Never use Sapele before.
I have purchased about 200 board feet of 4/4, one edge cut straight. All the ‘sticks’ are very close in color but the grain varies more than a ‘bit’. The way I like my wood.. Random widths between 5 and 10 inches wide.
Any advice on how to best finish this wood. I have no place to spray so that is out of the question. I usually use oil and hand wiping.
Most of the ‘sticks’ have a ray/fleck pattern sort of like quarter sawn white oak. Very pretty. The ray/flecks seem to be open grain like the oak also. Not bad though. Should I use a filler?
As a note: With open grain in other woods I use, I usually leave it ‘as is’. I like to keep the wood as natural as possible as far as the grain goes. However I have no objections to stain but I rarely use anything but oil finish.
I’d send a picture but my oldest granddaughter ran off with my new Sony! But then again I cannot take a good picture of wood anyway…..
I have not decided yet. I may mix the Sapele (maybe laminations)with either Jatoba or my Panga-Panga. I am “finally” going to start two canopy beds in some Oriental style for my little China dolls. Twin sized.
Winter is coming, so the finishing part is ALONG way off. My shop is unheated.. I can ‘cut’ out there, but NO finishing, so no quick response is necessary. I would like to know so I can do the proper ‘prep work’.
Open for ideas.. Thanks in advance
Replies
I recently finished some Sapele using Zinsser seal coat thinned to about a 1-1/2 pound cut. I applied 4 coats sanding between coats with 320 grit. I rubbed out the final coat with 0000 steel wool and wax thinned with naptha. The finish really brings out the shimmer in the sapele and the surface really feels nice to the touch.
I suggest that before you build anything, that you take a couple of the boards, prepare the surfaces, taking care to thin the lumber as little as you can, and to a number of samples of possibilities. Keep track of what you did, and use as a reference for your actual finishing. In most cases, a pass or two through the planer turns finish test samples back into lumber.
WillGeorge,
I've done a fair amount of work with quartered sapele, and with the right finish, it will look incredible. What we did in the shop was a vinyl sealer followed by two-three coats of cab acrylic lacquer. You said that you have no place to spray, so then my advice would be to use shellac as a top cote.
You should do a few sample finishes, trying just the shellac, then one with an application of oil first (I like teak oil), then one or two with the finishing schedule that you are most familiar with. Regarding filling the pores, you'll have to make that call.
If you apply oil to this piece, after the second coat, rub the fresh oil into the wood with 400-600grit paper. You'll get a really smooth finish that will be a great foundation for the top coats. ...or you could stop there and apply wax.
Insofar as preping the raw wood for finish, 180-220 is enough, with the last pass by hand going with the grain, (assuming that you're using a powered sander)
Good Luck, and keep us posted.
-Kevin
(assuming that you're using a powered sander)
Almost all of mine is hand sanding with a wide block.. Then again I have nothing against power tools if i'm in a pinch!
with the last pass by hand going with the grain, (assuming that you're using a powered sander)NEVER by me.. No objection to your thoughts.. My final pass is with a hand scraper and a gray 3M pad filled with the finish I used at the time.
Will,
Very nice timber, that. I can't tell you much about finishing it because when I used it long back I just wacked on a beeswax and natural turpentine mix and brushed it with ####shoe brush (small tables, coffin stools etc.). Very pleasant smell...Sort of "chippy" to work.
If I had some here I would spray on Zinsser seal coat followed by pre cat lacquer-which is very well made stuff here. No filling , staining or "interferences" of any sort....It does darken a fair amount.
Mind how you stack those "sticks"- use stickers, otherwise it can walk around. I would not advise you to mix or laminate it with any other timber even though it is quarter sawn.
Have a good time and let's see pictures of Work in Progress.
Grainwise AND Philip.. Thanks for the posts... I will try what you suggested...I saved a 'stick' I can use for experements.. However,, the one I liked the best cost me about $100.00 US. Maybe about 33 Dollars these days!
Zinsser seal coat ! I have a lot of that.. Now looking for a recent date of what I have!
I think it has a looooooooooong shelf life....Not like ordinary shellac.Philip Marcou
Sort of "chippy" to work. As in my Jatoba I use often....
I would not advise you to mix or laminate it with any other timber even though it is quarter sawn.Can you explain a bit more as to why? You are the expert... NOT ME!I tend to laminate many woods with good results.. But just a 'newbe' by your thoughts. I take your thoughts with MORE than a whim.
Will,
It has quite a high movement factor, but I suppose you could risk mixing it with another wood of similar characteristic. Maybe I am too cautious with that sort of thing, but I have seen too many bad results.Philip Marcou
It has quite a high movement factor..I was not aware of that.. Thank you for that information. I will make up some tests and see how it reacts.
Will,
That is a good plan, then you know where you are with that wood. Thing is, one gets used to working a certain wood , then a "new " one comes up-and all of a sudden fings just ain't the same....
I made a movement gauge when in Zimbabwe for the Iroko that I used mainly. Very simple item consisting of two pieces of Iroko about 750mm each long by 50mm by 20mm -short grain offcuts from the ends of a table. I simply attached them onto another board opposing each other so that I could measure the changing gap as they slid parallel to each other. The outer ends being glued for the first inch or so, then a slotted washer and screw at each of the inner ends.BIG movement in Zimbabwe because of prolonged moisture extremes-but here it stays virtually still, because it is just damp most of the time, comparatively speaking. I also had another one for Makore .Philip Marcou
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