Popular Woodworking Magazine » Flexner on Finishing

Flexner on Finishing: Finishes: They are A-changin’

Article Index — Tue, 29 May 2012 19:22:30 +0000

Reformulations may compel you to adjust your finishing process. By Bob Flexner Pages 64-66Many years ago a friend explained to me the difference between woodworking tools and finishes. Woodworking tools, he said, are physics. You can see them. You can see that a band saw isn’t a table saw even though it has a table.But finishes are chemistry. You can’t see chemistry. Varnish and lacquer, for example, look the same, both in the can and on the wood.So there is much more opportunity for finishes to be confusing, especially when manufacturers misrepresent them and magazines publish contradictory information about them.I think this description goes a long way toward explaining why the health problems associated with finish solvents are feared more than those that are obvious with woodworking tools (cutting off your fingers, for example). This, even though the infrequent, low-level exposure to solvents experienced by most amateurs is quite unlikely to cause any problems at all.Articles: You’ll find many free finishing articles on our web site. In our store: “Flexner on Finishing” – 12 years of columns illustrated with beautiful full-color images and updated, and “Wood Finishing 101.” Read more »

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Flexner on Finishing: ‘Green’ Solvents

Article Index — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 05:30:37 +0000

These environmentally friendly products are surprisingly effective.By Bob Flexner Pages: 60-62From the February 2012 issue #195 Buy the issue now.The three primary solvents we use in wood finishing are paint thinner (mineral spirits), lacquer thinner and denatured alcohol. Paint thinner thins and cleans up oils, oil stains and varnishes, including oil-based polyurethane. Lacquer thinner thins and cleans up lacquers and lacquer stains. Denatured alcohol dissolves, thins and cleans up shellac.ARTICLES: We have many finishing articles available free online. IN OUR STORE: “Flexner on Finishing” – 12 years of updated columns illustrated with beautiful full-color images. Read more »

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Wood Finishing 101 – The Step-by-Step Guide

Ajax Alexandre — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 05:00:49 +0000

Here’s a great gift idea! Save 31 percent on Flexner’s latest must-have book on finishing. Wood finishing doesn’t have to be complicated or confusing. It can be “boiled down” to simple step-by-step instructions. And that’s what this book offers; no science, no art, just easily-to-follow directions with lots of pictures to show you every step … Read more »

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Wiping Varnish

Ajax Alexandre — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 14:14:23 +0000

In the November 2011 issue, Bob Flexner submitted this excerpt from his book "Wood Finishing 101," along with the article on wiping varnish. It is a useful document that you can post in your shop. To download the PDF, click on the link below.–Ajax AlexandrePWM_WipingVarnish Read more »

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Finishing for First-Timers

Bob Flexner — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 16:12:42 +0000

If you’ve never put brush to bare wood (or you’d like a refresher), learn how to greatly improve your chances of success. By Bob Flexner It’s one thing to describe finishing steps to an experienced finisher. It’s quite another to teach someone who has never applied stain or finish to anything. Describing finishing so a … Read more »

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Oil Finishes: Their History and Use

Bob Flexner — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 14:13:57 +0000

Here’s how to cut through all the confusion about oil, tung oil and wiping varnish. By Bob Flexner Finishing is a mystery to most woodworkers, but it’s not because finishes are difficult to apply. All that’s involved in applying a finish is transferring a liquid to wood using one of three really easy-to-use tools: a … Read more »

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Flexner on Finishing: Shellac: A Challenging Finish

Article Index — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 22:32:40 +0000

This traditional finish can be tricky to apply.By Bob Flexner Pages: 58-60From the April 2011 issue #189 Buy this issue nowIf you have read much in the woodworking press, you’ve surely encountered many articles, including mine, in which the writer uses and recommends shellac as a finish. This may persuade you to try shellac.I certainly don’t want to discourage you because shellac is a great finish with a great history. But you need to be aware that shellac is a relatively difficult finish to use. The writers recommending shellac are usually advanced woodworkers who have learned to overcome the difficulties.By pointing out some of the problems, I hope to increase your likelihood of success.Articles: Many finishing articles are available on our web site, free. To buy: Get Bob Flexner’s new book, “Flexner on Finishing.” Web site: For more information on shellac and the many types available, visit shellac.net.From the April 2011 issue #189 Buy this issue now Read more »

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Flexner on Finishing: Sealers and Sealing Wood

Article Index — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 21:55:57 +0000

Many woodworkers are confused about sealers and sealing. Here are the facts. By Bob Flexner Pages: 86-87 From the June 2004 issue #141 Buy this issue now From the June 2004 issue #141 Buy this issue now

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Flexner on Finishing: Battling Blotching

Article Index — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 22:12:13 +0000

Forget wood conditioner and go for gel stain. By Bob Flexner Pages: 94-95 From the April 2004 issue #140 Buy this issue now You’ve heard me say this before, and I’m sure you’ll hear me say it again: The worst single thing that can happen in wood finishing is blotching – that is, uneven stain … Read more »

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Flexner on Finishing: The Facts on Wax

Article Index — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 16:44:56 +0000

Although a poor finish when used alone, wax excels as a polish. By Bob Flexner Pages: 100-101 From the February 2004 issue #139 Buy this issue now Wax has been used for centuries as a finish and polish on furniture and other wooden objects, but it is still a very misunderstood material. Wax is derived … Read more »

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