Please accept my apologies in advance, as I’m sure a thread exists on this very topic.
I’m a DIY, somewhat novice woodworker. I got some plans from Woodcraft to make a keepsake jewelry box for my wife (see attached). The top will be walnut and the drawers will be from some really nice curly/quilted maple I found.
Now I’m wondering what’s the best finish to make this beautiful maple pop without being too glossy, and without yellowing. I’ve got Linseed Oil, Tried and True, Liberon Finishing Oil, General Finishes Arm-R-Seal, and the standard lacquers.
Leaning on your expertise, does anyone have a recommendation?
Thank you!
Replies
"somewhat novice" with that picture feels a bit like a humble brag.
Box looks great, not sure you could go very wrong with whatever you decide to go with, great work!
I appreciate the reply but to be clear, the picture is from Woodcraft and the model. Mine is still in production. But thanks again!
I found shellac to bring out the beauty of figured maple but it will turn yellow a little however, finishing curly maple with anything flat that does not have an amber tint does nothing to bring out the character of curly maple.
Jeff Jewitt, did an article in FWW #135 on how to pop curly maple. Best way to preserve the creamy colour of the maple is a water based finish.
To "pop" the figure you ned to add color to it. You can add the color, then sand the surface to bost contrast, then topcoat with waterpoly. Sealcoat or Sealcoat with a slight tint added works well.
Practice on scrap with the same figure, endgrain is pretty unforgiving with dye jobs.
Tom McLaughlin's Epic Woodworking YouTube Channel had at least several episodes dedicated to this. He does a lot for FWW as well. I don't know about not yellowing though from these YouTube videos. I used blond shellac on my figured maple. It provided minimal but not zero yellowing.
https://youtu.be/6kzMx36tDBM?si=1CIfZiv6GGYZEebH
https://www.youtube.com/live/t2OUqpBX7es?si=-_toiW18kyUDnQqF
1buffalo..........I think a lot has to do with the figure and quality of the curly maple you purchase. Minor curly maple might need a little amber stain to make it pop, but higher end curly maple (commonly called tiger maple, but the same thing) only needs a clear coat.
I have attached a photo of a record player stand for my daughter, notice how much depth there is with only a clear finish. I use Polyurethane, clear for most jobs. Mother nature can do more than we can imagine, why waste her beauty.
Nick
Nick, this table is crazy beautiful! WOW!
Nick, so no dye or stain was used on this table? Just clear finish?
Curly maple should look spectacular with a super blonde shellac. The best method would be to French polish it. First put a good sealer coat of shellac on. The go watch a YouTube video on French polishing (maybe FWW has some). About 10 coasts of this (don't worry -- you only need about 10 minutes between coasts) will provide the most transparent and flat finish (they're related). It will be glossy, but if you use a felt with lambswool soap and some fly ash, you can bring the shine down to a satin level. There's nothing like French polish to showcase beautiful figure and grain. If you've never done it before, of course practice on some offcuts first.
https://www.finewoodworking.com/videoworkshop/2019/11/a-perfect-french-polish-finish
Curly maple is a lumber I use semi-regularly. My go-to finish is first coat, boiled linseed oil - this pops the curly figure well. Give it time to fully dry before continuing. Then, as others have mentioned, shellac. It's a great, easy-to-work finish for things that don't have to tolerate a lot of wear and tear. Lastly is a coat of Liberon wax.
There's multiple finish choices that will work; this is the one I've settled on.
I think it’s important to decide if you want any sort of yellowing in the end product and act accordingly.
As others have pointed out, a very light coat of linseed oil under shellac is an attractive option and easy to apply- the shellac can be padded on or brushed.
If you want to maintain the light color and contrast as shown in the photo a Cab-Acrylic lacquer is a good choice, it is water white and doesn't' yellow. Mohawk makes it in rattle cans which make it easy and inexpensive to apply on your small project. You can get it from Klingspors Woodworking shop.
https://www.woodworkingshop.com/product/parm102-water/
I can't thank ya'll enough for the incredible feedback and your experience!
Very much appreciated!
I'll drop a post here when the box is finished.
I made an urn for my mother-in-law's ashes from Peruvian Black Walnut. Attached pic. I used linseed oil, then finished with General Finishes Arm-R-Seal. It came out great, but this is a different animal.
Thanks again!
I have used a Conversion Varnish with some luck on birds eye and curly maple.
Here is tung oil on a french artist easel 40 years old.
What is conversion varnish? I think aged maple is a different animal. The OP won’t have access to 40 year old maple. 😊
I made the easel 40 years a go.
Conversion varnish is a witches brew that I used in the 1990s that a well known piano manufacture used also that name began with a Stein.
Maximum build was 3 to 4 mill in 3 coats. Because of its tensile strength if you get to thick it will crack/unzip along the grain lines.
When I used it the rep. made me keep a Diary of the viscosity, temp, humidity and time of day of each applacation and My mood for the next 3 days after usage.
Partial use of a respirator offered to no protection from the harmful vapors from solvents.
Here is there new version. I am sure there must be other companies versions out there.
Krystal® is a post-catalyzed conversion varnish finishing system
https://www.mlcampbell.com/product/krystal/
The photo below is Conversion is a Lacquer based thinner also known as cellulose thinner.
The last posted picture was Oil base.
I hope this pic come out clearer. New to this forums format.
Better photo:
Maple, purple heart, ebony, turquoise, Jasper, and quartz 20+ years old
Look up Charles Neil https://youtu.be/-MxLxsZHX98?si=ROOs-X8bF2G4oxGj
Curly Maple... You may want to look at this... Iron Nitrate and curly maple.. made for each other..
https://youtu.be/knSI5R5prxI