My First Attempt

[jow104]

I have almost completed my first indoor project (nightstand) which is not going to be brushed this time with polyurethane varnish.
Can members please advise a nice finish.

The timber used is reclaimed softwood (floorboard type ) and the construction is framed and floating T/G panels. Nothing has yet been glued up.

The finish I am looking for is the colour of beige (kakhi) and then I don't want a gloss finished effect.

All advice is welcome,as mentioned above I have only ever used the poly stuff.

[barnsey]

jow104

A bit hard to tell with the pic you posted - seems like you might have had to doctor it to get something worth viewing. That's not to say I don't like your work - looks great but the enlarged image is dodgy

There are others that frequent these pages with more experience than I, I'd think about a shellac/french polish however a "hot breakfast in bed cuppa" which we all have to provide to get out of the you know what, might upset the finish.

My latest fad is wax finishes but must confess to not knowing the durability in your application.

I should get hold of Ubeauts bible - on Finishes - might solve both our lack of information

Jamie

[jow104]

Last night I emptied the tea pot into a container and used the dregs to stain a scrap piece of the timber . I tried this after doing some research on the web.
The stain has definately taken so thinking of doing some visiting and trying some of the local ladies brew
The thumbnail opens up my end OK although I do admit to sending the pics at high compression so that a thumbnail picture appears open with the thread.

[barnsey]

JJ
Did I mention Tea??
Only drink cold tea down here - comes in a can with the word "FOSTERS" on it
I'm pretty much one who likes to show the wood in it's natural state. There are any number of proprietory finishes which will give you a limed/coloured/artificial finish. To each his own. Shellac can ge applied to create a finish that is different but will generally show the natural figure of the timber.

Was just a suggestion.

Jamie

[Trav]

and I thought we exported all our fosters... and kept all the good beer here!

Trav

[barnsey]

There is no bad beer - some are just better than others

Crownies 'll be fine thanks

[Wood Borer]

In Jow's defence, perhaps woodworkers in the UK have not got access to the range of timbers we have here and at reasonable prices. Perhaps they need to stain what they can get in order to some variation in colour.

I agree with Barnsey though, if I want a dark finish I start with a dark timber and so on for all the colour range. The only exception is when I am repairing some cheap and nasty rubbish that has timber darker than scrap radiata.

[jow104]

Re the coments by wood borer
Timber for our hobby is not widely avilable in the U.K. in fact a round trip of 200 miles to the first timber mill I would consider with suitable stock.
Hence my source of reclaimed softwood (free) has many attractions.
I estimate I have undercover around 15 cubit feet left at the present time, and this is after 2 years of continual woodwork. I do have 4 very large boards of reclaimed teak but frightened to use it. I am informed that it is very abrasive on woodwork machinery.
Got some antique pine stain and Danish oil hopefully coming into day so should be able to restart on the nightstand when panels have been treated.