"Toning, Staining and Spraying a Polyurethane Finish"

Finishing is such a complex process Dennis. I know so little about it. This is an absolutely amazing project on every level. Thank you so much for your step by step explanation of the process. It helps people like me have a better understanding of what is involved. It is a real pleasure to see your wonderful work here. You are an artist in every sense of the word.

Sheila :)

-- Contributing Editor, Creative Woodworks and Crafts, Sheila Landry Designs http://www.sheilalandrydesigns.com "Knowledge is Power"

Good blog Dennis.
The Griffin table is such a tour de force piece.
I see more in it every time I look at it.
I can’t imagine how impressive it must be in person

-- Paul M ..............If God wanted us to have fiberglass boats he would have given us fiberglass trees. http://prmdesigns.com/

Dennis, thank you so much for taking the time to explain this so thoroughly. It’s guys like you that make Lumberjocks a success.

-- Jerry Boshear, Professional Kitchen Designer, amature woodworker.

Wow!

-- Herb, Florida - Here's why I close most messages with "Be Careful!" http://lumberjocks.com/HerbC/blog/17090

Impressive carving with an equally impressive finish.

-- Scott Smith, Southern Illinois

Hi Dennis;

Very well written.

Lot’s of people don’t think of poly as being acceptable for a fine finish.

I guess you cleared that up.

Well done.

Lee

-- by Lee A. Jesberger http://www.prowoodworkingtips.com http://www.ezee-feed.com

Thanks for sharing, Dennis.

Could you explain (in further detail) what you meant with this? “Also, by having the top finish as flat as possible without having the finish build up too thick which affects the longevity of the finish.”

Are you saying that a thick finish has a shorter life than a thin?
By flat are you talking about level, or gloss (lack of), or did I totally miss the point.

Thanks

-- Joe

Informative blog and excellent photos. Thanks for sharing your expertise with us!

-- "They who dream by day are cognizant of many things which escape those who dream only by night." ~ Edgar Allan Poe

dennis

your skills and expertise
are at such a high level

thank you for sharing them with us

this piece is stunning !

-- david - only thru kindness can this world be whole . If we don't succeed we run the risk of failure. Dan Quayle

Thanks for this blog.

-- Jiri

Gorgeous piece ! Absolutely gorgeous ! Thank you for the post ! Sincerely, it would be good if you posted it every 6 months for us to enjoy !

don s. your north florida friend.

-- some men see things that are and wonder why, I dream of things that never were and ask why not .... rfk

Tremendous work Dennis. Terrific craftsmanship and design.
As an amateur, I don’t have to worry about time spent on any one piece. It’s value to me is the time I put into it and my enjoyment of the process.
But since you’re a professional (I have a good friend who is also), how difficult is it to recoup your time/costs or make a profit when you put 1100 hours into a single project? My friend spent 10 years laboring to build a custom, fine woodworking business until he realized he had to charge a very high hourly rate for his time so that he could make a living doing quality work. Can you really do projects like this and make a living? :)

P.S. Totally impressed by this piece. So many good things going on I don’t know where to start!

-- Gary in OP

Hi Lumberjocks, Thank you for your kind complements!

Hi Joe, How are you doing? Hope all is well. The goal for a great finished top is for the finish to be flat but not to thick. I sprayed 11 coats on the top for the griffin table, but I sanded off approximately 8 coats. The finish is like a filler in some areas. The thickest part might be 4 coats thick. The thicker a finish the easer you can get cracking, grain checking, only because the wood will always move. I hope this helps a little. And flat I’m meaning level.

-- Dennis Zongker

Hi Gary,

Thank you for the complements, I do make a living making custom furniture, I think we have found the right circle of customers. We have been in business for 22 years and right now are 3 months backlogged. Thanks for asking and happy woodworking to you.

-- Dennis Zongker

I’m doing well, Dennis, and I see through my Facebook connection (with your brother and Patti), that you guys continue to hit stuff out of the park. Congrats on all your recognition from the Omaha Chamber of Commerce.

I firmly believe that this Griffin table and your chess table and set will some day be in a museum. Next time I’m in Omaha, I’ll be by to look at them again!

One more question. Did you use satin poly for all the coats or just the sealer coat? I have been using gloss for all the layers except for the last several coats, and then use satin or semi gloss, in the belief that it gives a deeper look. But, you can’t get any better than the look and feel of what you’ve done.

-- Joe