An important aspect of building furniture that many new woodworkers overlook, is the importance of finishing BEFORE the project is completely glued together. That’s the primary focus of this part of the series.

A few of the topics covered in this part:

• How to deal with color differences between plywood and solid wood trim.
• Raising the grain and applying water-based dyes.
• Theory and application of wiping varnish.
• Creating shelf pin holes for adjustable shelving.
• Applying angled trim to the shelves.
• Final glueup and clamping strategy.

I mentioned my finishing DVD in the video, so here’s a quick link for anyone who might be interested. A Simple Varnish Finish

JIG IT® Shelving Jig Our original JIG IT® Shelving Jig is now even better! Get perfectly, consistently spaced and centered shelf-pin holes! JIG IT® Shelving Jig

**New Project Plan!!**
If you are interested, we now have a digital plan available for this project. The set includes a PDF plan/cutlist and a full-featured Sketchup file. The download is available in the Wood Whisperer Store.

Quick Links:
Low Entertainment Center Pt. 1
Low Entertainment Center Pt. 2
Low Entertainment Center Pt. 3
Low Entertainment Center Pt. 4
Low Entertainment Center Pt. 5

This video is from a live demo I did on Wed. Nov 19th, 2008. The topic was staining blotchy woods. After the demo, I’ve included a portion of the Q&A from the chat room. Thanks to everyone who participated!

General Finishes Gel Stains

A Simple Varnish Finish DVD

I get quite a few questions about water-based finishes and how to make them look more like oil-based. Its a common problem since water-based finishes are “water-white”, which means they don’t impart any color to the wood. This can be great in certain situations, but not so great when you want your project to have that warm glow to it. In this episode, I use dye, shellac, and boiled linseed oil to try to spice up our water-based finish. I also packed in a bunch of related tips and tricks as I went through each process.

Related Links:
Hock Shellac Flakes
Charles Neil’s Shellac Video

As requested, here is a hi-res photo of the test boards:

Outdoor finishes can be one of the trickiest types of wood finishes to master. Why? Because there is never a one size fits all solution. As woodworkers, we are used to dealing with the seasonal wood movement of our interior pieces. But when one of our creations is destined to live outside, there is much more to consider. Depending on your region’s climate, your project could experience anything from snow and ice to hot desert sand storms. How the heck do we prepare for that?!?! Well, it is still an area that I am learning much about. I haven’t built many outdoor pieces and most of my knowledge comes from my reading and conversations with other woodworkers. Here in the Arizona desert, we have mild winters, occasional isolated rain spells, monsoon season (a temporary time of increased humidity), frequent dust storms, and of course, blazing hot summers where my shop can reach 125F, if left to its own devices. So in these harsh conditions, how would you finish your solid alder front door? For me, the answer lies in something most of us use on a daily basis: our workbenches. Much like your workbench, an Arizona front door will receive a great deal of punishment. And when an item is going to see that much abuse, sometimes the focus has to shift from absolute protection (a losing battle), to repairability. And that’s where my special homemade oil/marine varnish blend comes in handy. Watch the video and see what you think.

We are very proud to announce the release of our very first DVD production, “A Simple Varnish Finish”. Many of you have requested I review my “go-to finish” process in detail and that’s exactly what I did. Its nearly 40 minutes of content devoted specifically to my wiping varnish finish method. Every step is demonstrated thoroughly with lighting and camera angles that ensure you see ALL of the detail. I also go into a few other variations of the finish as well as tips and tricks that will save you time, money, and headaches. After you watch the main feature, you will probably want to review just the finish steps alone. So I’ve included a second feature on the DVD that simply recaps the entire process in about a minute. Very handy!

The DVD is available NOW in our store: CHECK IT OUT!!

This video covers my initial impressions and experience with the Earlex Spray Station 5000. To sum up, I thought the Earlex did a darn good job spraying pretty much everything I put in it, including oil-based poly, water-based finishes, lacquer, and latex paint. I would probably recommend purchasing some of the smaller tip sets though, since they will increase performance on the water-based stuff. The 5000 does lack some of the spray controls typically found in higher-priced 3 and 4-stage units, but sometimes those extra features are just unnecessary. I found the simplicity of the unit to be refreshing. In fact, there were a few occasions where I needed to spray and I found myself gravitating to the Earlex primarily because of its simplicity. Now the unit has only been in my possession for about a month so I can’t comment on its longevity. But from what I’ve seen so far, I think the Earlex represents what many of you are looking for: a low-cost way of getting into the spraying game, without scarifying the quality of your finish.

I would also like to thank Charles Neil for his help “behind the scenes” on this video. You can see his video on 2-stage turbines on Youtube.

***UPDATE (10/5/09)*** Its been well over a year since I first used the Earlex and I am still very happy with the unit. I have sprayed everything from water-based to lacquer and many variations of stains and dyes and the performance has been excellent. I did have a problem with the gun at one point, when the small nut that holds the lid to the gun actually cracked. One phone call resulted in an immediate replacement and I was back in business in no time. My concerns about the longevity of the unit were based on the housing being primarily plastic, and the hose being a little stiffer and “cheaper” than I was used to. As a result, I diligently wrap the hose up after every use and I am careful not to step on it. Taking these precautions, I have had absolutely no problems with the hose. This unit is still a highly-recommended purchase.

In this episode, I put the finish on the pencil holder. But its not just any finish. Since we are working with a beautiful curly maple, I think the finish deserves a little extra specia attention. Curly maple looks fantastic with a few coats of an oil based varnish. But it will BLOW YOUR MIND if you “pop” the grain with a dye first. So that’s exactly what we do in this episode. Thanks for watching.

Update
The finishing materials I used in this episode are available from Rockler via the affiliate links below:

During the filming of our last podcast I decided to do a quick finishing Q&A with the chat room. I was able to get it all on tape and that’s exactly what this is. Random questions and quick answers. Enjoy.