Re: Advice on scraping tiger maple
Wiley Horne--Glendora CA
>Lance,
Am sure the harvest table and hutch will be wonderful pieces when done. Don't want to change your mind on anything you're doing, but I'm just finishing a curly maple project, and will offer a few observations for what they're worth.
The finishing procedure will affect the final look far more dramatically than the raw wood preparation--including whether it looks aged or new. You mentioned that this is your first time using tiger maple, and believe me, when you hit it with the finish, it's gonna do some amazing things. The sequence I have followed is one generally recommended by Jeff Jewitt and also our own Dave Anderson: dye the raw wood to set the basic color tone; rub in boiled linseed oil (or tung oil or walnut oil, whatever) to pop the curl in the figure. From there, you have many options for a top coat.
There is an excellent article on Jeff Jewitt's site (www.homesteadfinishing.com), titled 'Early American Maple Finish', which shows several different possibilities. You'll find it in the 'Articles' menu.
I think you will see from Jewitt's article that the maple takes on a look of great character from the finish treatment. This is most noticeable, not so much when you do the dye treatment, but rather the minute you put the oil on it. When the oil pops the figure, it gives it a depth and takes the 'new' out of it right there. It will look great if smooth and glowing, and distressing is very risky and may detract IMO.
Wiley
