FINISHING Your Choice of Finish and Application Technique, Are Critical to the Outcome of Your Project
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FINISHING Your choice of finish and application technique, are critical to the outcome of your project. Remember, the results can only be as good as your preparation! 382 SHELLAC AND SHELLAWAX 383 OILS - DANISH, TUNG, FOOD SAFE 384 OILS AND WAXES 385 LACQUERS AND DYES 386 BUFFING, WOOL AND WAX 387 FINISHING ACCESSORIES 380 FINISHING FINISHING WITH SHELLAC More and more woodworkers are choosing traditional methods of 4. The pad is always ‘charged’ by opening the fabric and filling the cotton finishing rather than quick fix solutions that don’t age well. Shellac is an wadding from the back. ancient finish that gives a lustrous depth to timber and works well on both Polishing contemporary and traditional furniture. This is not ‘true’ French Polishing, but it is a much- simplified version that Surface Preparation I have gotten very good results with. It will however give you the feel of the A good finish can be achieved by sanding with 400 grit – 600 grit product. To begin polishing, charge the pad and gently squeeze it through sandpaper. It is essential to work your way gradually up through the grades until you see it seep through the face of the pad, the flow of material is of sandpaper, for example; 180 grit, 220 grit, 280 grit, 320 grit, 400 grit and controlled by the amount of pressure you apply to the back. so on. This reduces the chance of coarser scratches being left behind. I To apply your first coat, lightly pass the pad over the surface with just usually use aluminium oxide sandpaper in the lower grades and switch to enough pressure on the pad to allow even coverage, don’t let it pool, wet and dry from 400 grit onwards (I use this dry). particularly at the edges. Lift the pad up and away from the ends to Wetting Down prevent this. Once the entire surface is coated let it dry and then rub it No matter what your choice of finish is, it’s a good idea to “wet down” your workpiece after fine sanding. When you apply a stain or finish to your prepared surface, it will always raise the grain, requiring you to sand quite heavily between coats. To avoid this, wipe the surface with a damp sponge (not too wet), then let it dry and sand it back with 400 grit or finer sandpaper, then repeat the process. When you apply your first coat of stain or finish the grain will stay relatively flat and sealed. You will still need back with fine sandpaper. (400gr – 600 gr) to sand it back lightly between coats but to a much lesser extent. If you want to use the shellac as a sealer about one to two coats is enough Using Shellac to fill up the grain, after rubbing back you can then proceed with your Shellac in flake form should be mixed with industrial grade methylated wax or oil topcoats. If you want a fuller finish with shellac you will need to spirits that you can purchase from hardware stores or paint shops, continue building your coats until you achieve some ‘depth’. After about household varieties contain water and degrade the polish. White shellac is six coats it is less necessary to sand between coats because you start to shellac that is dewaxed and bleached to give a much clearer finish. This is work and ‘pull up’ the body of polish that is already there. Allow time for often used on blonde timbers. the layers to dry and leave it overnight before you work it too much further. The very best way to apply shellac is with a French polisher’s “rubber” or You may notice that your rubber begins to drag a little, if you put a couple “mouse”, so-called because of its point at the front and round end. This is of drops of raw linseed oil or paraffin oil on the base it will lubricate it and a piece of cotton wadding with a piece of cotton cloth wrapped around it, make it work more smoothly. I have even used olive oil for this purpose. the wadding is the reservoir that holds the shellac. The flow is controlled Don’t use too much or it will become streaky. At this stage you want a by applying more or less pressure to the twisted cotton at the back. I find very small amount of shellac in you rubber, the dryer pad will create some this such an effective method of applying a finish that I use it for stain and friction and burnish a real shine in your finish. Be aware too much friction oils as well. can result in you ‘burning’ the surface and damaging the layers. When you have achieved the level of depth you want, you can either leave it as Mixing Shellac Flakes it is or leave it overnight again before polishing finally with wax. Apply the If you’re mixing shellac flakes, mix one litre of industrial grade methylated wax with 0000 steel wool and then polish with a soft cloth. Never use steel spirits to every 220 grams of flakes. If you only need a small amount, wool on bare timber as it can get into the fibres and rust causing pockets don’t mix too much more than what you need, it will keep a long time in of discolouration. flake form if stored in a cool dry place. You can reduce your proportions The steel wool will give a softer patina and take off the ‘candy apple’ gloss. accordingly i.e; 110 grams to 500 ml of methylated spirits. Your finish should feel smooth and silky and have warm glow. After the flakes have been mixed it’s best to strain the liquid through an If there are carving or small details in your work, I suggest you use a old stocking to catch any impurities such as any pieces of sticks or cloth, French Polisher’s Mop to apply the initial coats of shellac, once you build a it comes into the country in Hessian sacks so it’s not unusual to find fibres body of material you can then work the surface with your rubber. amongst the flakes. Don’t ever let your rubber or mop dry out, always keep the rubber in an Making a ‘Rubber’ or ‘Mouse’ airtight jar, it will last over several projects often getting better with use. Suspend your mop in a jar of methylated spirits by winding some wire around the handle and resting it on the rim of the jar, don’t let it rest on the 1. You will need a small square of soft cotton cloth without texture or ribs and a piece of raw cotton wadding, this acts as the ‘reservoir’ for the liquid. Cotton wool isn’t a good substitute because it compresses too much bristles as this will distort the shape. when it’s wet and the shellac won’t flow as well as the more unprocessed Using shellac takes some practice, but once you start seeing your work fibre, it also doesn’t last as long. glowing with depth and warmth, I’m sure you’ll find it well worth the effort. 2. Form a pear shape with the cotton wadding, the ‘pointy’ end is for Happy polishing and remember that if you mess the whole thing up, getting into small areas. shellac is easily removed with methylated spirits. Sometimes failure is the 3. Fold over the cotton at the pointy end and continue to tuck the sides in very best way to learn. along the length of the pad. When you get to the end twist the remainder of BY Carol Russell the cotton so it forms a ball in the palm of your hand. 381 FINISHING U-Beaut Shellawax Glow FINISHING POLISHES Shellawax Glow is darker than regular Shellawax (a deep honey to tan co- Finishing is a part of woodworking that is often lour). It is made from a special blend of not given much consideration or planning and shellacs and is designed to give more depth and richness to highly figured perhaps even feared. Correctly applied fin- timbers like fiddleback, birdseye, ishes however will seal, protect and bring the flame and quilted woods. It will also give richness and a sense of depth to natural beauty of the material out. You should many other timbers. Shellawax Glow is consider in your initial planning how you would identical in all other respects to regular Shellawax. Flammable - delivered by like to complete your project. Is it a high use road transport only. product requiring a tough finish? Perhaps it ITEM NO. DETAILS PRICE needs to be food safe? Finishing can be kept UB-SGW 500ml $59.00 simple and quick, while more advanced fin- ishes can take as much time as the build it- U-Beaut White Shellac This shellac is used in the same way self! We have a wide range of options for you. you would use any other variety of shellac. However this one is a bit U-Beaut Hard Shellac harder, shines a bit brighter, is free of A finish with all the beauty and ease of wax and will not change the natural, shellac, creating a film that will with- wet colour of wood. This polish will not stand heat, water and alcohol. Applied darken the colour of the timber as reg- the same way as a normal shellac, this ular shellac will. Ideal for use on light product has additives that cause it to coloured woods where discolouration crosslink after it has dried.