my first piece and need some guru advice

[laya]

Hi guys, really need some help on what finnish to put on this peice of furniture. I have designed and built this piece of furniture (see images) It has been shortlisted for final Judging at the international furniture design competition in Sydney.

Problem: I am an industrial designer, not a wood guy, I am fairly handy but lack experience, especially in finnishing wood. So I am in need of some advice as to what finnish to use. I want a satin finish and all my research has led me to think a waterbased polyurethane is the go but now I am unsure. can spray it but the only space I have to do it in is the garage. the top and sides are pretty well sanded and smooth but inside the holes, the legs and bottom are not highly sanded as the radiuses are difficult to do, so I have left them fairly unfinnished on purpose as the have a cool texture because of the very very small registration diferences by the cnc routing layers. i do not want to make it to dark so a fairly nutral finish is what I am after

Please can some experienced Gurus give me some advice on what you would do if this was your project. Oh yeh it is all ply end grain.

Thank you in advance

Stephen
(Edit) I want do do it myself (money is tight) but if a guru says get a professional to do it I will sell a child.

[Elill]

nice!

What sort of ply is it? some ply end grains can be a complete s _ _ t to finish.

Given you've not done it before and its such a nice thing, I'd get a pro to do it.

PS. Forget poly, its garbage.

I use hard shellac, but never used on strip ply before.

Getting the finish smooth can be a real chore. I have a small speaker/subwoofer I build using strip ply like this and used tung oil. It looks good but isn't smooth.

Edit: it looks smooth now, as was my speaker, as soon as the finish was applied I had problems (that was a hardwood ply)

Got some offcuts or something you can practice on? I'd try just a simple wax finish

[FRB Design]

Awesome design, possibly sanding sealer-blond shellac and rubbed out with a good quality wax.


Regards,



Frank.

[ian]

Hi guys, really need some help on what finnish to put on this peice of furniture. I have designed and built this piece of furniture (see images) It has been shortlisted for final Judging at the international furniture design competition in Sydney.

Problem: I am an industrial designer, not a wood guy, I am fairly handy but lack experience, especially in finnishing wood. So I am in need of some advice as to what finnish to use. I want a satin finish and all my research has led me to think a waterbased polyurethane is the go but now I am unsure. can spray it but the only space I have to do it in is the garage. the top and sides are pretty well sanded and smooth but inside the holes, the legs and bottom are not highly sanded as the radiuses are difficult to do, so I have left them fairly unfinnished on purpose as the have a cool texture because of the very very small registration diferences by the cnc routing layers. i do not want to make it to dark so a fairly nutral finish is what I am after

Please can some experienced Gurus give me some advice on what you would do if this was your project. Oh yeh it is all ply end grain.

Thank you in advance

Stephen
(Edit) I want do do it myself (money is tight) but if a guru says get a professional to do it I will sell a child.

sell the child

to finish that piece, you need to figure on spending 2-3 hours for every hour you spent building it. Possibly as many as 5-6 hours per build hour.
regardless of the finish you settle on, you probably need to sand the piece to at least 400 and possibly a lot finer.

look at the cost as an investment in your future -- you've been short listed for a competition in Australia's largest market, you should be looking to win that competition.
You have no chance of winning if the finish is crap

[laya]

nice!

What sort of ply is it? some ply end grains can be a complete s _ _ t to finish.

Given you've not done it before and its such a nice thing, I'd get a pro to do it.

PS. Forget poly, its garbage.

I use hard shellac, but never used on strip ply before.

Getting the finish smooth can be a real chore. I have a small speaker/subwoofer I build using strip ply like this and used tung oil. It looks good but isn't smooth.

Edit: it looks smooth now, as was my speaker, as soon as the finish was applied I had problems (that was a hardwood ply)

Got some offcuts or something you can practice on? I'd try just a simple wax finish

Thank you, yes I have found out about ply end grain Sh.t to finish is a massive 0//x?/!xxx%^&?!!/?king understatement

The piece in the pic is African hardwood ply. It is like sanding an anvil, honestly I am using 40 grit on an orbital sander and after an hours sanding the dust in the filter is about half a teaspoon full. I spent about 20 hours sanding it and 32 full sheets (cut into quarters) that is just the top.

My second prototype is made of soft wood ( Austral hoop pine) and fingers crossed i think that will be so much easier to work.

