Comments

1. 
   EB9307 | Feb 17, 2015 10:36pm | #1

   Dennis, that is absolutely beautiful work. Woodworking is obviously your passion. It really shows in your work. Were you educated in furniture making or does it just come naturally to you ? I ask because I started making furniture about a year and half ago and I've never enjoyed making anything more than furniture. I've never been trained in furniture making but I've been woodworking about 25 years. I'm guessing that the lack of training in this area will hold me back from really excelling.

2. 
   MecSoft_Ricky | Feb 18, 2015 05:50pm | #2

   Agreed beautiful work Dennis...great job to you and the rest of your family! Can i ask what specifically makes the darker staining difficult?

   Keep up the great work.

   Ricky

3. 
   DennisZongker | Feb 18, 2015 10:56pm | #3

   Hi EB9307,

   Thank you for the complement.

   When I was a very young kid I work in a cabinet shop for about 8 years. I always wanted to get into furniture so I read every thing that I could on woodworking. A big influence for me was fine woodworking magazine.

   The next big step for me was to just get in there and do it with no fear and figure things out as needed.

   So I would design what I wanted to make and draw in the mortis and tenons, ect, then start building.

   Good luck to you, I think you might surprise yourself once you get going.

4. 
   DennisZongker | Feb 18, 2015 11:13pm | #4

   Hi MecSoft_Ricky,

   Thank you for the complement, Ricky.

   To use a dark stain onto the wood and get the grain to pop out and see transparently is goal.

   By just using stain alone to get a dark color the pigment in the stain would have to thick like paint.

   So by using a conditioner, then a aniline dye which is a toner, then the stain is the best way to bring out the beauty in the wood.