There's enough going on in an episode of the Woodsmith Shop in building a project. There are plenty of times when we can't get to the finishing step without shortchanging a part of the construction.
Our solution for this is to film video extras that relate to the process. This presents it's own set of decisions: Do we demonstrate the finish that was used on the original magazine project? Or do we present another option?
Final wrinkle: Chris, Logan, and I have different personal finishing preferences and methods.
... to be fair, there are plenty of other wrinkles. I need to narrow this down somehow.
An Arts & Crafts Stained Finish
Two projects for season 18 of the Woodsmith Shop have bonus finishing videos. One is an Arts & Crafts bookcase. This one is special. The white oak that crashed into Logan's grandfather's house. Logan milled it and wanted to make something cool. That we did. The design comes from Charles Limbert via Willie Sandry. It's a delightful piece.
Logan demonstrates using a layered finish approach with dye, and gel stain from Old Masters, one of our long-time show sponsors. Arts and crafts furniture often has a distinctive look that was created in factory/industrial settings. Getting that same look in a home shop often involves some improvisation and setting realistic expectations. In the podcast, we discuss some of the issues involved.
A Place for Paint
The other finishing video is for a harvest table we built for episode 1810. Our version has an oak top and an alder base. The pin oak we used wouldn't be high on anyone's list for what you'd call a "show-grade" tabletop. However, Chris composed the boards in such a way that the chaotic grain patterns transformed into a unified whole.
I pushed for a natural finish of the top and base. In the end, we decided to paint the base and allow the top to take the spotlight. That was the right decision. I used a flat acrylic paint for the base. This allowed the carved details on the legs to jump out in a way they didn't in bare wood.
A Simple Finish that Ages Well
For the top, I used tung oil and wax. My reasoning is that this kind of table is your every day user. It needs to stand up to all the things. More than that, I wanted the top to accept its wear, usage, dents, and dings with pride. The lived-in look only gets better with age. Care for this kind of finish can be as simple as a fresh coat of wax periodically or a wiped-on coat of tung oil for more serious refreshment. Neither of these requires the table to be out of commission for more than a day.
I've long been an advocate for woodworkers to find a favorite finish and stick with it. That's still a good path. For example, my finish of choice is water-based clear coat applied with a brush.
However, the projects we build often require more flexibility than a narrow path can allow. The two projects mentioned here are a good example of this. The good news is that your proficiency in working with one type of finish translates into a shorter learning curve in others.
One other lesson comes through here. Finishing decisions are personal and subjective. The bookcase and the dining table could have had several different finish products used and turned out just fine. Our aim in the videos and this discussion is to talk through the decision making process. Whether you employ either of the methods from the videos or not, you'll understand your reasoning rather than simply reaching for the nearest can.
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