17
votes
Making wood filler from sawdust
I remember hearing a while ago that sawdust and wood glue can be used as a wood filler to fill in gaps and imperfections.
Yes you can do this, but note that the term "sawdust" might be slightly ...
- 63.5k
15
votes
Accepted
What finish should I use to make a bowl "microwave-safe"?
Are there any finish solutions for making "microwave-safe" wood items for serving food on?
It's not so much a question of "microwave-safe" finishes as "microwave-safe" materials.
Microwaves work by ...
- 12.1k
15
votes
Finishing a desk or tabletop?
oiling and applying something like polyeurethane which seems to be used in all the youtube tutorials
OK need to run though a number of basics first.
Firstly a general caution, lots of people who ...
- 63.5k
13
votes
Accepted
Can I apply water-based polyurethane over an oil based stain?
This should be ok if you gave the stain 3-4 days to properly dry out. You'll want the oil-based drying agent to completely vaporize from the stain before applying the water-based finish.
Please see ...
- 12.1k
13
votes
how to fix very light scratches in polyurethane finish?
You're going to have to make this look worse before it looks better. The first step is *gulp* to lightly sand or scuff the entire surface until the existing scratches aren't evident, and then do one ...
- 63.5k
11
votes
Can I apply water-based polyurethane over an oil based stain?
Can I apply water-based polyurethane over an oil based stain?
Short answer: yes.
Longer answer: if you wait for the oil-based stain to properly 'dry' (cure) it's no longer oily. This is because the ...
- 63.5k
11
votes
Accepted
How do I treat MDF?
What should I apply to seal the edges from leaking and seal the top from absorbing? Indoor use, subject to humidity.
Technically you don't have to do anything to it, many people have MDF benchtops ...
- 63.5k
10
votes
Accepted
How to apply polyurethane?
You will want to do the woodburning before you apply finish. It's usually a good idea to lightly sand the area around the woodburn after doing the burning and before applying finish. Woodburning has ...
- 12.1k
10
votes
Accepted
Can I speed up stain drying with a hair dryer?
Yes if you blow air (especially heated air) over various oil-based finishes they will dry faster.
Is there any reason not to?
Hairdryer first: you're unlikely to cause a problem unless you get ...
- 63.5k
10
votes
Accepted
Are active charcoal air filters effective against finishing fumes?
"All" (like "always" or "never") is generally a bad wording, since unless the question is "Do all people have to die?", the answer must obviously be "no". There are very few absolutes in nature.
But ...
- 3,895
10
votes
Why does my workpiece become rough again after applying polyurethane varnish when it wasn't before?
The bumpy feeling you describe is probably the wood grains raising up after applying your varnish; especially if it's a water based one. I previously asked a question about why it's important to ...
- 2,400
9
votes
Is all fine grit count sandpaper called wet/dry?
So is all the very fine grit count paper actually wet/dry sandpaper?
No. You can get regular papers that go to 400, 600 and even 800 grit (or equivalents). But as a broad generalisation if you see ...
- 63.5k
9
votes
Can low durability be mitigated with specific finishes?
Can low durability be mitigated with specific finishes?
Short answer: yes, absolutely. Think of the long service life of softwoods used outdoors when treated with wood preservatives.
Is this ...
- 63.5k
9
votes
Accepted
Can I apply polyurethane over oil before oil cures?
Can I apply polyurethane over oil before oil cures?
Yes, broadly speaking you can do this and there is no real penalty. You do tend to see an increase in drying time, but contrary to many statement ...
- 63.5k
9
votes
Accepted
Will painting the edges of plywood hide the layers?
If I paint the edges of an oak plywood sheet, will it hide the layers well enough to not show through the paint?
If you're asking whether you will only see a flat, smooth base below the paint (like ...
- 12.1k
9
votes
Accepted
Should I finish before, during, or after assembly?
Yes, yes and yes. I think some pre-finishing should be done almost routinely, but doing so is not nearly as common as it could be.
It should be said that the type of the finish plays a big part in ...
- 63.5k
9
votes
Why shouldn't I shake my can of polyurethane?
Apparently it's the bubbles
The concern is that the agitation of the can will create bubbles. Brushing poly will transfer those bubbles to the work and there will be a good chance they will dry/cure ...
- 20.1k
9
votes
Accepted
How do I de-nib polyurethane after it dries but still maintain its finish?
How do I avoid or remove the scuffing?
Basically you can't. Until you get to really high grits (way above P1200) you will see the scratches and these are not suitable for de-nibbing.
How do I ...
- 63.5k
9
votes
What is a good finish for shot glasses?
My advice would be not to make glasses out of wood so I'll put that out there right at the start.
The only sure-fire ways of waterproofing wood are to completely encase it in a film finish, or ...
- 63.5k
9
votes
Accepted
Making wood filler from sawdust
Yes, that is a method still in use. You can use it to fill gaps. But, the unfortunate thing about this method is... You create a place on wood that is different in absorbing the oil/stain that you ...
- 144
8
votes
Accepted
What to do with a mineral-oil finished desktop
Could I refinish it by simply applying a drying oil (tung or linseed) over the mineral oil?
The standard answer to this on woodworking forums would be no, but in reality it might work acceptably. ...
- 63.5k
8
votes
How do I remove scratches between layers of polyurethane?
except we noticed brush marks in about three different spots. I think the brush didn't have a wet tip and the poly dragged or something
This sounds like it could be possible. It could also have ...
- 12.1k
8
votes
I wonder how this alternating stain effect is made
It looks to me as though whomever did this just stuck the end of the piece into a can of finish, one end at a time. If you were to dunk the end into the finish, allow it to sit for a short period of ...
- 1,028
8
votes
Accepted
I wonder how this alternating stain effect is made
I'm with Sashco, the company who posted that picture. Yes, the prepped sections were taped off in order to clearly mark where the different prep methods were done. After all prep was done, a very ...
8
votes
Accepted
Applying shellac in high humidity
Why can't I apply the shellac at humidity greater than 85%
A few reasons.
One is that a very high water content in the air can slow drying, as you've experienced (a thin coat of shellac would ...
- 63.5k
8
votes
Accepted
Hiding factory machine marks
What are these from and how can I either hide them, prep the wood before staining to eliminate them, or determine if a board will have them ahead of time so I can avoid using it?
These look to be ...
- 12.1k
8
votes
Accepted
Applying shellac smoothly without a sprayer
This mostly happens between dips into the can.
There's your problem right there. Actually there are three problems here: working directly from the can, the cut and the brush.
Ideally you don't ...
- 63.5k
8
votes
Accepted
Sanding the final coat of lacquer?
Try "sanding" it with a brown paper bag. That will be just abrasive enough to knock loose any dust nibs. It may polish the surface, though; try it on an inconspicuous area first to make sure you're ...
- 9,171
8
votes
Accepted
Supporting a workpiece during staining / finishing without damaging finish
Finish one side, let it dry, finish the other.
Or hang it from a string (as some folks do when spray-finishing cabinet doors).
Many people do use nail points or other nonabsorbant supports. Many ...
- 9,171
8
votes
I polyed my paintbrush then procrastination left me in a predicament
Did I doom my paint brush to the garbage or is there something I can still do to save it?
Salvaging a brush with hardened varnish (or paint) in it is actually quite doable.
It will require a long ...
- 63.5k
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