Archives

A wet drinking glass can make an ugly white  or dark ring on your furniture. Here’s how to fix the damage. by Bob Flexner Watermarks occur on furniture with finishes that have aged. These marks, [...]

Solutions to a baker’s dozen of common finishing difficulties.

by Bob Flexner pages 58-60

It’s easy enough to provide instructions for applying finishes. But in the real [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

Avoid problems and lengthen the life of your tool with two simple acts. By Bob Flexner Pages: 98-99 As with any tool, a properly working spray gun is a joy to use. On the other hand, one that [...]

Contradictory finishing information is frustrating. Here we clear up one example. By Bob Flexner Pages: 110-111 From the October 2005 issue #150 Buy this issue now Each month Popular Woodworking [...]

Remove common surface problems with minimal damage to the finish. By Bob Flexner Pages: 86-87 From the August 2005 issue #149 Buy this issue now Cleaning the finish on furniture can involve more [...]

Despite their names, many of your finishing products simply are a form of varnish. By Bob Flexner Pages: 90-92 From the June 2005 issue #148 Buy this issue now You are surely familiar with [...]

If the scratch isn’t deep, the fix isn’t difficult. By Bob Flexner Pages: 98-99 From the February 2005 issue #146 Buy this issue now Even if you aren’t a professional woodworker, you probably get [...]

Understanding how sheen works allows you to control the gloss on your finishes. By Bob Flexner Pages: 90-91 From the October 2006 issue #157 Buy this issue now One of the most important qualities [...]

Achieving a glass-flat surface is a lot easier than you might think. By Bob Flexner Pages: 79-83 From the August 2006 issue #156 Buy this issue now After spending countless hours building a [...]