Ever have one of those days where you just can't make up your mind?
In my case, there's little enough to make up you'd think it'd be
easy...
So, the wife's got me building her a coffee table: Ambrosia Maple top
with Walnut skirting and legs.
I'm driving myself nuts trying to decide on as much contrast between
the top and the walnut base as possible, vs. finishing the top just a
bit darker to bring out that _snappin_ figure and accent the
"ambrosia" streaks.
I _will_ of course slice up some samples and try different things, but
if you've got input, lemme have it.
Especially if you've got experience with different shellacs on
Ambrosia Maple, I'd really be interested in a link to a photo.
There's an absolutely _killer_ photo of one of Frank Klaus' tiger
maple lowboys in one of Yeung Chan's books, but he doens't mention the
finish used. Sure looks like some variety of orange shellac, and if
so, that's snappin'.
But, there's that "I'm torn between" thing again. Sure would like to
keep the top a as contrasty with the base as possible.
And I want my cake. And I wanna eat it. Hell, I'd even like
left-overs, too. KnowhatImean?
(Paddy, you reading this?
Laughing yer bigass ass off yet?)
Michael
Sucks when all your options are good and you only get one... ;>
I will have to go out and look to see which lac I used but this is maple
and walnut.
http://www.hollywoodswoodcrafts.com/images/Jewelry_Box/2_JBox_ClosedView.JPG
BRuce
Michael Baglio wrote:
> Ever have one of those days where you just can't make up your mind?
> In my case, there's little enough to make up you'd think it'd be
> easy...
>
> So, the wife's got me building her a coffee table: Ambrosia Maple top
> with Walnut skirting and legs.
>
> I'm driving myself nuts trying to decide on as much contrast between
> the top and the walnut base as possible, vs. finishing the top just a
> bit darker to bring out that _snappin_ figure and accent the
> "ambrosia" streaks.
>
> I _will_ of course slice up some samples and try different things, but
> if you've got input, lemme have it.
>
> Especially if you've got experience with different shellacs on
> Ambrosia Maple, I'd really be interested in a link to a photo.
>
> There's an absolutely _killer_ photo of one of Frank Klaus' tiger
> maple lowboys in one of Yeung Chan's books, but he doens't mention the
> finish used. Sure looks like some variety of orange shellac, and if
> so, that's snappin'.
>
> But, there's that "I'm torn between" thing again. Sure would like to
> keep the top a as contrasty with the base as possible.
>
> And I want my cake. And I wanna eat it. Hell, I'd even like
> left-overs, too. KnowhatImean?
>
> (Paddy, you reading this?
> Laughing yer bigass ass off yet?)
>
> Michael
> Sucks when all your options are good and you only get one... ;>
>
yep, customer was very appreciative. ;-)
BRuce
Michael Baglio wrote:
> On Fri, 16 Jul 2004 19:26:47 -0400, Bruce <[email protected]>
> wrote:
>
>
>>I will have to go out and look to see which lac I used but this is maple
>>and walnut.
>>
>>http://www.hollywoodswoodcrafts.com/images/Jewelry_Box/2_JBox_ClosedView.JPG
>
>
> Nice looking jewelry box, Bruce. You must've made someone happy. :)
>
> Michael
On Fri, 16 Jul 2004 21:55:03 GMT, Michael Baglio <[email protected]>
wrote:
>So, the wife's got me building her a coffee table: Ambrosia Maple top
>with Walnut skirting and legs.
>
>I'm driving myself nuts trying to decide on as much contrast between
>the top and the walnut base as possible, vs. finishing the top just a
>bit darker to bring out that _snappin_ figure and accent the
>"ambrosia" streaks.
Just now took the top out of the clamps. Posted over on abpw.
Michael
The local soft maple shows all that it has very well with just shellac. I
use Russ's super blonde from
http://www.woodfinishingsupplies.com/
If I knew what species ambrosia maple is - I thought it related to beetle
damage - I'd give a link.
Also shows handsomely with oil-based varnish, but that adds a touch of amber
to go with the toughness.
If you want more brilliance, don't wet sand the piece or burnish it. The
difference in absorption between early and late is what makes the figure
"pop." The reason oil looks better on a piece which is sanded to death than
a surface finish is that it does soften the surface a bit to recreate the
contrast.
