Finishing Curly Maple?

I have some extraordinary curly maple that looks great with mineral spirits on it. How do I finish it to make it look that good when done?

A google search suggests the most popular method is tungoil/shellac/varnish. But I saw a Fine Woodworking article referred to that seems rather more complicated. Should I go to the trouble of finding the FWW article, or stick to the TO/S/V?

If it matters, it will be on a turned bowl. Won't turn it until Monday, but the wood is great.

Reply to
Toller
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Send it to me.

I'll send it back really pretty!

Reply to
B A R R Y

Seriously, a rubbing with a light colored dye or BLO will beautifully pop the figure. Cover that with whatever clear coat you're comfortable with.

Or, you can send it to me...

Aren't you in NY State? I'm looking for somewhere to fly Sunday afternoon. I can pick it up!

Reply to
B A R R Y

Thats right, but I would like to hold onto it.

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is actually rather better than the photographs.

Are you looking to fly somewhere for the hours? A few months ago I flew around Letchworth Park with someone who just needed to fly somewhere; great flightseeing trip for free!

Reply to
Toller

I would try Deft Danish Oil Finish on a scrap. Deft Danish Oil has more resins and urethane than other brands. They use it on their custom furniture at Homestead Heritage in Waco. I've used it on two chairs I built and I really like it.

Reply to
Lowell Holmes

The hours do get logged, but I do "hours" to stay proficient. This time of year, many of my favorite destinations are boarded up. Picking out new places keeps it fresh and lets me hear some different voices on the radio.

An interesting idea. A guy I work with rode his motorcycle though that area last summer. Thanks!

Reply to
B A R R Y

"Toller" wrote in news:tOnIh.4528$ snipped-for-privacy@news01.roc.ny:

I'd pass on the oil, just in my experience. Shellac does fine by itself. So does varnish, thinned 20-30%, likely with vmp naptha.

I see no reason to try and do a three part finish on that piece of wood. Too many ways to trip up, to no good end.

Is this a user bowl, or a showcase bowl?

Patriarch

Reply to
Patriarch

Satin Minwax wipe-on poly does it for me.* Takes about 4-5 coats, but they go on and dry quickly, and there are no brush strokes. :-) Finish with sandpaper going from 220 to 400 grit, and then a final rub with

0000 steel wool and paste wax.

Here are some photos of cheese boards finished that way:

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a curly maple and walnut hall table:
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the slide sow and check out img_0121 in particular.

*PS: Use Minwax, not Watco. Minwax is mostly solids, Watco has a fair percentage of oil. Takes longer to dry and doesn't finish as hard.
Reply to
Vince Heuring

Almost any clear finish that is not too dark will help pop the curls. Avoid any traditional stains. A true stain is made with finely ground opaque pigments in a binder. Such a stain will fill the pores and kill the chatoyance that results from the changing grain direction.

Dyes don't do that.

One technique that takes advantage of the difference in absorption between the curls is to dye the wood, (you can try treating with sodium hydroxide too, that darkens maple, though not as much as it does cherry.) then scrape it down with a cabinet scraper until the dye is removed from in-between the curls. Then sand (if necessary) with very fine sandpaper and finish with a clear topcoat, or oil and then a clear topcoat.

You could probably do the same substituting a spit coat of a dark shellac for the dye.

Reply to
fredfighter

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