Thread: Hall Table WIP

Progress has been delayed by a little too much water. Did manage to ensure the table was high on the list of items marked for salvation before the flood, but I have taken the opportunity to reorganise the workshop, so not sure how soon I'll get back to work.

Well, the workshop is nearly back to (better than actually!) normal, so it's time to pick this project up again.

I have a couple of little jobs left to do - make some buttons, clean up a nick from a falling tool during storage... But really I'm up to a final smoothing, then scraping, then finishing.

Because of the time between each session in the workshop, I want to be able to do each part separately, at least to the first level of finish, probably the sanding sealer.

So, what to do? After much research... here's what I've come up with so far, and I'd like comments!

Actually first up is a question: Grain filler? Do I need it on tas oak?

Then, a sanding sealer, probably half shellac, half meths, applied with a terry pad. Do I need to sand it with 600-800 paper after the sealer? If I've scraped it before?

Then a walnut stain as the boss wants a black/brown finish, but I'll need to find a water based stain, according to the UBeaut site.

U Beaut Hard Shellac over the stain, one coat or more?

Then Trad wax applied with 000 steel wool, followed by buffing with a clean cloth. I've got neutral, but I'll be ordering Shellac, so I might order some walnut wax too.

Can I put all of these on with a terry pad, or is a brush better?

OR, I could just put on 3 coats of danish oil and wax it, but I'll still need to find a walnut stain, an oil based stain, I think, like Feast & Watson prooftint.

Hi Richard,
pleased to see you are getting back too before floods.

Best water stain I would recommend is Van Dyke Crystals (Crushed Walnut Shells). The beauty about them is they dissolve in water and you can vary the strength of their colour by adding more or less coats.

If you want a traditional grain filler use Plaster of Paris ( though from memory the Tas. Oak you have is pretty tight grain anyway.). Fill before staining, stain, Shellac.

Ordinary shellac (yellow) would be fine over a walnut finish. Brush on for the bodying stage rubbing back after several coats have been applied with 400 first time, 600 second time, 800 third time then 1000 or 1200 after that until you are satisfied with the result.,(Tip with rubbing back, is put some soap or a small squirt of dish washing liquid in the water you are using for the wet and dry. it aids with the lubrication of the paper over the shellac).then either start with a rubber or apply thinner coats with a fine haired brush.

All the best give me a call if you want.

Look forward to seeing the finished article.


Cheers


Steve

Thanks, Steve. I can get Van Dyke crystals from Goods and Chattels. Dane suggested Wattyl Traditional Stains like on his table, so I'll have to experiment a little.

Well there goes another couple of months!

I've taken the day off to spend in the workshop, so I've finished planing and ended up sanding it all. Once I've cleaned up the workshop I'm hoping to glue up this afternoon, then stain tomorrow and shellac Sunday / Monday.

Here's a shot of the supervisor and some free product placement for my Veritas LAJ, which has performed flawlessly.

How was the weekend of being in the shed?

Christos, don't you have anything more exciting to do than harrass me? Surely the weekend doesn't end till tomorrow? Oh, only QLD has another day off tomorrow!

Photos will be coming tomorrow. Glue up is done, first 2 coats of van dyck crystal stain is on, but I think it'll need a couple more. I'll have to see if the extra coats make much of a difference though, the test piece seemed to stop darkening after about 3 coats. I'll take some photos tomorrow, and then I'll shellac it.

Honestly, I'm really happy with it. It's my first 'real' woodworking piece, and the interruption of the flood has pushed the time frame, so I'd like to have spent more time finishing it. However, the boss wants it done, and so do I, so I've left a number of flaws which would have taken time to remove.

It'll always remind me of the opportunity to improve!

I never did take more photos... Dad was taken sick and stayed another week, which was a good thing all round in the end.

Finished the finishing today - my first go at anything more than slapping Stain and Varnish around. I need more practice, but already I can appreciate the difference.

I'll cut some buttons tomorrow and install it in its new home by the front door.

All done! Hooray!

Made some quick blocks, which I'm not happy with so I'll replace them some time...

Anyway, it's in its new home, and the wife is very happy. Now she wants a new top for the dining table.

I'm very happy with my first 'proper' woodworking project, it turned out much as I imagined it, the finish is respectable and the joints are solid.

I'd like more practice with the finishing, but I'd like to try again on some better timber - I've got some QLD maple stored away for the next project.

Thanks to everyone who helped out with advice and support, and practical assistance.

A double post and still no photos. Tsk. Tsk.
Congrats on actually finishing something. I've yet to reach that goal.

I'm blaming gremlins for the lack of photos - I've tried posting them and my pc freezes before they upload. I'll keep trying.

Here we go. Seems to work in Internet Explorer but not Google Chrome?

Excellent job Richard.

Congratulations looks as if it were made for that spot!.

How long before we can expect some Marquetry on future projects??

Cheers
Steve

Looks very good from where I am sitting .
The stain came up well