woodworking

Applewood and Mike Woodsap - Thanks so much for your thoughtful responses! I don't have dark wood im working with, but perhaps that ethod you laid out in detail can get it similar. Really appreciate the inputs!!!

Hello everyone - I came across this beautiful carving, and as I have been carving similar things myself, was curious if anyone could provide any insight as to this stain/finish? I'm new enough where I can't discern just by a picture, but this community has been able to answer any and all questions I've had so far as a beginner, so thanks in advance.

Thank you all for the information! If it comes out reasonable I'll put some pics up when it is complete.

So something like this ornamental piece as a wall hanging - would you have any idea what sort of application and techniques?

Thank you for the input Steve, i will see if i can wrangle up a photo of what I am thinking of on google or something and attach.

I have just recently began working on a carving of a sculpture to hang as an ornamental piece on my wall - a creative, not functional piece which will not receive wear and tear like a table or other structural piece would. I want to know a good jumping off point for painting this wood as I have yet to do this, I am quite new to woodworking so excuse what may seem like a simple question coming up . . . . Is there a specific type of paint to use on wood sculpture to get the desired effect? Does paint seal, or do you use an oil before hand? All of these beginner questions! Thank you for any help.

Appreciate it very much Rick. I am still relatively new to it all, and have only basically used linseed oil to seal or stained a piece in one color and then poly. I haven't used and/or learned about the ideosyncrasies between lacquer, shallac, varnish, etc. just yet.

Hello - Thank you so much guys, and Rick - very cool video, I really liked that piece! So the only other question I have is, for example, are you putting on poly or varnish between putting on the two different stains to avoid it running, or are you simply letting the first color stain dry completely and then applying the darker coat on top. Again, really valuable info, thank you both very much for the guidance, this community is really fantastic.

Hello - When staining a wood carving, I'd like to use multiple different stains, though I find it extremely difficult to do it without the stain running into one another, and the piece looking blotchy, having lines crisp and defined, etc. What sort of techniques would someone apply to get the desired effect on a carving? Thanks in advance for any input on this topic!

Again thank you all so much for the guidance/input on this topic. I really appreciate the help and will upload photos when all is said and done!

Wow, thank you for the prompt replies! I just joined this forum, what a responsive community. To follow up, I guess you touched on what I am a bit confused about, terms seem to be used interchangeably. Is a top coat/finish something like polyeurethane? If so, can that be put right directly onto the wood without any sort of other preservation? Again, thanks so much for your inputs!

Good evening all - I have made a cedar shelf, and want to preserve it as its natural color. I used linseed oil and mineral spirits mix on one shelf (probably about an 20-80 mix), and it now has a yellowish hue to it. Is there any stain you know of that is 'clear' that can soak into the wood and preserve it and truly not color it? Thanks so much in advance.