Rick Mosher

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About Rick Mosher

  • Birthday 11/25/1953

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    http://profinisher.blogspot.com/

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  • Gender
    Male
  • Location
    Salisbury, MA
  • Woodworking Interests
    Professional Finisher

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  1. Both. I am dark and deeply disturbed but the crack was already there and I didn't fix it.
  2. I add highlights and shadows to enhance the grain patterns that are already there and make it look like something to me. I just think it's funny because no one ever thinks they are the same thing I do. The alien has spider eyes that I made fit into his head. That is one of my favorites.
  3. On the original woodies the eyes are painted on and then clear coated. These eyes are added digitally to photos of the wood that I take so I can make prints.
  4. Book matched figured wood with eyes added to create creatures. Everyone sees something different which I find cool. These plus several others are available as art prints on my website.
  5. Boat builders use this technique all the time. Here is an excellent article on a technique that may work well for you. I use So-Strong colorants in the resin I use but I am not positive it would be compatible with whatever product you are using. Smooth-On is where I buy most of these types of product other than West System Epoxy which I get from Jamestown Distributors. I think if you called either of these places they could help get you going in the right direction. Make sure to do samples before getting too crazy. The clear polyester sheet over the epoxy works AMAZING, comes out like a sheet of glass.
  6. +1 for the card scraper, can also be used between coats of finish when you learn to sharpen it properly. The RO Sander is still a required tool IMHO.
  7. My theory on the subject is once you go truly black you can't see the wood anymore anyway. All you are seeing is the texture of the pores. I have a hard time telling the difference between a thin black paint and a black dye with a clear coat. (truly black not just dark) So I would either use a thin black paint with a clear coat or the best thing yet is India Ink. Get the cheap stuff from Dick Blick. Black as night and thin as water. Apply evenly, seal and then top coat just like you would with a stain.
  8. The Smithsonian uses a micro-crystalline wax as part of the regular maintenance of their collection of Chippendale Furniture. (although I doubt they are planning on stripping and refinishing anytime soon) I have finished over many pieces of furniture that have had wax applied and have had no problems other than maybe a few "hot spots" that dry a little slower. I wouldn't recommend using an oil based or WB finish over wax without completely cleaning the wax off with naptha or mineral spirits though. These finishes require a mechanical bond between coats and will simply peel off if applied directly over wax. Wax also makes an excellent finish over raw wood, it is used very extensively in the UK. I believe Fiddes is one of the favorites. Here is an excerpt from an article from the Smithsonian on Furniture Care and Handling: Following simple cleaning, further protection and aesthetic enhancement can be obtained through the application of a stable, hard furniture polish, such as a hard paste wax. The hard wax surface can be dusted more easily because it will be more smooth, and the dust will not be imbedded in it as it would in an unwaxed surface. Waxing need only occur infrequently because the wax itself is not readily removed and it does not degrade chemically. Waxing too often can result in a built-up, clouded surface. This simple approach avoids the problems created by popular methods of "furniture polishing" - such as sprays and oily polishes - that may result in cumulative damage to furniture. Many polishes and residues continue to be a vexing problem for furniture conservators, as they can build up over time and with numerous applications, trapping and adhering airborne dirt onto the surface. Here is a link to the entire article.
  9. If these are going to be used outside at least brush some epoxy on the end grain on the bottom of the legs where they will be exposed to the ground. If they are going to be left outside then an exterior finish should be used, if they are just going outside occasionally and not being stored outside, then a wipe on poly should be OK.
  10. Iwata makes a really nice gun, as long as you supply enough CFM it should work really well for you. Also make sure and get the larger ID air hose (5/8" instead of 1/4") The larger diameter supplies more air volume and makes the gun atomize better ( HVLP = High VOLUME of air, Low pressure) So according to the spec sheet for your gun you will need a compressor that will put out 13CFM at 35 PSI
  11. That top looks like oak to me, even if you fill the grooves the open grain will still cause problems. I think glass or a protective pad are the way to go. Even if you fill the grooves and then do full filled finish to fill the pores of the oak a quality dining table should be protected during use. For something very nice a Berger table pad or else a Linoleum Desk pad or desk protector from an office supply should work. Just put it away after use and your table will always look new.
  12. Lesson learned I hope, 80 grit doesn't belong on veneered wood. Probably would have been better to use a chemical stripper to remove the finish and then sand with 180 grit. As a solution to your new problem how about a starburst type finish? Stain the top a light color and tone a dark area around where you burned through the veneer similar to a starburst finish on a guitar. Here is a video doing the effect with aerosol cans. (It can be done many different ways)
  13. Most of the drafting and drawing boards I have seen use a vinyl cover sheet to protect the top. Vyco makes a good one, I am sure there are others. I would just use the shellac as a wipe on, wipe off system, two coats sanded with 400 grit between coats and rubbed out with carnuba wax after the last coat. If smell is an issue Target Coatings makes a water based shellac.
  14. Unless they are really hard, which from your description I doubt, Goof-Off should wipe them right off. Try with a cotton rag first or lightly with a scotch brite pad if the rag doesn't work.
  15. I am not a fan of wet sanding between coats of finish.Too fine sanding can cause adhesion issues especially with oxidizing type finishes like varnish and polyurethane which depend on mechanical bonding (sanding scratches) for adhesion. It will work on finishes like lacquer and shellac which chemically re-wet the surface and bond with the next coat but while wet it is impossible to see the shiny spots (low spots) that still need to be addressed until all the water has evaporated. also water and wood or MDF don't get along well and can penetrate into joints and cause swelling. (Especially in tables between leaves) I dry sand between coats and will go as high as 600- 800 grit but that is extremely rare. 400 grit between coats will not telegraph scratches if a proper film thickness is applied. Only if I am rubbing out or polishing to a high gloss do I wet sand and then only after all coats have been applied and properly cured.