Dale Sampson Posted March 5, 2015 Report Share Posted March 5, 2015 Im just starting to get serious with woodworking as a hobby. While i learn the basics of joinery etc im sticking with making things for around the house out of good old cheap pine. I think i would have a breakdown if i made a newbie mistake and ruined a nice expensive piece of hardwood. So bringing me to my question does anybody know of a video/series or site/page that deals with tips and tricks for getting the most of pine? For example after doing my best to stain some pine (luckily a test piece) i found out that sealing the pine with 1lb shellac best staining helps cut down on the blotchyness you get with pine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdwerker Posted March 5, 2015 Report Share Posted March 5, 2015 It paints well ! It's good to practice on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Immortan D Posted March 5, 2015 Report Share Posted March 5, 2015 Shellac makes an excellent sealer, not just for pine. Even when you're planning to apply only a basic finish, like linseed oil, sealing with shellac as a first step reduces the ugly lumps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick A McQuay Posted March 5, 2015 Report Share Posted March 5, 2015 Pine is more difficult than hardwood in several ways and not just because it blotches. The softness means it dents and scratches easily, is more prone to chip out and can be brittle meaning pieces just flake off for little reason. It's also cheap. For those reasons it's a good practice wood and hardwood will be easier in comparison. - Rick M, sent via Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric. Posted March 5, 2015 Report Share Posted March 5, 2015 I don't think it's a good practice wood at all...aside from the fact that it's cheap. If you ultimately wanna work with hardwood, practice with poplar. I don't know what part of the country you live in, but in a large part of it you can get poplar seriously cheap...$1.50/bf for S3S at my dealer. It's still soft, but a bit harder than pine...but more importantly, it behaves like hardwood when you put steel to it. Softwoods have late and early growth which makes some techniques tricky...have you tried chiseling pine? Forget it! Cutting dovetails in pine is nothing like dovetails in hardwood...any sloppy pins and tails you can smoosh together...not so with hardwood. Practice a set of dovetails on pine then try hard maple...different ballgame altogether. Not to mention, practice can still yield finished projects...ultimately those pieces will be more durable and longer-lasting in a hardwood, even a cheap one like poplar. If you're in the southwest or west, alder is often another cheap alternative. Disclaimer: I'm not a fan of softwoods in general. Some people are. I'm suggesting that if the goal is "practice," it would be better to practice with a material more similar to that of the species you aspire to. Basketball players don't practice with volleyballs. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jfitz Posted March 5, 2015 Report Share Posted March 5, 2015 You already discovered one issue with pine - it's prone to blotching when applying a finish. Using shellac as a sealer is a technique that should also work with some hardwoods that can also be prone to blotching (cherry and maple, for instance). I think when you get into more joinery techniques you'll find that pine can be tough because it chips and frays. Keep your cutting tools as sharp as you can - but you'll probably still have some frustration. Another issue you should watch out for is the grain pattern, as this can contribute to warping or movement in wider boards. Sure, you can get a wide pine board, but when you look at the end grain you'll see that the grain can be quarter or rift sawn on the sides, and then go to a plain flatsawn in the middle (and maybe even contain some of the pith - center of the tree). Quarter and rift sawn would be more stable, but flatsawn can have more movement. Don't think twice about ripping the boards lengthwise to get rid of the pith or undesirable grain, and leave a desired grain orientation (like rift sawn). The board will be narrower, but you can always then glue them together to make a wider - and more stable - board. Marc has a video that goes over lumber and grain, although I don't recall if he covers pine specifically http://www.thewoodwhisperer.com/videos/a-lumbering-feeling/ +1 to what Eric said - you should consider poplar and alder. They're more like hardwoods in how they work. Pine boards at the local home center can run you $2/bf. A decent hardwood dealer will have better options for that - or less. You do you have a jointer and/or planer, or are you counting on getting surfaced lumber? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhighlander Posted March 5, 2015 Report Share Posted March 5, 2015 Plenty if good points made about pine, but keep in mind that the Shakers used a LOT of pine, with beautiful results. One key there is stock selection. Straight, knot-free grain from old growth trees is best, but very scarce today. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pghmyn Posted March 5, 2015 Report Share Posted March 5, 2015 I'll be another to vote for practicing with other woods. I don't know if it was established elsewhere, but where are you from? People here might be able to help you get in touch with a lumber supplier for better quality hardwoods. I did the quick math, and cheap pine at my Home Depot is between $1.00 - $1.80 / BF depending on width/length etc. At my hardwood dealer, Soft Maple is $1.62/BF for #1 common. If you are just practicing, #1 common can be your best friend. Find some bigger pieces where the only defects are knots. You can cut those knots out and make copious amounts of boxes for joinery practice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raefco Posted March 5, 2015 Report Share Posted March 5, 2015 If you are using an oil base stain you can just wipe it down with a sponge soaked in mineral sprites just before you apply the stain, A