Replies

1. 
   terrylee86 | Jan 07, 2007 02:42am | #1

   Simon,

   Finishing is a very personal taste kind of thing, but hear are some very basic steps and choices.  If you want it stained, McCloskeys or Minwax oil based stains are very forgiving and easy to apply(rag).  Allow that to dry overnight and apply your topcoat in what ever sheen you or your wife seem to like. Polyurethanes are pretty easy to use and they are very forgiving.  Thin the first coat 50-50 with paint thinner( not mineral spirits) apply with a lint free rag(t-shirt) and cover the whole mirror frame. Lightly Sand with 320 girt sandpaper, wipe well with a clean tack cloth and apply a second coat thinned 75-25(25% thinner) and sand again and wipe clean again. Apply a third of the 75-25 mixture and you should have a beautiful mirror.  You can rub it lightly with OOOO steel wool if your wife wants the sheen knocked down or you wax with OOOO steel wool and just enjoy your work.  Allow drying between coats to what is specified on the can. If this is a rhetorical, sorry I have been a science teacher all my life and I tend to give a lot of detail. 

    You might like a water-based poly, just follw the can instructions. I am not a big fan of H20 products yet.

   Terry

   
   

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   Edited 1/6/2007 7:48 pm ET by terrylee86

1. 
   SimonCarr | Jan 07, 2007 04:20am | #2

   Thanks for the reply Terry,

   I will try your advice and some of my own ideas on a few scraps I have tomorrow. I'll see what looks best and go with it. If it does not work out, hey ho, I will try something different next time.

   Thanks again

   Simon

2. 
   mbholden | Jan 07, 2007 05:15am | #3

   Simon,

   I recently finished a spice box in ash.

   I used a burnt umber dye, followed by clear (blonde) shellac, lightly sanded with 320 grit (looks terrible, but take heart!), then neutral Briwax (see - looks much better now!) applied with a grey scotchbrite pad.

   My sample board used a dark brown wax, but the first board I put it on I found the dark wax emphasized the grain more than I liked. So I used the neutral instead.

   The "under construction" pic shows the raw ash. The door panel is ambrosia maple finished with just a coat of boiled linseed oil.

   Mike

    

   
1. 
   SimonCarr | Jan 07, 2007 10:50pm | #4

   Thanks for the response Mike, What a lovley spice box!! Cant wait until my skills are at that level.

   I think that is too dark for what my wife is looking for. After doing some tests on scrap today, I am thinking of finishing with just Tung oil. If it looks too dull, I will consider applying a clear varnish.

   I read in FWW article that with ash and oak you should put on four coats of tung oil and wet sand the 2nd and 3rd coats to fill in the grain gaps with the slury. Has anyone had any experince of doing this? What were the results?

   Thanks

   Simon