# Recent Projects



## jennifertemple (Oct 30, 2011)

The 30's office chair was just a tedious hand, sand strip.
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BEFORE

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AFTER


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Sorry I did not do a before pic on this one!
The table has some stains I left in place to keep its aged look. When I started this badly water damaged piece the top boards were badly warped and seams opened. (Could have been bleached for an as new look.) The finish is just 3 applications of wipe on poly after a custom mix stain. Water damage is still slightly visible at the feet but over all, I'm happy with the resulting table.


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## RH (Sep 7, 2010)

Nice work. It’s a good feeling to give new life to an object that has been around and provided years of service. 

Our oak dining room table is on my list of items to refinish this winter. Ever since we got it the leaf has been a slightly different color from the rest of the table top. Never gave it too much thought since we typically have a tablecloth down when it’s in place. This year, while setting up for a holiday get together, I finally decided, “Enough, it’s time to take it on.”


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## RH (Sep 7, 2010)

And for what it’s worth, I am always forgetting to take before pics. Then post project time I’m always thinking, “Damn!”.


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## jennifertemple (Oct 30, 2011)

I always try to keep some of the age visible, various bumps nicks and stains keep it from looking factory fresh and indicate the lasting quality of the older creations while leaving them some character, IMO.


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## Tprice2193 (Oct 3, 2017)

Those peices are better than new! You will never fine new stuff made that way. I have seen dozens of those chairs like that trashed. The quartersawn rays are extreme in that table. I am assuming it is white oak but I have never rays that big? This is where I break out the Waterlox esp on oak. You can add your oil base stain right in your first coat. Wipe, brush, or spray. Nice work!


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## jennifertemple (Oct 30, 2011)

Tprice2193 said:


> Those pieces are better than new! You will never fine new stuff made that way. I have seen dozens of those chairs like that trashed. The quartersawn rays are extreme in that table. I am assuming it is white oak but I have never rays that big? This is where I break out the Waterlox esp on oak. You can add your oil base stain right in your first coat. Wipe, brush, or spray. Nice work!


I NEVER buy new store furniture. Every piece I own has been restored by me. It makes looking at them a real joy!

Yup, White Oak it is and those quarter sawn rays I thought were a really wonderful asset. I do believe they are larger because there were bigger and older oak trees around and perhaps the cuts were taken closer to the outside of the trunk. (Just guessing here) Because of the condition it was in, I paid next to nothing at a junk store but I could see the quality under the mess. As per stain, I like to let it soak into the wood so I use penetrating stains and wipe. It takes a little longer because the stain needs to cure but it is then the wood that is stained and not just the finish. That means I can refresh the finish any time with a light wet sanding and just apply a fresh wipe.


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## Tprice2193 (Oct 3, 2017)

You have an eye! That table was a real find! Must have been old growth...Both those peices look like they have been wet sanded a little before final coat...Very nice satin finish...makes me want to sit in that chair.


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## jennifertemple (Oct 30, 2011)

Tprice2193 said:


> You have an eye! That table was a real find! Must have been old growth...Both those pieces look like they have been wet sanded a little before final coat...Very nice satin finish...makes me want to sit in that chair.


I always wet sand @ about 400 grit, if doing a high polish I end @ about 1000-1500 grit wet and dry paper. (To be found in the automotive section of big hardware stores) Hand done high gloss takes considerably more coats as one works their way up the grit levels. On really fine work I end with a final rub of rotten-stone and olive oil. Remove all residue, after that you can apply a coat of rubbed floor wax. 

Here is a great tip for you, wet sanding on semigloss paint finishes between coats gives amazing results though you are not likely to find many HOs that want to pay for that level of of perfection. I have used it on my own cupboards when looking to avoid factory finish look and want to show off what a truly great brushed finish can look like.


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## jennifertemple (Oct 30, 2011)

RH said:


> And for what it’s worth, I am always forgetting to take before pics. Then post project time I’m always thinking, “Damn!”.


No doubt beacuse both of us just dive into the work and only when the thing looks great after do we go "OH, DANG! I wish I could show what I started with!" I just happened to have a pic of the chair, it was not a pre-work consideration. I got that while photographing every inch of my house for an insurance record of property owned. :biggrin:A project I update every couple of years as things come and go. It just seems easier than keeping a written inventory. (I'm lazy about stuff like that)


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## Tprice2193 (Oct 3, 2017)

Jennifer:. Thanks for the tip! You have confirmed what I thought was a little odd... wet sanding latex. I stumbled on this in 2005 on my first set of cabinets. 
I had my new HVLP and was pushing 15 percent thinned Proclassic High Gloss latex. Suprisingly this system worked well dried fairly quick and sanded Ok but was clogging paper and balling up a bit. I was using 220 wet dry sandpaper and got brave and splashed on a little water. Wow did that cut. Changed to 400 gave it a decent sand wiped off the soup and let it cure for about 12 hr and it rehardened enough for a final coat. Those cabinets are in my first rental house and they still look good after 12 years. I was painting over pine with orange shellac on them. I cleaned and roughed up shellac real good and put on 2 coats of BIN and 3 of the Proclassic with wet sanding between coats. Also your schedule to rub out your wipe on poly is almost identical to what I do with Waterlox however I don't use rottenstone I use Mequires polishing compounds. You can find them in the same area as the 1500 grit sandpaper. I use these because they are wax free. If rubbing out a pigmented lacquer you can come back with a clear since there is no wax. I even wet sand on oak with the Waterlox to work up a slurry of oak dust and finish that will act as a filler for the grain. I only do the high polish occasionally. Like you I really don't prefer a factory looking finish. Thanks for the tips and sharing pics of your work. I showed them to my wife so she can get an idea of what to look for at the resale stores.


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## jennifertemple (Oct 30, 2011)

Tprice2193: "I use Mequires polishing compounds." I may give the polishing compounds a try on my next small project. To date I have always rubbed out lacquers with pumice & water, then rotten-stone and oil. A process that has always worked well for me. Took me years to try wipe on polly! Until the last few years, I ground down brushed polly or lacquers.

Rotten-stone can be used with water as well. There is no wax involved unless I choose to apply a wax at the end.


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## Tprice2193 (Oct 3, 2017)

Jennifer:The wipe on poly I use is General Finishes satin and it looks remarkably similar to what you are using... whenever I am trying to stay old school I use the Waterlox which is polymerized tung oil, mineral spirits and a non poly resin. The biggest difference between waterlox and poly is that it looks a little more natural less like plastic. Side by side you can see distinct differences but I am hard pressed to say I like one over the other. Waterlox can be used for floors and can be used on exterior doors. I have one exterior mohoganny door that I have 10 Years on with no real damage. Just cleaning with watco rejuvenate and 0000 steel wool. Same door failed with minwax spar, then I painted it several times,. Somewhere along the line I was introduced to Waterlox and decided to redo the door again. I stripped it, put on a concoction of stain (very similar in color to your table) and applied the Waterlox....End of story except for occasional cleaning. If you are thinking about trying it use the original formula do not use the low voc. Also check out you tube there are a bunch of clips on there.


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