colors can be mixed to create almost any hue. Also, it is compatible with most other brands of clear finishes. Although I generally use Benwood clear finishes, 1 have experimented with other brands and have found all of them to work well with Minwax.

Next issue, I'll talk about applying the clear final finish,

WvJ

Swedish WbodDy^s,

Don't hide the beautiful grain of your wood project!

—enhance it. with Swedish Wood Dyes. Easy to use-it's a powder you dissolve in water—making one pint of Wikx] Dye that covers about 40 sq. ft."Available in 12 beautiful brilliant colors.

Dealers Inquiries Welcome

Introductory offer.

Pease send me three samples of Wood

Dyesmaking one pint each. My check for <5 is enclosed.

NAME

ADD. _ CTTY _

ST. „

MAIL HennlajBon Jk Anoc TOt P.O. Box 6004

Rockford, EL 61125

. ZIP.

FREE CATALOG

THE EXTRAORDINARY SCREWDRIVER AND SCREWS

This exciting product-THE SQUARE HEAD-is now available to woodworkers at all levels of skill.

Used for years by the finest furniture manufacturers. It makes the Phillips and slot heads obsolete,

Essential for everyone's shop. Send for Free Catalog or send for starter set S8.50 plus 51.50 shipping (add 5,5% in Ohiol, and discover why so many woodworkers prefer Square Heads. MasterCard and Visa welcome.

JEGT INDUSTRIES

P.O. Box 5264, Dept. FW Poland, Ohio 44515

3BE

=imi - .Tim

KITCHEN CLOCK KIT

Reproduced from one of the authentic kitchen clocks of the late 1800's, our kit features a fancy scroll made of a soft European wood that will stain to almost any shade you choose. The door, base and sides are solid oak. The back is veneer.

The kit contains everything you need for the complete clock except the glass and ' the glue.

Detailed instructions are included to guide you every step of the way.

The movement furnished with the kit has an hour and half hour strike, front mounted pendulum and lower mounted hammer. Mounting brackets are attached to the flat back ptate of the movement so the movement can be attached easily to the case. FL21-8835 - Complete Kit.............$59.50

{F.O.B. GREENSBORO, N.C.)

S. LaRose, Inc.

234 Commerce Place, Greensboro, N.C. 27420, USA Phone: (919) 275-0462

n

DOE

3BE

SEE

stae

30E