Secret Formula For A Wipe-On Finish: I Don’t Have One
A former student of mine from 10 years ago emailed me with a question about what he remembered was a formula I had come up with for a wipe-on finish....
Oxalic Acid: A Very Useful Bleach
One of the most useful products in wood finishing that doesn’t get a lot of attention is oxalic acid, often labeled wood bleach. It’s useful for removing black water stains...
Stripping Paint That Had Been Applied Over a Finish
My wife loves watching house restoration shows on TV. The other day she mentioned to me that the paint on every surface the host had stripped in this one house...
Aerosol Finishing: Here Are the Basics
A finishing topic that gets far too little coverage is aerosol finishing. Aerosols are widely available in four common finishes: lacquer, oil-based polyurethane, water-based finish and shellac. [...]
The Problem of Sanding Scratches Showing Through a French Polish Finish.
Here’s a situation you may have experienced if you do much French polishing. A woodworker friend emailed me with this problem. He had been French polishing a tabletop, and no...
Watco Danish Oil Problem: A Strange One
A woodworker friend emailed me with a problem. He had turned a face-grained bowl from what he described as “grainy” walnut. To finish it he was using Watco Danish Oil,...
Acetone: Understanding This Increasingly Available Solvent
You may have noticed that acetone is becoming more widely available. This is primarily because it’s the only commonly available solvent that is classified as an exempt VOC solvent. VOC...
Comparing Boiled Linseed Oil and 100% Tung Oil as a Finish
Boiled linseed oil and 100% tung oil are the two widely available drying oils. Though called “drying oils” both dry adequately only when applied very thin. If the excess isn’t...
Denatured Alcohol Removal: Was This Aimed at Shellac?
When it comes to finishing products, what happens in California doesn’t stay in California. It usually spreads across the country. So when a California friend emailed to tell me that...
Cleaning and Storing Shellac Brushes: Some Suggestions
I know that a lot of readers use shellac for finishing. Of all finishes, shellac is probably the easiest to use when it comes to cleaning and storing brushes because...
Gasoline Explosion: Be Very Careful Using Gasoline
A few weeks ago my sister-in-law in Denmark got very severe burns on her lower legs from a gasoline explosion. Her friend had piled up a lot of brush and...
Dents and Gouges: How to Deal with Them
If you’ve done much woodworking, it’s very likely that you have experienced some dents and gouges. Both are flaws in the wood. But they are not the same thing, so...