I have figured out I am going to use acrylic lacquer (clear) as my base coats 30% matt in the final coat. I know you guys are right about getting it done professionally but I simply cannot afford it. Making these two prototypes has left me broke. And I need to get me and the peice to Sydney from Perth
I have, in my past been a professional industrial model maker so I hope that will give me enough edge to get it done.

My thanks to all who answered my plea

[laya]

sell the child

to finish that piece, you need to figure on spending 2-3 hours for every hour you spent building it. Possibly as many as 5-6 hours per build hour.
regardless of the finish you settle on, you probably need to sand the piece to at least 400 and possibly a lot finer.

look at the cost as an investment in your future -- you've been short listed for a competition in Australia's largest market, you should be looking to win that competition.
You have no chance of winning if the finish is crap

Thanks for your response Ian. I hope to get it done right.Please see my other response as to my approach and rationale.
Again thank you

[laya]

Awesome design, possibly sanding sealer-blond shellac and rubbed out with a good quality wax.


Regards,



Frank.

Thanks Frank! You may be right but I am not familiar with those materials so must go for safety. I have chosen lacquer because it is something I am familiar with but did not know you can 'matt' it

[ian]

Laya
If you really can't afford to get that piece finished professionally, at least get some professional advice, rather than relying on what you read here or read on the back of a tin.

You're in Perth(?), so I suggest the first place you try is Neil Eranamus (spelling?) at the Perth Furniture School.

[FRB Design]

Laya
If you really can't afford to get that piece finished professionally, at least get some professional advice, rather than relying on what you read here or read on the back of a tin.

You're in Perth(?), so I suggest the first place you try is Neil Eranamus (spelling?) at the Perth Furniture School.

Steven, so disregard what Ian has said. If you would like some professional advice PM me your phone number.


Regards,

Frank.

[laya]

Thanks all, have an interesting story.
I am actually broke, I made the first piece, which cost an arm and a leg,it is actually quite sophisticated and I produced computer models for engineering structural analysis. The aim was to design it so that it flexes to a degree you will not feel but the piece has rotational flexion around the main axis so that the weight, when loaded transfers to the "feet' as a beam load and not point loads. It is also designed to weigh as little as possible. The whole thing cost LOTS of time and money ( Displaced my earning capacity) I was not trying to be cheap, I am broke. The first piece was involved in a car accident after it was selected for final Judging, tears, real tears.

I had to build a second one, money at a minimum. Austral ply sent me 5 sheets from QLD free of charge! Friends lent me money (several thousand) I know you guys are gurus but that piece is very hard to build with problems that may not be obvious. I do not have a workshop so I built in the kitchen with no tools so I had to buy them.

Anyway here is the story
I rang up a local furniture finisher. He came around and said it would cost between$320/400. I could not afford that. We spoke for a while (he is Vietnamese and his English is not very good) After speaking about life the universe, I asked him if he could do a better price as I could not afford it. He said (in broken English) "you are stuck in the mud at the side of the road and you need help, I will pull you out of the mud like Australia did for me" I will do it for no cost.............................
To his word Ben came around the next day in his ute, and picked it up. I spent all day with him sanding and detailing..........should be finished by Tuesday and ready to pack for Sydney at Darling Harbor International furniture fair!

Just had to share that.................Touched me very deeply.

To those who offered their time to reply and put me in touch with people, and offer to call me.............I can say nothing other than.......my faith in human nature has never been so high.

Thank you all

Oh I have attached a new image. The Cushion is a trow and optional

[ian]

I'm really happy for you

now when and which pavilion is the furniture show at Darling Harbour?
will the show be open to the "great unwashed", ie the general public?

I would like to your piece in the flesh

[laya]

I'm really happy for you

now when and which pavilion is the furniture show at Darling Harbour?
will the show be open to the "great unwashed", ie the general public?

I would like to your piece in the flesh

Hi Ian. It can be seen at "the edge" international furniture design competition stand. <cite>Home - Australian International Furniture Fair
</cite>Fair dates and opening hours:
Wed 1 February 2012 10am – 5pm
Thu 2 February 2012 10am – 5pm
Fri 3 February 2012 10am – 4pm

I am going to check if I can get hold of some tickets.

Thanks again

Stephen

[AlexS]

Good story Stephen. I'll try to get there - must register - and will say g'day if I do. It's a nice piece, hope your work pays off for both you and the bloke who helped you out.

[Harry72]

PS. Forget poly, its garbage.

Thats a pretty generalised statement isnt it...

[munruben]

Thats a pretty generalised statement isnt it...

My thoughts exactly.