Finishing - Brown Paper Bag After Dye?

[charlieb]

Wood turners often use a piece of brown paper bag as a final fine abbrassive before a final finish is applied.

I'm mentoring a newbie furniture maker who is doing a 30" wide by

20" deep by 95" tall linen cabinet with raised panel doors and side panels as well - out of BORG poplar. The intent is to use TransTint "reddish brown" dye - in alcohol and probably wipe on poly as the finish.

Now the key to avoid Splotchies is to seal the end grain coming up out of the face of parts with something, in this case shellac I've mixed up from flakes (there's something about the ritual of grinding shellac flakes adding them to the alcohol and stirring - waiting - stirring and waiting - then the filtering of the wonderful elixir). Though alcohol doesn't raise the grain as much as water, it does raise the grain some.

That means - shellac - wait - sand - apply another coat of sealer

- wait - sand finer, . . . The height of the grain which will stand up when the alcohol dissolved dye is added won't be much - but even some will mean more coats of finish later. So there's been a LOT of sanding

Now one of the problems with dyes is that sanding it isn't a good idea - especially if it's on an open grain wood. While poplar is not as open grained as oak or mahogany, it ain't maple.

So I'm wondering if a going over the dyed surfaces with brown paper bag paper will avoid getting fine sawdust in the grain that's tough to get out and cut down on the need for more coats of finish?

Anyone tried it for this application?

charlie b

[nailshooter41]

SNIP of explanation

charlie, I do a lot of finishing. Here's my take on this, and you can take it for exactly what it cost you! ;^)

I don't like Transtint. It fades and can fade fast. I don't understand why that is, but I know light is its enemy. I have talked to enough furniture refinishers and makers to know that won't be my way. A large cabinet or table is bound to be in some kind of light in its life.

I use Behlen's Solar Lux and love it. I have not had anything I have used it on fade. That being said, I have my own method of application.

I spray it. I use a tiny 1mm cap (nozzle/needle if high pressure) and I cut it with 50 - 75% solution with anhydrous alcohol and mist it on the project. No shellac needed as a base coat, no problems with over absorbtion as there is a thin even coat of dye going on the surface. It could try to pull more in, but there isn't a rag or brush to act as a reservoir to pull the additional dye into the rougher or more porous grain.

I spray a classic classic 2 coat crossing pattern to make sure I get a good even coat. You only need to wait 20 minutes before you are ready to go again.

Then I spray the finish on. I have done this with lacquer many, many times (the results are phenomenal) and under polyurethane as well.

As always, just my 0.02.

Robert

[Larry Blanchard]

Charlie, what I usually do is raise the grain with water and sand. Then I apply 2 or 3 thin coats of 2 lb cut dewaxed shellac with a pad. Then I mix the dye with the shellac and apply one or two coats. After that I go back and apply several more clear coats, somewhere between 4 and 8 depending on how energetic I feel. I let that sit for at least a week, two is better, and wet sand lightly, using mineral spirits with 1500 grit paper. Then, while it's still wet, I give it a couple of swipes with 0000 steel wool.

Not all that different than what you described except for the extra coats after the dye.

So far I haven't noticed any fading, but most of my stuff is small boxes and the like which don't see a lot of direct sunshine.