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