Linseed oil the walnut. Thinned, less thinned, less thinned, then a
varnish, remembering to wipe well after 20 mins with the oil. Thirty years
and still dark on the stuff I made and my daughter stole from the shed for
her new place.
"Michael Baglio" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Ever have one of those days where you just can't make up your mind?
> In my case, there's little enough to make up you'd think it'd be
> easy...
>
> So, the wife's got me building her a coffee table: Ambrosia Maple top
> with Walnut skirting and legs.
>
> I'm driving myself nuts trying to decide on as much contrast between
> the top and the walnut base as possible, vs. finishing the top just a
> bit darker to bring out that _snappin_ figure and accent the
> "ambrosia" streaks.
>
> I _will_ of course slice up some samples and try different things, but
> if you've got input, lemme have it.
>
> Especially if you've got experience with different shellacs on
> Ambrosia Maple, I'd really be interested in a link to a photo.
>
> There's an absolutely _killer_ photo of one of Frank Klaus' tiger
> maple lowboys in one of Yeung Chan's books, but he doens't mention the
> finish used. Sure looks like some variety of orange shellac, and if
> so, that's snappin'.
>
> But, there's that "I'm torn between" thing again. Sure would like to
> keep the top a as contrasty with the base as possible.
>
> And I want my cake. And I wanna eat it. Hell, I'd even like
> left-overs, too. KnowhatImean?
>
> (Paddy, you reading this?
> Laughing yer bigass ass off yet?)
>
> Michael
> Sucks when all your options are good and you only get one... ;>
>
Michael Baglio <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> Ever have one of those days where you just can't make up your mind?
> In my case, there's little enough to make up you'd think it'd be
> easy...
Don't confuse losing your hair with losing your mind, Michael.
DAMHIKT.
[tamp tamp]
> And I want my cake. And I wanna eat it. Hell, I'd even like
> left-overs, too. KnowhatImean?
>
> (Paddy, you reading this?
> Laughing yer bigass ass off yet?)
Yes and no. My ass really isn't that big. I attribute this to
something SWIATAABOC refers to as, "your little Cuban ass." What's
bigass on me is the gut, viewable here:
http://www.klownhammer.org/proto-bench/boring.jpg
Regarding figured (not necessarily ambrosia) maple, here's an example
of potential contrast:
http://www.klownhammer.org/proto-bench/part3/bench2.jpg
Yeah yeah yeah, the figure might be a bit over the top, but the
contrast between the figured maple and the... bark (hey, it's brown
like walnut) is nice, I think. This was thinned (w/turpentine) pure
tung oil, topped with garden variety dewaxed blonde shellac. I'm
still working on carving out a little shop time so I can install the
bonerific mesquite slab that Chuck Vance sent out a few weeks ago, as
my new vise face. Yeah, curly maple wasn't good enough so I had to
send to Texas for mesquite. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
Hey, I don't get the binaries group, so do ya think you could email me
your work-in-progess pic?
Humbly submitted,
O'Deen
Michael Baglio <[email protected]>, with hands firmly on home-row
pecked out: >
[tamp tamp]
> The project _is_ a coffee table,
> however, and since I know I'm _never_ gonna be a doily kinda guy, I'm
> thinking poly for the topcoat is pretty much mandatory.
Not eeeeeeeven! My (and so many others') favorite for this high-use
application is Behlen's Rockhard Table Top varnish. Here's the first
link I found:
http://www.vandykes.com/product/02238449/
It rubs out far more satisfactorily than any polys I've tried (in the
days of my ignorant halcyon yute). You can rub it to whatever level
of gloss you'd like.
And yes, you can use oil, then dewaxed shellac and then the varnish.
McCloskey's also makes a great varnish to go over shellac (I believe
Jeff Jewitt likes it best). Here's a shot of a walnut table finished
with shellac and McCloskey's Herloom varnish:
http://shellac.net/images/charlie_table.jpg
Reminder: I'm no longer affiliated with shellac.net.
Have fun with it. That's some interesting-looking wood you're
working.
Humbly submitted,
O'Deen
On Sat, 17 Jul 2004 09:48:31 -0400, "George" <george@least> wrote:
>If I knew what species ambrosia maple is - I thought it related to beetle
>damage - I'd give a link.
