Replies

1. 
   jonsherryl | May 06, 2003 03:50pm | #1

   Mike, I think you've got the problems diagnosed correctly. The quality of finish you can apply to this wood is impacted by it's tendency to fuzz up and its occasionally uneven porosity.

   For these reasons, I've always opted for a deep, film finish and a sealer coat prior to attempting the inclusion of any pigment (stain.) Also, I don't typically use this wood when I want the piece to have a dark finish. Except for its lighter weight, under a dark finish, butternut is virtually identical to walnut...and since it is no longer all that much cheaper to use, I opt for walnut in that situation.

   If I want to darken it just a bit, or alter the hue to warmer tones, I use blends of the darker shellacs for the sealer coat, or a varnish stain as the top coat. In other words, I sort of work my way through the finishing process, adjusting for the right hue...with all of the pigments embedded somewhere in the film coats.

   Obviously, this doesn't yield the clarity of finish acheivable with woods that have uniform porosity, but that's just the nature of butternut...and the nature of the craft...in that you have to adapt to the properties of the medium you chose. And that, in turn, is why medium selection (the wood you choose) for any given project is so important to the results you get.

   
   

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   Edited 5/6/2003 10:38:38 AM ET by Jon Arno

   
   

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   Edited 5/6/2003 10:42:07 AM ET by Jon Arno

1. 
   PnCbWshp | May 08, 2003 07:40pm | #2

   Thank you I appreciate your input. Since I have 400 bf of FAS butternut, I better learn to make use of it.