Cheap Grandfather Clock, Darken Wood & Wooden Veneer

[EagerBeaver71]

This has been very overdue!, however I plan to finish the clock now. As it stands I have the back cut and completed, I only had 7mm veneered plywood which is too thick for the back so I routed the edge to make it flush with the carcass. I chucked some stain on to try and match the colour of the carcass.

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This question is directed at Rob (Auscab): Now as I understand it, I should use sanding sealer to seal in the stain, is there any other method I could maybe use to seal the spirit based stain in?. What if I gave it a quick once over with some hard shellac (I love this stuff!) making sure I don't brush back and forth?, or maybe use a roller on the flat parts?...

Next question is, I noticed after staining the plywood back in the grain there is a cross-hatch pattern, what is it and why is it there?.

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[EagerBeaver71]

A good job comes from applying and knowing how hard to cut it back . Its got to be cut back HARD for a good job . Test to the point of taking off stain and work out a way of only going 80% that hard.

Cutting back wet with water is good .

Hey Rob, Have you got any advice on knowing when to stop standing the sanding sealer?. I've got one coat on the
clock so far, this was thinned down using 30% turps and applied using a brush.

[auscab]

Hey Rob, Have you got any advice on knowing when to stop standing the sanding sealer?. I've got one coat on the
clock so far, this was thinned down using 30% turps and applied using a brush.

One coat can be a bit thin. Its easy to go through it . Applying two thinned coats is better than one . Id give it a light wipe with fine paper to take off the pin point high spots and give it a second coat . Then when that's dry cut it back a bit harder with fine paper.

[EagerBeaver71]

One coat can be a bit thin. Its easy to go through it . Applying two thinned coats is better than one . Id give it a light wipe with fine paper to take off the pin point high spots and give it a second coat . Then when that's dry cut it back a bit harder with fine paper.

Thanks Rob, yeah I'll be giving it another coat of SS tomorrow. Would 400 grit be ok for the first rub over?, for the
corners and intricate parts can I use 0000 wire wool?.

[auscab]

400 is good . A worn out 400 is better . Steel wool is not as good at this stage. It doesn't flatten as good as fine paper does.

[EagerBeaver71]

400 is good . A worn out 400 is better . Steel wool is not as good at this stage. It doesn't flatten as good as fine paper does.

Ok I've cut it back with some worn out 400 paper, I noticed I sanded through in few small spots (corners), does that matter, can it be rectified during the shellac phase?. Second coat applied and will be waiting till tomorrow for that to dry before the final sanding. Also what could I use to wipe down the dust from the carcass?.

[EagerBeaver71]

Very frustrated. I've started again and taken the clock back to bare wood. The sanding sealer I used was awful and dried very soft hence I kept cutting through to the stain making a mess.

So given the fact everything is back to bare wood, should I use a turps based stain (Wattyl Colourwood Interior Stain) and then just shellac over the top?, or should I use the meth based stain and spray the shellac?. Or maybe theres another option?.

[EagerBeaver71]

How on earth are you supposed to french polish inside corners and difficult to reach area's?.

[EagerBeaver71]

Project complete.

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[auscab]

Nice one Sam . It looks like a Walnut clock case . How did you find the french polishing ? Did you stick with that ?
Rob

[EagerBeaver71]

Nice one Sam . It looks like a Walnut clock case . How did you find the french polishing ? Did you stick with that ?
Rob

It was extremely difficult and painstaking!. I actually stripped the case a second time and decided to wipe the sanding sealer on very thinly because applying by brush left a very rough brush marked surface with which to
apply the shellac. I found that you can't be too finicky when applying the polish to inside corners and detail, it took about two weeks to get enough thickness in the film so I could go back and rub out the finish, even then I managed to cut through some area's...

All said and done, its not perfect but I'm fairly happy with it. Onto my next project which will be quite a building task.