Console Table Build Part 14

Finishing always confuses people. So many options and opinions, many of them conflicting. The method I learned late in the last century (around 1999), from John Nyquist, has worked well for me. Oil/Varnish blend – three equal parts (mineral spirits, varnish/poly, tung/linseed oil), brush it on and wipe it off. John tweaked the ratios to get what he called a hard oil (I think he reduced or eliminated the mineral spirits), and a finishing oil (he melted in paraffin wax), in addition to the regular mix. All good.

When I was teaching, we primarily used what we called “Red Can,” or Minwax Antique Oil Finish. I just checked on Amazon and you can still buy it, but I suspect it’s not the same finish we used to get, due to the newer VOC restrictions. I know what’s in my OV blend, so I stick with that.

brushing on finish

Like so may other procedures, the details matter. Despite demonstrating the procedure to my students, there was always someone who showed up on the last day with a blotchy, inconsistent finish. They swore they followed the directions I gave them, but it was obvious they didn’t wipe off all the finish after each coat. You can see in the video how careful I am to wipe off all the finish. I know it seems counter-intuitive, but that’s what it takes to make this work.

Watch the video here.

3 Responses to “Console Table Build Part 14

  • Mark Davis
    1 year ago

    So just to clarify, the additional coats are only the poly/oil/spirit blend, not the shellac? You had said to repeat the process a couole times more.. And the shellac is acting as a sanding sealer?

    • Yes, the additional coats are the OV blend. On the drawer, only one coat of shellac on the inside surfaces. I’m not using the shellac as a sanding sealer (since I don’t sand it or put anything over it). It’s only there to seal the interior drawer surfaces. I suppose you could leave those surfaces bare and not notice much of a difference, but I think the surfaces feel a bit more “finished” with the shellac.

      • Mark Davis
        1 year ago

        Ah OK, I misunderstood. Thought you shellaced the whole project. Thanks Carl, nice work as always. Enjoy your approach to things.

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