Replies

1. 
   RLMillard | Aug 03, 2002 02:59am | #1

   Veneer on plywood, is indeed very thin, because it has already been sanded at the factory. I would use a RO sander with 220 and 320 grit paper, but don’t rule out hand sanding, if you are uncomfortable attacking your project with a power sander.

   Finishing is a personal matter, but here is how I finish walnut on my period reproductions. This results in a nice warm aged brown, which closely matches some old walnut furniture I have that was made from air-dried wood.

   I wet to raise the grain and sand to 320, follow this is a fairly weak solution of orange water-soluble aniline dye. Allow this to dry and give it a coat of linseed oil with a golden brown dye in it (I use Tried and True Danish oil with Trans Tint golden brown dye). Topcoat with dewaxed dark shellac. On tops I apply a very thin coat of shellac, and then follow with Behlens RockHard Varnish, since shellac is not very scratch resistant. You could also fill the grain, but I find the pore structure of walnut small enough to fill with shellac, when I apply about 8-10 coats.

1. 
   Biscardi | Aug 03, 2002 05:03am | #2

   I recently finished a Queen Ann desk on frame in quartesawn and quilted walnut. i considered alot of diffrent finishes. I settled on a very simple and stunning shellac finish.

   Scrape, sand to 320, linseed oil( boiled) and then orange shellac. I brushed on two coatsand let dry for a day and then sanded with 400 grit> Then I brushed on another coat, steel wool and then padded on four coats of shellac. I rubbed with steel wool after every two coats and finshed with wax and steel wool.

   The finish is slightly orange, built up and very deep looking. I'll post a photo once I get the brasses on.

   Frank

2. 
   bobharrin | Aug 03, 2002 08:10pm | #3

   Thanks for your advice. I'll give it a tryand I have decided to make up a coule of test boards with various finishes and let the wife pick one. It will be tough for her to complain then. thanks again Bob H

2. 
   RLMillard | Aug 04, 2002 03:05am | #4

   I was looking at my post on finishing walnut, and I made a mistake in the description, I apply only one or two thin coats of dewaxed dark shellac, the remainder of the coats are done with super blond shellac, to avoid getting the finish too dark. I’m sorry for the error.