I'm building a small chest out of white oak with a lid made of walnut
and white oak.
I have used a number of different types of finishes so far, but I'm
still mostly a cluesless newby, so I would apreciate some advice (or
direction) on what sort of finish I should use.
It will be used outside in historical recreationist camping
(S.C.A.), so it needs to be somewhat weather resistant, and not look
"modern"
I would guess laquer? Should I stain the oak at all? I know that
walnut shouldn't be stained, but a tough of color in the oak would be nice.
One more thing, please. I've used grain filler on red oak projects.
Should I use this on the white oak?
Thanks for your advice.
Jim
Don't stain the oak. Get a can of Shellac and it will look beautiful. Watch
the date on the bottom of the can when you buy it. It's only good for a
little over 6 months. Looks great on oak and walnut.
Tim
"Jim Helfer" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> I'm building a small chest out of white oak with a lid made of walnut
> and white oak.
>
> I have used a number of different types of finishes so far, but I'm
> still mostly a cluesless newby, so I would apreciate some advice (or
> direction) on what sort of finish I should use.
>
> It will be used outside in historical recreationist camping
> (S.C.A.), so it needs to be somewhat weather resistant, and not look
> "modern"
>
> I would guess laquer? Should I stain the oak at all? I know that
> walnut shouldn't be stained, but a tough of color in the oak would be
nice.
>
> One more thing, please. I've used grain filler on red oak projects.
> Should I use this on the white oak?
>
> Thanks for your advice.
>
> Jim
[email protected] wrote:
> www.homesteadfinishing.com has an article about selecting a finish
> that probably would help. Don't believe lacquer or shellac are
> suggested for outside use.
>
Not even lacquer? Hmm. Glad I asked. Maybe a polurethane that
doesn't look so much like plastic?
> On Wed, 28 Jul 2004 19:20:36 -0400, Jim Helfer
> <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>
>> I'm building a small chest out of white oak with a lid made of walnut
>>and white oak.
>>
>> I have used a number of different types of finishes so far, but I'm
>>still mostly a cluesless newby, so I would apreciate some advice (or
>>direction) on what sort of finish I should use.
>>
>> It will be used outside in historical recreationist camping
>>(S.C.A.), so it needs to be somewhat weather resistant, and not look
>>"modern"
>>
>> I would guess laquer? Should I stain the oak at all? I know that
>>walnut shouldn't be stained, but a tough of color in the oak would be nice.
>>
>> One more thing, please. I've used grain filler on red oak projects.
>> Should I use this on the white oak?
>>
>> Thanks for your advice.
>>
>> Jim
>
>
make sure you use dewaxed shellac, Jim. Seal Coat by
Zinnser is de-waxed and suitable for use with poly, or lacquers.
David
Jim Helfer wrote:
> Jim Helfer wrote:
>
>> TDUP wrote:
>>
>>> Don't stain the oak. Get a can of Shellac and it will look beautiful.
>>> Watch
>>> the date on the bottom of the can when you buy it. It's only good for a
>>> little over 6 months. Looks great on oak and walnut.
>>>
>>> Tim
>>>
>>
>> I'm sure it would, but won't the finish get messed up if, say, the
>> box gets rained on?
>>
>> Jim H
>>
>
>
> But, I could cover the shellace with laquer to protect it maybe? I
> wasn't sure that this was possible. But I DAGS and find an article by a
> Mr. "George Utley" (Isn't there a Newhart character by that name?) that
> talks about it.
>
>>
>>>
>>> "Jim Helfer" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>>> news:[email protected]...
>>>
>>>> I'm building a small chest out of white oak with a lid made of walnut
>>>> and white oak.
>>>>
>>>> I have used a number of different types of finishes so far, but I'm
>>>> still mostly a cluesless newby, so I would apreciate some advice (or
>>>> direction) on what sort of finish I should use.
>>>>
>>>> It will be used outside in historical recreationist camping
>>>> (S.C.A.), so it needs to be somewhat weather resistant, and not look
>>>> "modern"
>>>>
>>>> I would guess laquer? Should I stain the oak at all? I know that
>>>> walnut shouldn't be stained, but a tough of color in the oak would be
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> nice.
>>>
>>>> One more thing, please. I've used grain filler on red oak projects.
>>>> Should I use this on the white oak?
>>>>
>>>> Thanks for your advice.
>>>>
>>>> Jim
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
On Wed, 28 Jul 2004 19:20:36 -0400, Jim Helfer
<[email protected]> wrote:
> It will be used outside in historical recreationist camping
>(S.C.A.), so it needs to be somewhat weather resistant, and not look
>"modern"
So don't use walnut then. Not a period timber.
OTOH, the main timber of the SCA is plywood, so I guess anything solid
is an improvement.
> I would guess laquer?
