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How can something so simple be made so hard to understand? It’s probably fair to say that a majority, or at least a large minority, of woodworkers use a finish they can wipe on and off the wood. [...]

Repair, strip and refinish to restore old pieces. Refinishing is a topic worthy of an entire book. In fact, restoring furniture includes all of woodworking and finishing because all skills may be [...]

Your decision is simplified by the process of elimination. At some point as you progress in woodworking, you begin to realize that there are many finishes to choose among; you probably ask [...]

This solvent is unique. Lacquer thinner is the thinner used for all types of lacquer (not water-based finishes, which are sometimes misrepresented as “lacquer”). These include the most common [...]

Quick inspections reveal much about a piece’s age and possible origin. A while back, my wife and I were visiting friends who wanted to show us their collection of antique furniture. At one point [...]

A primer on coloring. By Bob Flexner Pages: 60-62 From the December 2010 issue # 187

Water can cause many problems to finished and unfinished wood. As woodworkers, most of us have come across problems caused by water that we may be asked to repair. The problems can occur in the [...]

Safer strippers are having a ‘green’ revival. Methods for removing old paint and finish from furniture have gone through at least four distinct periods. Before solvents became widely available, [...]

Understand the difference between these often misused terms. It would be difficult to find wood finishing subjects that have been made more confusing than sealing and washcoating. This is [...]

The key to a quick finish is the finish you choose. Finishing is seldom the most enjoyable part of woodworking, so many woodworkers want to get it over within a day – or even an afternoon. Many [...]

Material and finish choice help dictate grit progression. The objective of sanding wood is to remove mill marks, which are caused by woodworking machines, and to remove other flaws such as dents [...]

Wiping is fast, almost as fast as spraying (without the downside of having to clean the spray gun). Wiping is also every bit as effective in all situations except possibly into recesses such as [...]