Project Finishing

[richard]

Hi Steve, I have had several feed back comments, my work is good, but appears unfinished. when asked how i can improve the finish i get no real constructive reply. I tend to use oil on delicate items, clear varnish or wax on others. Can you offer any advice?

[sgood]

Hi Richard, that is a big question. My personal preference is a natural finish with a satin sheen. Some wood crafters will tell you that gloss sells. Achieving a perfect high gloss sheen is tough. Even with the easy to apply and forgiving spray lacquers it's tricky. Sanding through the grits with good sand paper is a must. Removing all residual dust from the wood and environment is important. Working in a well ventilated low dust environment helps a lot. You will get as many answers to this question as there are woodworkers but here is what works for me. I like a natural finish so I use oil to make the grain and color pop. After it dries I use a spray acrylic or lacquer to add protection and sheen. Be patient with the spray. Many thin coats is always preferable.

Another thing that is often overlooked on scroll saw projects that make them look unfinished is poor technique. Never leave a nib where you start and stop a cut. Use the side of the blade to nibble it away. Make curves as accurate as possible. Don't leave any fuzz on the back side of a cut. No burn marks. Hide all entry holes when veining. No glue squeeze out. Glean it up. Use good judgment when selecting wood. Pay attention the the grain direction and how it works best with the pattern. Something what looks good when cut from 1/2" thick wood might look heavy cut from 3/4" thick wood. If the pattern calls for more than one color of wood use nicely contrasting woods. Some projects like baskets look plain cut from one wood but pop when trimmed out in a second color.

Because I am a creature of habit I have not tried all the different finishing methods so I am far from an expert. I have a friend who is an amazing woodworker that leaves me speechless with his perfect finishes. What I notice as I watch him is the attention to detail. He mixes his own finishes and sands until his hands are raw. The results speak for themselves.

I started a topic in the General section about finishing. Check it out for what others are doing.