good wet coat, give it a minute to soak in and wipe off the excess and stain, this will give you very even color, I also thin my stain with what ever its base is, for oil base I use mineral sprites, you can always scuff it off and darken it up, it's not so easy to lighten it up. before I bought a planer I built everything out of #2 or #3 construction grade 1X stock, usually 1X8's or 1 X 10's they are the best, straightest and best bang for your buck. If you want clear lumber you can step up to the #1 and better clear stock, I would sometimes buy these for the raised panel in doors but at that point you are paying dearly for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 5, 2015 Report Share Posted March 5, 2015 Personally I think pine looks best with a clear, non yellowing finish. i don't like to look of stained pine. i just built this workbench for my shop. The top and legs are made from some old pine boards that were sitting in my sister's garage when she bought her house. The were 3" thick by 12" wide. The top is just two boards. It is old, tight grain pine. It has a yellow color so I assume it is yellow pine. I finished with General Finishes High Performance waterbourne finish and actually like the way it looks. It is harder than your typical box store spruce/pine/fir lumber, maybe closer to poplar or a little harder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weithman5 Posted March 5, 2015 Report Share Posted March 5, 2015 some of the nicest furniture in our house (i had nothing to do with other than writing checks) are pine. however, they are designed to look more rustic and old Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Immortan D Posted March 5, 2015 Report Share Posted March 5, 2015 If pine is good enough for building homes and Christmas trees, then it must be good enough for everything else. When I started this woodworking hobby, all my projects were pine. Since I didn't have table saws, jointers and/or planers, all my "raw" material came from the homecenter in the form of shelves or steps made of pine. But that was a week ago. Now I'm fully established and working with hard woods (but still don't own any table saws, jointers and/or planer machines). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dale Sampson Posted March 5, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 5, 2015 Ive got a table saw, but no jointer or planer yet. Some very good points made so far thanks very much! For one i always figured pine was softer, softer is easier to cut, so its easier to practice with. It didnt occur to me that chiseling something soft is harder to get right (straight, smooth etc) then hard wood! I live on the gulf coast about 150 miles south of Houston. Sadly my closest real hardwood supplier (that ive been able to find anyway) is nearly 200 miles away. I do feel a day trip to checkout some of the cheaper suggestions ive got here might be coming up in the next few weeks . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AceHoleInOne Posted March 5, 2015 Report Share Posted March 5, 2015 What the hell, get some box store pine and get to work. Doesn't really matter, pick a project and DO IT any project! I made a might fine shaker style clock from box-store pine and cheap hardware. Practice your skills. Get your brain and body use to the tools. How you hold the tools, work with the tools. How to measure and make cuts. If you can learn and make a decent project from pine. Hardwood' s will be a piece of cake and more appreciated. There will come a day when pine becomes the girl you once knew! Until then CHOP! CHOP! Make some sawdust! -Ace- 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wouldwurker Posted March 5, 2015 Report Share Posted March 5, 2015 Grab some pine, make a sitting bench, sand it baby butt smooth, wipe on some watco, sign it, date it, put your butt on it, crack a beer, and say cheers to your first project. Then become a raving, drooling, savings blowing, woodworking madman! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheDandroid Posted March 6, 2015 Report Share Posted March 6, 2015 I find pine to be more difficult to work with in my experience. like others have said , the softness means it likes to dent and chip out. I'm still pretty new to woodworking but where I live red oak is pretty cheap and I find it easier to work with then pine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bgreenb Posted March 6, 2015 Report Share Posted March 6, 2015 What the hell, get some box store pine and get to work. Doesn't really matter, pick a project and DO IT any project! I made a might fine shaker style clock from box-store pine and cheap hardware. Practice your skills. Get your brain and body use to the tools. How you hold the tools, work with the tools. How to measure and make cuts. If you can learn and make a decent project from pine. Hardwood' s will be a piece of cake and more appreciated. There will come a day when pine becomes the girl you once knew! Until then CHOP! CHOP! Make some sawdust! -Ace- Ace that clock is beautiful - what did you finish it with? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jfitz Posted March 6, 2015 Report Share Posted March 6, 2015 Sadly my closest real hardwood supplier (that ive been able to find anyway) is nearly 200 miles away. I do feel a day trip to checkout some of the cheaper suggestions ive got here might be coming up in the next few weeks . Then don't let that get in your way. Get some pine and make some projects, and keep yourself happy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AceHoleInOne Posted March 6, 2015 Report Share Posted March 6, 2015 Ace that clock is beautiful - what did you finish it with? Sprayed 2 light coats of the Enduro dye stain (dye) let dry. Then applied 1 coat of the Shaker Maple, let dry. Shot the EM600 over the stain, then let dry. Scuffed with 320 then glazed over the EM6000 with the Shaker Maple Stain, let dry. Then shot about 2 coats of the EM6000. -Ace- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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