Yep, that's my understanding. The figure in the piece isn't over the
top, just a bit here and there.
>Linseed oil the walnut. Thinned, less thinned, less thinned, then a
>varnish, remembering to wipe well after 20 mins with the oil. Thirty years
>and still dark on the stuff I made and my daughter stole from the shed for
>her new place.
Hey, I've got one of those daughters, too. If the high point of my
entire time here is that she gets to tell her friends "My daddy made
this.", it will have been a very good life.
Thanks for the help, George.
Michael
On Fri, 16 Jul 2004 19:26:47 -0400, Bruce <[email protected]>
wrote:
>I will have to go out and look to see which lac I used but this is maple
>and walnut.
>
>http://www.hollywoodswoodcrafts.com/images/Jewelry_Box/2_JBox_ClosedView.JPG
Nice looking jewelry box, Bruce. You must've made someone happy. :)
Michael
On 23 Jul 2004 19:33:50 -0700, [email protected] (Patrick Olguin)
wrote:
>Michael Baglio <[email protected]>, with hands firmly on home-row
>pecked out: >
>
>> The project _is_ a coffee table,
>> however, and since I know I'm _never_ gonna be a doily kinda guy, I'm
>> thinking poly for the topcoat is pretty much mandatory.
>
>Not eeeeeeeven! My (and so many others') favorite for this high-use
>application is Behlen's Rockhard Table Top varnish. Here's the first
>link I found:
>
> http://www.vandykes.com/product/02238449/
>
>It rubs out far more satisfactorily than any polys I've tried (in the
>days of my ignorant halcyon yute). You can rub it to whatever level
>of gloss you'd like.
>
>And yes, you can use oil, then dewaxed shellac and then the varnish.
>
>McCloskey's also makes a great varnish to go over shellac (I believe
>Jeff Jewitt likes it best). Here's a shot of a walnut table finished
>with shellac and McCloskey's Herloom varnish:
>
> http://shellac.net/images/charlie_table.jpg
>
>Reminder: I'm no longer affiliated with shellac.net.
Paddy, sorry for the delayed response, been outta town. Thanks for
the above info. Behlens will be a new experience for me, looking
forward to it.
Michael
"Friends don't let friends use poly." ;>
On 22 Jul 2004 12:29:13 -0700, [email protected] (Patrick Olguin)
wrote:
>Michael Baglio <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
>> Ever have one of those days where you just can't make up your mind?
snipperoonie...
>Regarding figured (not necessarily ambrosia) maple, here's an example
>of potential contrast:
>
>http://www.klownhammer.org/proto-bench/part3/bench2.jpg
>
>Yeah yeah yeah, the figure might be a bit over the top, but the
>contrast between the figured maple and the... bark (hey, it's brown
>like walnut) is nice, I think. This was thinned (w/turpentine) pure
>tung oil, topped with garden variety dewaxed blonde shellac. I'm
>still working on carving out a little shop time so I can install the
>bonerific mesquite slab that Chuck Vance sent out a few weeks ago, as
>my new vise face. Yeah, curly maple wasn't good enough so I had to
>send to Texas for mesquite. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
Seems to be a winning combo there. The project _is_ a coffee table,
however, and since I know I'm _never_ gonna be a doily kinda guy, I'm
thinkng poly for the topcoat is pretty much mandatory. Any thoughts
on oil/shellac/then poly vs. just oil and then the poly top coat?
(Never had reason to ask before, since this will be the first time
I've ever bought a can o' poly. _That's_ gonna be interesting.) ;>
>Hey, I don't get the binaries group, so do ya think you could email me
>your work-in-progess pic?
Sure thing.
Progress has stopped since I'm packing for the annual bidness
conference this weekend, but I'll send you one I took right after I
got it out of the clamps.
The space in the picture represents about a quarter of my entire
12X16' shop-ette. :) SWMBO is calling for an entertainment center
next, so I think I'm going to have to come use your shop.
Oh.. wait... you're "shop" _is_ right outside my shop doors! :)
Pic sent to your Yahoo account. Thanks for the response. And by the
way, this:
http://www.klownhammer.org/proto-bench/us.jpg is one _great_
photograph.
When you gonna put a directory on da main page? All yer cool stuff
(like dem fancy shellac brushing movies) is buried so deep we needs
our pickaxes to find it. :)
Michael