Medieval repro is an interest of mine (you might be interested in a
long series of posts of mine to rec.org.sca on the historical
introduction of shellac).
So for authenticity, I'd use polyurethane.
Just to clarify that, simple authenticity is easy - no finishing at
all. It just didn't happen.
Shellac is a great finish and I use it a lot. But it's not authentic,
it doesn't look right (maybe a very thin application, dulled with
rottenstone afterwards), it's not especially water resistant, and it's
not mechanically strong against getting humped around campsites.
So what I use is one or two _maximum_ thin coats of gel poly (I use
"Patina" in the UK). This is blatant cheating, but it has good weather
resistance and such a thin coating of it is damn near invisible.
> Should I stain the oak at all?
This is always a tough call. Are you making a reproduction that looks
like new, or that looks like an original piece looks today / after
many years of service ? Remember that even medieval furniture was new
once (although remember Monty Python's sage advice - "You can tell
he's the king, he hasn't got much shit on him")
Personally I never stain oak and very rarely dye it. If I colour it,
it's ammonia fuming every time. The way oak darkens with age is
through oxidation and that's the same as ammonia does to it. Use
vapour fuming for a brown oak, or wet solutions brushed on to turn it
the real black of "Jacobean" oak.
--
Smert' spamionam
www.homesteadfinishing.com has an article about selecting a finish
that probably would help. Don't believe lacquer or shellac are
suggested for outside use.
On Wed, 28 Jul 2004 19:20:36 -0400, Jim Helfer
<[email protected]> wrote:
>
> I'm building a small chest out of white oak with a lid made of walnut
>and white oak.
>
> I have used a number of different types of finishes so far, but I'm
>still mostly a cluesless newby, so I would apreciate some advice (or
>direction) on what sort of finish I should use.
>
> It will be used outside in historical recreationist camping
>(S.C.A.), so it needs to be somewhat weather resistant, and not look
>"modern"
>
> I would guess laquer? Should I stain the oak at all? I know that
>walnut shouldn't be stained, but a tough of color in the oak would be nice.
>
> One more thing, please. I've used grain filler on red oak projects.
> Should I use this on the white oak?
>
> Thanks for your advice.
>
> Jim
TDUP wrote:
> Don't stain the oak. Get a can of Shellac and it will look beautiful. Watch
> the date on the bottom of the can when you buy it. It's only good for a
> little over 6 months. Looks great on oak and walnut.
>
> Tim
>
I'm sure it would, but won't the finish get messed up if, say, the
box gets rained on?
Jim H
>
> "Jim Helfer" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>
>> I'm building a small chest out of white oak with a lid made of walnut
>>and white oak.
>>
>> I have used a number of different types of finishes so far, but I'm
>>still mostly a cluesless newby, so I would apreciate some advice (or
>>direction) on what sort of finish I should use.
>>
>> It will be used outside in historical recreationist camping
>>(S.C.A.), so it needs to be somewhat weather resistant, and not look
>>"modern"
>>
>> I would guess laquer? Should I stain the oak at all? I know that
>>walnut shouldn't be stained, but a tough of color in the oak would be
>
> nice.
>
>> One more thing, please. I've used grain filler on red oak projects.
>> Should I use this on the white oak?
>>
>> Thanks for your advice.
>>
>> Jim
>
>
>
Jim Helfer wrote:
> TDUP wrote:
>
>> Don't stain the oak. Get a can of Shellac and it will look beautiful.
>> Watch
>> the date on the bottom of the can when you buy it. It's only good for a
>> little over 6 months. Looks great on oak and walnut.
>>
>> Tim
>>
>
> I'm sure it would, but won't the finish get messed up if, say, the
> box gets rained on?
>
> Jim H
>
But, I could cover the shellace with laquer to protect it maybe? I
wasn't sure that this was possible. But I DAGS and find an article by a
Mr. "George Utley" (Isn't there a Newhart character by that name?) that
talks about it.
>
>>
>> "Jim Helfer" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>> news:[email protected]...
>>
>>> I'm building a small chest out of white oak with a lid made of walnut
>>> and white oak.
>>>
>>> I have used a number of different types of finishes so far, but I'm
>>> still mostly a cluesless newby, so I would apreciate some advice (or
>>> direction) on what sort of finish I should use.
>>>
>>> It will be used outside in historical recreationist camping
>>> (S.C.A.), so it needs to be somewhat weather resistant, and not look
>>> "modern"
>>>
>>> I would guess laquer? Should I stain the oak at all? I know that
>>> walnut shouldn't be stained, but a tough of color in the oak would be
>>
>>
>> nice.
>>
>>> One more thing, please. I've used grain filler on red oak projects.
>>> Should I use this on the white oak?
>>>
>>> Thanks for your advice.
>>>
>>> Jim
>>
>>
>>
>>