# looking for ideas of a less involved, step-wise finish routine



## sawdustsux (Dec 10, 2012)

For a Natural Satin/semi-gloss, non-stained finish, I generally use Watco Danish Natural (2 coats), Arm-R-Seal (3-4 coats) sanding between each, then waxing with Goddards.
I get a nice finish, but it is way too involved, manually.

What do you use to obtain a Satin/Semi-Gloss finish without all the hand rubbed steps involved in what I have been doing…

Not spraying, as I don't have a spray facility.

Hand done, but with less labor??

I've done other finishes, but want to hear yours…???


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## kdc68 (Mar 2, 2012)

Sorry no advice here….To me finishing is labor no matter the technique. I'd stick to what your doing. That dresser looks great. If all your projects look that good, then well it's worth the work


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## sawdustsux (Dec 10, 2012)

I hear ya…every piece I do with this technique look great…but it's so involved, man. I want to find out if somebodies doing something less involved with good results…???
I wish I had the room for a HVLP spray area, but I don't want to make a good thing (my finishes) worse…maybe the spray tech. will be less quality.
I hand rub every square inch of my work. It's becoming exhausting.
It's a lot of work for every single piece.
I have to find room for everything to dry, then keep a schedule of coats of all different parts…jeez


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## sawdustsux (Dec 10, 2012)

Less work…same results???


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## sawdustsux (Dec 10, 2012)

Anyone use Shellac & Linseed by hand?
Tell me your system…


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## sawdustsux (Dec 10, 2012)

I don't want to spray until I have the room. Soon (not soon enough) I will be moving my shop, and I hope to incorporate a decent spray booth; doing waterbournes. I have seen/sprayed a little bit of Lacquer, but , hey everybody does it, right? Why spray a lacquer when I can use new waterbourne varnishes? 
I hear the General Finishes Enduro-Var is awesome…??? any comments on it?


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## RussellAP (Feb 21, 2012)

I do pretty much what you do without the danish oil. After the ArmRseal goes on you really can't tell the difference that much as it's oil too, so maybe skip a step there. I'd also add that I use Charles Niel pre color conditioner or shellac to seal it to prevent blotch, but I really only do that for soft wood. I try not to stain good hardwoods, else I wouldn't buy good hardwoods.


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## sawdustsux (Dec 10, 2012)

you start with Arm-R-Seal?
I have been getting (slight) streaks with the wax…maybe I haven't waited long enough, or rubbing too hard, or not letting it dry…it gets maddening after a while when it doesn't look the same as other pieces.


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## RussellAP (Feb 21, 2012)

With cherry or walnut, yes, I go straight to armrseal, wiping with 300/400 between. Never saw a reason to do anything else after that.
I work wax down to a very thin coat and let it dry over night. if there is a small ball of wax anywhere, you'll leave those darn streaks everywhere, especially if you use a buffer like I do. 
This cherry cabinet is only armrseal.


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## sawdustsux (Dec 10, 2012)

I am going to try putting 1-2-3 coats of Arm-R-Seal, 320 grit between, and buffing the last coat with #0000 wool, then wax, 1 coat


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## sawdustsux (Dec 10, 2012)

I do it all by hand, no buffer, I use T-shirt cloth for Arm-R and wax


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## RussellAP (Feb 21, 2012)

The wax is optional in my opinion, it dulls after a while. When I made that cabinet I stopped after the second coat and thought all I could do from here is mess it up, so I stopped and the finish is beautiful and hard.


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## sawdustsux (Dec 10, 2012)

So you applied 2 coats of Arm-R-Seal and that's it? (sanding in between the first coat?)


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## sawdustsux (Dec 10, 2012)

Looks awesome!


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## cutworm (Oct 2, 2010)

Let me say this. That is a really nice finish. I wouldn't change anything if I were you.
How do you prep?


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## sawdustsux (Dec 10, 2012)

I haven't stained a project in years.
Generally I insist on the wood matching their ambitions for color. It has been a niche for my business, as people believe they no longer have to seek a color of preference by stain; instead they can choose a species of wood to find the color.


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## sawdustsux (Dec 10, 2012)

Me? @ cutworm


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## RussellAP (Feb 21, 2012)

Steve, yes, that's all I did. Finishing needn't be a drag.


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## sawdustsux (Dec 10, 2012)

True. Thanks RussellAP


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## RussellAP (Feb 21, 2012)

Steve, one other thing I'm considering doing just out of best practices is to use a coat of shellac sanding sealer first. As I remember I did that to the chest above. I do this to prevent uneven absorption of the oily sealer. It happens on all woods to some degree and the shellac seems to be the easiest way to prevent it. It dries almost instantly too so you aren't waiting. By the time you finish a large piece with shellac you can come right behind it with sealer if you need to, but I always give it an hour or so anyway.


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## huff (May 28, 2009)

Steve,

Your craftsmanship and finishing is exceptional! I'm not sure I'd change much of anything as long as you're continuing to do all hand finishes.

I take it you have an exceptional amount of down time between finishing one project before you can start another. (without having a separate finishing room).

That was the main reason I went to spraying finishes years ago. As a business, I couldn't afford all the down time waiting for finishes to dry so I could work in the shop again. I figured if I was going to build a separate room for finishing, I might as well set it up to spray. I was never sorry I did.


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## sawdustsux (Dec 10, 2012)

@ Huff - exactly my issue…I have a ton of moving this…and moving that…just to be able to cut and saw and sand and….Ahhhhh!
I can't wait for the day I have a separate room.
I get by, but I struggle.
Thanks for the props!
I try, I do a lot of hand work on my finishes, trying to be "perfect" it's not easy when (we) can see all our own defects, and others say…wow, it looks amazing…but I know, ya know?


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## waho6o9 (May 6, 2011)

If it works don't mess with it.

Great job on the finish Steve.


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## cutworm (Oct 2, 2010)

@Steve = Yes. What steps do you take to prep? Beautiful job and I'd like to pick your brain. I don't see how you could improve anything.


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## sawdustsux (Dec 10, 2012)

@cutworm thanks.
I mill my own wood. Jointer/Planer…then
Sized, straight to the sander: 120g, 150, 180, 220.Vac in between grits
If it's a table/Dresser top, 320g.
Then Watco Danish Oil, with a T-shirt swatch, first coat wet let sit 15 min, wipe.
Second coat, wipe on wipe off.
Let gass off for 4 days. Then…
1st Coat Arm-R-Seal, I wipe on softly, leave wet lines, don't press hard…I use a T-shirt swatch rolled up with no wrinkles, let dry 12hrs. (I do 12 hours because I have found 6-8 hrs. insufficiant)
Sand 320 g softly but with the grain…vaccum & clean with tack cloth.
2nd the same.
3rd the same, but, if you are not doing a forth, (which I sometimes do) do not sand, let dry 12 hrs.
Wax…I use Goddards, but you can use your preference. Rub on thin…softly, no preasure…let dry to a haze, 1-4 hours…buff off lightly.
There are going to be a lot of opinions of this system, but it's what I do.


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## cutworm (Oct 2, 2010)

Thanks Steve.


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## sawdustsux (Dec 10, 2012)

good luck @cutworm.
I tried to explain it as best I could for a complicated thing, ha. I find it second hand but, because I do it all the time.
I may have been brief and incomplete??? so if you have any questions let me know, and I am sure there are better ways to do it that others here may be helpful with.. so good luck bud! Peace.


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