SWMBO is complaining about claro table finish

Re: SWMBO is complaining about claro table finish

Bart Goldberg

>My preferred finish for Walnut is Waterlox. I use both the sealer/finish(1st coat) followed by at least 2 coats of the satin finish. Easy to apply, provides the benefits of an oil finish, and also includes phenolic resin to protect your finish.

My 2 cents

Bart

P.S. remove the 2 to reply

"oil" finishes

bill tindall

>In the 50's and 60's oil finishes were popular and the commercial ones were not oil! They were thin coats of delustered varnish or lacquer.

What you describe as as your desire is a "close to the wood' finish. This is achieved by applying a thin coat of any portective finish, duloustered if you want an oiled luster. But, with the dull luster you will loose the brilliance of the figure in the wood. You can't have it all.

Whatever you decide, practice on a scrap piece till you are satisfied with the result.

Re: SWMBO is complaining about claro table finish

Robin Corell, Atascadero CA

>I've used modified tung oil and deft on claro. because of the depth and color fingerprints really show up in a coat of wax. Kind of like having a black sprots car DAMHIKT. I have also used deft over a coat of fully cured tung oil and it is in some ways the ultimate finish for claro. The oil pops the grain and the lacqer gives an increadable gloss. I would not recoment this for a dining table though as I have found the deft to be less than durable around liquids. I recently picked up a qt of waterbased laquer after reading the recent review in FWW and have been pleased with the few things I have used it on. I have yet to try it over oil, if it works it may become my new best friend.

I would suspect the problem in your table is in the wax and not the finish. Try a harder wax, one with more carnuba.

If you opt for total refinish don't be afraid of the amber tones of a poly finish. they highlight the wood nicely and claro holds its color significantly better then eastern walnut.

Robin Corell

Re: SWMBO is complaining about claro table finish

Tom Stockton

>Watco is a pretty weak finish, you need lots of coats to offer enough protection for a table and has a tendency to look dried out. On the plus side it is really compatible with almost any other finish once dry and you get the wax off.

The recomendation of waterlox is good 4 or so coats will still not look built up and offer way more protection than you have.

Seal-a-cell arnmor seal from rockler or woodcraft is similar and will do the same thing as will most of the so called tung oil finishes like Formby's.

Rockler carries a gel varnish that would work well,also bartley's makes one as well.

The other option is to thin oil based poly about 10% and apply with a rag, looks great and is easy.

All the above finishes look about the same the key is to find one you like and is easy to apply for you. I usually mix my own 50% oil based poly 25%naptha and 25% tung oil with a couple of table spoons of japan drier in it ,I mix it in an old sald dressing container. it is what I have my best luck with.

Tom

Re: SWMBO is complaining about claro table finish

Todd from San Jose

>For a dining room table, you really ought to have some protection on it against spills. The best protection against liquids would be polyurethane (solvent-based is your safest bet, although I hear there are a number of excellent water-based finishes now). To me, though, poly is kind of difficult to apply and fix defects for such a large surface. I would personally go with solvent-based lacquer. It'll give you very good protection, although not quite as good as poly. But- you can repair it, unlike poly. And, you can sand out dust nubs and other defects between coats. The next coat will melt with the previous one.

In order to ensure compatibility with the finish you already have on there, you ought to thoroughly clean off the wax, then apply a buffer layer or two of shellac. Then, several coats of lacquer over it. Rub it out, maybe with steel wool and wax, and you'll have a beautiful table.

I think shellac alone would be a poor choice for a dining table, as it's alcohol-soluble. One un-noticed spill of a glass of wine, and your finish would be damaged.

Another option I find easy is

Don Henthorn

>to use a 50/5 mix of poly (Minwax works but there are others)and naphtha and wipe on a thin coat. You can use gloss satin or what pleases you. I find that this pops the grain as well as any thing else you can use. Sand with 320 to remove any roughness and apply another coat. Use as many coats as needed to give the degree of polish you want. Allow the finish to cure for at least two weeks. Then polish to the desired sheen using whatever is appropriate.

Oops! Forgot to say sand after every coat.

Don Henthorn

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