How to handle porous woods

It takes a lot of coatsof finish and a lot of rubbing between coats. If you use a paste filler before the finish that will fill a lot of the pores. I just put a coat of finish on then sand with 320grit dry. The next coat I go to 400wet or dry depending what I feel like. Then next few coats I will sand with 600 grit wet. When the finish is looking pretty deep and smooth I will switch to 1200 grit wet. After the last coat I use a 0000steel wool and soapy water to get rid af any dust then polishing compound to get the shine back. The number of coats you need will vary with the wood and the type of finish.

-- Bruce

Trying to fill pores with finish is a long arduous process. TimberMate grain filler is very easy to use and quickly solves the pore problem. It comes in matches for many types of wood and I use it a LOT! Woodcraft is the only local source for me.

-- " I'll try to be nicer, if you'll try to be smarter" gfadvm

Agreed, use a grain filler that is similar to or slightly darker than the wood you are filling.

-- -- Rick M.

How does the grain filler affect figured woods who’s sheen changes in the light? The sample shown and here http://lumberjocks.com/projects/69104 is African mahagony that changes color like a tiger’s eye stone in the light, will the grain filler affect that sheen?

-- We've got enough youth. Let's search for a fountain of smart.

DanoP- My best advice would be to try the TimberMate and your finish on a piece of scrap and make your decision based on that. TM is very inexpensive so you can afford to test it.

-- " I'll try to be nicer, if you'll try to be smarter" gfadvm