need finish suggestions ! qswo rocking chair


tcarswell

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I'm leaning towards masterpiece wood finish from highland woodworking. What do you guys think is best ? It's going to be gently used . I will have spent 100 hours on this thing by the time it's finished so I don't want to skimp or cut corners with the finish :) though I'll admit my finishing skills are a tad lacking so easier finishes to apply are better .

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If you wanna go traditional, use ammonia.  It's not hard...you just gotta build a tent and wait for it to work.  Just don't burn your eyeballs off.

 

Hey Eric, wasn't that you that did a wicked step stool a while back out of QSWO?  Can't remember if it was you or Kev.  Either way, turned out awesome just using arm-r-seal I thought....  Not the same as fuming, but still awesome and a lot less hassle...

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Look up fuming QSWO.  Here's an article Marc did a while back on the process.  Can't argue with the results (arguably the best appearance you can get with white oak), but it isn't something to screw around with.  It reacts to moisture (whether tears in the eyes, mouth, lungs, etc).   I have a gallon of the stuff and use it only for the best of the best projects. 

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When I first got it I opened the bottle inside my shop.  My work bay is 32x54 and within a couple minutes had to fire up the fresh air make-up system; it's that strong.  Outside is the only way to use this stuff...  Either that, or if they are small pieces you're fuming do the pouring outside, lock everything up inside a large cooler then bring it inside for the waiting process which doesn't take too long depending on the concentration of the ammonia..

 

BTW, great looking chair T!!

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How did you apply the arm r seal Eric ?

 

Just wiped it on.  It might be a little more challenging on your chair with the slats and numerous joints and all...but still fairly easy, considering.  You may want to thin your second and subsequent coats to help prevent pooling in corners and crevices.  It'll take a couple more coats than normal but I think it's worth it.

 

I think the ultimate finish for that chair would be a fuming, then a few coats of A-R-S...but I've never done it so I couldn't tell you the results with certainty.  Ammonia brings out the character in QSWO like nothing else.

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Ammonia fuming is very easy. The tent can just be plastic over a wood or pvc frame. The ammonia "dies" over a period of time. If you run a hose from your dust collector or shop vac into the the tent it easy to vac the the tent before opening. If you use pvc pipe with a couple of "t" fitting your shop vac can connect right to the frame. The hardest part is buying the strong ammonia.

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Yup, that's the same link I was getting ready to post.  It's where I got mine :).  Agreed with Don that it's not hard, just need to be set up to manage the fumes (heavy chem gloves, respirator, goggles, etc.  Make a tent as tight as you can, pour a couple ounces of the juice into a few different cups placed inside the tent, seal it up and let it cook.  The chair will need to air off for a couple days afterward, but not a big deal. 

 

*** Just be very careful handling the ammonia!  ***

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