Hey guys, sorry to ask what's probably a silly and obvious to answer question, but they say the only dumb question is the unasked one.

if filling the pores is done by applying finish and sanding (as opposed to just applying layers of finish) wouldn't the slurry tend to affect the color variations? does that make sense the way I worded it?

it seems to my limited level of wood intelligence that you have no control over which color of wood dust goes into the pores, so it could obscure the figure.?

I'm going to refinish a lacewood stock, which has very small and subtle figure, and want to do a stain/color to bring out the figure, but wonder if I need to be very careful to make sure the pores aren't filled with anything other than finish, so that I don't make it any harder to see the figure than it already will be.

Thanks guys.

Red
PS
I really hate it when I post questions that I know will take so many more words to ask than they to answer.

Depends on how and when you sand. If you sand while the finish is still wet, to some extent what you suggest will happen. The resulting slurry of sawdust and wet finish will go pretty much wherever it wants.

If, however, you let the finish dry at least 24 hours before sanding, then sand back down to wood level, the finish in the pores will remain there, thus filling them, but there won't be any slurry to get where you don't want it, and you'll eventually have a completely filled wood surface ready for the next coats.

Each next coat of finish, treated the same way, will add a little to the thickness of the finish, but very little. Over time (and I mean lots of time) 6 to 10 coats will build up a finish just like polished marble.

But that "dry" method is a LOT of work. it involves sanding the entire stock very meticulously, everywhere, between each coat, with finer and finer grits of paper. and applying very, very thin coats of finish as you go along...often no more than a few drops at a time on the palm of your hand and rubbing it to a smooth uniform depth before it dries.

It is a skill slowly learned, and exacting in your required personal performance.

I used to do it regularly 50 years ago when I was making stocks, but I sure wouldn't want to do it today on a stock I was building for someone else. Takes so much time to do it right using that approach, that you'd have to charge a price no one would pay, or else not eat regularly. I learned that the hard way, which is why I no longer do it.

In my experience it CAN, however, produce an absolutely fabulous finish which shows the grain of the wood as crystal clear as if under the finest of glass.

Red
Essentially, I use the method outlined above with a few variations. Thin the first coat of finish so it can penetrate the wood, and keep applying until the wood is saturated (no dull spots). let dry - long enough to be completely hard. Then brush on an uncut coat and let harden. Sand down to wood and repeat. two to three coats are usually enough unless the wood is very pourous. You can then hold the stock to the light and any unfilled pores will be shine - work on those areas until you are satisfied that all pors are filled. Then continue to build the finish on the complete stock. It will look as Alberta Canuck describes.

Alternately, you could use a clear two part cement sealer to fill the pores. Two coats are usually enough unless the stock would is very porous (i.e. some American Black or claro blanks). Sand down to the wood and finish using oil, varnish etc. Try a small test piece to make sure you finish is compatible with the cement sealer. This has worked well and has the benefit of hardening the outer surface of the stock. However, sanding is not fun.

Bill

A couple of other short-cut ideas which can work too... One is to apply a thinned coat of Brownells "Sanding Sealer" before you apply any finish, but after you have already used any stain you plan to apply. Be sure to sand it all away except what went into the pores, before applying any finish.

Then you have a series of efforts like this to do:

1. Finish sand.

2. Stain & let completely dry

3. Finish sand again.

4. Apply sanding sealer and let completely dry

5. Finish sand yet again.

6. Apply first coat of "oil-type" finish and let completely dry.

7. Finish sand one more time.

8. Repeat steps 6 & 7 with increasingly finer grits of paper as many times as you can bear or the stock requires, whichever comes first.

By "finish sanding", I mean sanding to a perfect finish, with NO sanding marks showing anywhere. Takes a persnickity eye and a small pail of fanatacism mixed with stubborn on your part.

One major thing to remember is, just like metal work, it is the polish you impart to the material BEFORE applying any oils, colors, or chemicals which will determine just how good the final product is.

Sometimes I honestly believe stock work is only for the clinically compulsive...if you're not a little nutso (er..."idiosyncratic"?) when you start, you will be by the time you're any good at it.

quote:

Originally posted by Alberta Canuck:

One major thing to remember is, just like metal work, it is the polish you impart to the material BEFORE applying any oils, colors, or chemicals which will determine just how good the final product is.

Sometimes I honestly believe stock work is only for the clinically compulsive...if you're not a little nutso (er..."idiosyncratic"?) when you start, you will be by the time you're any good at it.

Lord if that ain't the truth.

And you must plan your day around the stock finishing work. At least I did. you just have to devote the time to do it right and sometimes it takes longer then others but you just need to be persistent.

These steps are just about the same as what is printed in the book Riflesmithing by Jack mitchell. Sterling Davenport gave his recommended technique on the Tung oil finish and it is basically the same as the wet versions of the above posts.

And there is no magic bullet, no cheating, no cutting corners, It takes as long as it takes and not a minute sooner.