my first project, need help please

[astrid]

The trouble with colouring your oil is that if you scratch it you will instantly expose the original timber
I know its a bugger after all your work, but if you want a finish that looks good in 15 years, do it proberly and strip off what you've done ,stain the raw timber and use a clear oil as a finish.
if on the other hand this is a piece you dont want to keep long time?

astrid

[MacS]

Astrid,

That is true about toners, stains, glazes, and shading stains, all of this coloring mediums if they get scratched they will show the raw wood.

But then again, if you scratched any clear coating it also will show up in the raw woods, it would be more obvious depending on the color of the wood and the color of the medium that was used.

SB, was looking for help to darken the color, I gave him an option, if it don't work then he will have to strip it any way, if it does work, then he will be a happy camper that he save his own piece.

Naturally, its always better to strip in down and do it over, in other cases it may not pay to do it.

I wish SB good luck for trying, and hope that he succedes.

[astrid]

No critisism to you macS
but from the pics the original timber seems very light,
this is going to be a problen re small scratchesand if there are kids around this will happen fast.
at least if the base is stained then any marks wont be quite as glareing
PS the grain in your pic looks really nice
use a spirit base stain an oil base will cover this natural feature upand look muddy.
it realy shouldnt take more than 2-3 hours to strip and neutrarise what you've done. I know that the first strip probably took a lot longer but if the desk is only 30 YO you were dealing with a synthetic. you are now only dealing with DO and its easy to strip. The results will be worth it.
PS i have to warn you that I am a traditionalist.

astrid

[MacS]

Astrid,

I don't know how much you know or how much glazing and color washes you have done.

But, if you know about "brushing out" you would know that you do not see any brush marks at the end of the brushing out, what you see is a wash of very little color, SB said, the color in the can was darker, if he "brushes out" the color SB will still will be able to see the natural wood and a change in the finishes color, this is not a "paint job," its another way of adding color with transparency by continuing to brush out the color of a glaze, in this case a DO, which in some cases uses just about the same ingredience as a true glaze, it contains a drying oil, solvent, and a colorant.

If your a traditional restorer, you may not be using glazing and washes in your work, as it is not traditional with most conservators.

I am not in any class, I will use any material that will make the repair work, regardless of what is acceptable to conservators or not.

Glazing, happens to be my favorite finishing technique, it is the only finishing technique that can be use as a "stain, toner, and shading stain," which basically is what he will be doing with the DO, he, will be adding more color at the end of the finishing process, which is exactly what a shading stain is used to do.

I am becoming a little more familar with Austraiian finishing, I am sure many of you will not agree with my solutions, that is because they are not commonly used here. I am sure there are many shops here that are familar with every one of the finishing techniques that I know, and can do every one of them. It seems that these kinds of shops are far and in between in Assieland.

I think that most of those that come here to post, think in the traditional way. So, if I sound off beat to you its only because I am trying to help in my ways.

MacS

[astrid]

Far from it macS,
there are unfortunatly too many work shops that "Know it all"
whether they use there knowledge well is another issue.

often they will use the cheapest and fastest option to do an acceptable job
this has its place with most reproduction furniture

but when i see this being used on well crafted timber I want to scream.
I relise that the piece being discussed is a repro but if SB wants to lift it from the ordinary then a tradinional finish may be best.
its also easier to achieve for a beginer.

pardon my annoyance, but one of the sprayshop boys stole 3000 worth of work off me last week by fooling my client that he could do the same job cheaper.
I was half way through the job
astrid

[sierra1boy]

After read all the posts I'm going to try the glaze technique and see if that will work out okay. Worse case scenrio is that I screw it up and then just strip it back down again and star over, so i feel pretty good about it. I am amazed at how much goes into these projects and will definetly conintue after this one. I've very excited to learn some of the other techiques mentioned, in the future. I'll post some pic's when its done, wish me luck

So, could any of you tell what kind of wood I'm working on? Also, what does it mean when someone said it was a repo?

[sierra1boy]

Oh and one more question: how do i strip DO if i end up having to do that in the long run?

[astrid]

I think you said the desk was about 30 yo.
a reproduction means a piece made in the style of an older model.
this is no an insult it just means that its not a 200 yo desk.
there are loads of repro made of lovly timber and well made yours looks like one of them.
a pedestal desk of age would cost a lot
astrid

[Scally]

Hi SB.
Hopefully one of your countrymen can help with the timber. Is it heavy, hard?
Can you describe the natural colour.
A bit more information might help someone pick the type of timber.

I use DO for most finishing.
Sometimes I add a stain or Black Japan to even out colour differences between boards. It can be difficult to build up colour. Wiping off the excess oil tends to remove most of the colour.

I will be interested to see how you go with the Glazing technique.

[MacS]

Scally,

SB will not be wiping off the glaze (DO) He will be "brushing out," there is a big diifference, by brushing the glaze you can control the amount of color you want to leave on, you can use the brush to leave streak marks in the finish, if you continue brushing out the glaze you will not see any brush marks whats so ever in the finish, when the DO dries it should be shiny with the color showing in the finish. If after the DO dries and there is no shine, then apply just the DO alone without the color, this will "pop" the brushed out color in the finish.

To make this a little more interesting, I attached a photo of 6 brushing techniques that are done with a colored glaze and a flat brush.

Mac S

[sierra1boy]

Glazing did the trick! For my first project I feel pretty good how it turned out.

[MacS]

Seirra 1 Boy,

I can see why your feeling pretty good.

Kudos for a job well done. It looks terrific, i'm real proud of you, congratulatios

I hope that you, and others can see why I said, "pigmented mediums do not paint the wood, it is the finishers that paint the wood.

Great translucentcy from "brushing out the glaze.".

That is no paint job.

MacS

[astrid]

congratulations,
you reaaly have made a great job out of it.
be proud of your work.
so whats next???
astrid

[MacS]

I would say, "Its as good as it gets" and for his first try. I bet a lot of woodworkers here may have learned a lesson or two on what can be done with pigmented glazes, and why they are used.

S 1 B, did it right the first time, I bet there are a few restorers looking twice on this finished desk. as I just said, "It's as good as it gets."

[sierra1boy]

Yes, I'm very happy with how it came out, I've even had a few friends over and make comments. Special thanks to MacS & astrid for your support along the way, great advice on the glazing technique. I really didn't thing I would be able to finish this project, as I'm more of a car hobbiest, but really enjoyed working with wood. I'm already seeking out my next project. All together very worth while, I only spent $60 on the desk and then another $25 in materials.