If you had to stock your empty shop with finishing materials...

[Coop]

8 hours ago, C Shaffer said:

Ken, check Rob's (

) for a thread on ammonia fuming/tenting. The acid/steel wool is the iron acetate staining. 

Thanks. I just talked to RichardA yesterday and he mentioned using vinegar to remove rust from planes/irons and I thought that might be for the same usage.

[BeingFrank]

11 hours ago, Mike. said:

$24.03 - Understanding Wood Finishing by Bob Flexner.  

$.05 - Envelope to store your $75.92 left over.  

Read it first, cover to cover.  Then decide how to spend the $75.92.

There are two benefits two reading that book.

1) You will quickly understand the differences between major finishes and get a feel for what excites you.

2) You will save your self loads of time asking simple questions on forums only to get bad advice.  

 

 

 

Thats actually the one book on finishing that I do own, and have read cover to cover.  Even though it's a comprehensive guide to finishing, it's almost too much information for someone like myself who is pretty new to the topic.  I plan to revisit it over the years for information, but I didn't feel like I came away knowing all about finishes (I'm sure the info is there, just retaining it with no actual experience is difficult).  

The wife and I took a trip to St Louis today, so I made it to Rockler.  I ended up only grabbing a couple quarts of Arm R Seal one satin, one semigloss, and  bottle of trans tint that I've been waiting to try on some curly maple.  I am however picking up misc items listed by you folks, from various other places. First time in an actual "woodworking store" and I could have spent all day.  

I have a couple serving trays I'm making from walnut and birch that I plan to try the Arm R Seal on, and two kitchen utensil holder blocks that I may try using the transtint on to pop the grain using the sanding back method then finishing with the Arm R Seal.  

The info provided by you guys, although maybe simple to some folks, is appreciated