re:- Varnish
Unless it needs to be weather/waterproof proof then any varnish is not a good idea especially for woods that are not resinous or waxy naturally. Varnish will cause the wood to dry out completely until all that holds it together is the varnish.
For an indoor finish hot Linseed oil (hotter the beter) and hand rubbed, yes it attracts dust but just like anything else can be wiped with a cloth.
French polish is very hard work but will also cause the wood to dry out
Hot /beeswax/spirits(meths) gives the best of both without destroying the wood be it solid or veneer.
I used this method to preserve wood samples( +/- 30 yrs ago) of all the local hardwood/softwoods in the form of books i.e. A4 size25 mm thick which were treated as above and were arranged in a bookcase for reference. Title's were type of wood ,place of origin and primary use. (some were single pieces some were laminated to make up size but served as a quick reference for what to expect when used for a particular application)
Sadly when I moved house it stayed behind as a fixture for the new owner.
regards
keith
Unless it needs to be weather/waterproof proof then any varnish is not a good idea especially for woods that are not resinous or waxy naturally. Varnish will cause the wood to dry out completely until all that holds it together is the varnish.
For an indoor finish hot Linseed oil (hotter the beter) and hand rubbed, yes it attracts dust but just like anything else can be wiped with a cloth.
French polish is very hard work but will also cause the wood to dry out
Hot /beeswax/spirits(meths) gives the best of both without destroying the wood be it solid or veneer.
I used this method to preserve wood samples( +/- 30 yrs ago) of all the local hardwood/softwoods in the form of books i.e. A4 size25 mm thick which were treated as above and were arranged in a bookcase for reference. Title's were type of wood ,place of origin and primary use. (some were single pieces some were laminated to make up size but served as a quick reference for what to expect when used for a particular application)
Sadly when I moved house it stayed behind as a fixture for the new owner.
regards
keith
SOME STAINING CLARITY
French polishing is basically a shellac finnish. Not very durable but with practice a thing of beauty. Fuming Oak will make it turn golden brown not black. And if you don't know exactly what you are doing it can be very hazardous to your health. Ammonia fumes are very caustic. For saftey reasons it should be done in a bag, outside in a garage or something similar with a good cross breeze. In it's defense the colour is wonderfull and very hard to duplicate by other means.
In a nutshell the most user friendly finishes are oils, next are the varnishes, next we fall into the category of shellacs and laquers.
Experience is a bitter teacher but the lessons are learned well.
Mark
French polishing is basically a shellac finnish. Not very durable but with practice a thing of beauty. Fuming Oak will make it turn golden brown not black. And if you don't know exactly what you are doing it can be very hazardous to your health. Ammonia fumes are very caustic. For saftey reasons it should be done in a bag, outside in a garage or something similar with a good cross breeze. In it's defense the colour is wonderfull and very hard to duplicate by other means.
In a nutshell the most user friendly finishes are oils, next are the varnishes, next we fall into the category of shellacs and laquers.
Experience is a bitter teacher but the lessons are learned well.
Mark
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