Hammer5573 Posted November 5, 2023 Report Share Posted November 5, 2023 I'm completing my first chess board and I'm trying to decide what type of finish to apply. I consider finishing to be something that I don't know a lot about. I would like a finish that would provide maximum luster and depth. I would appreciate your recommendations? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted November 5, 2023 Report Share Posted November 5, 2023 If it’s in your arsenal, I would use 3 coats of ARS gloss and one coat of ARS satin. If not, there are cheaper and probably as good like General Finishes High Performance or Minwax Poly water based finishes. Or perhaps shellac. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Askland09 Posted November 5, 2023 Report Share Posted November 5, 2023 I just finished up a checkers/chess board for my in-laws. Went with the Shellac route due to it being very easy to maintain and fix if something were to happen to it. Also kids are going to be playing on the board so who knows what'll happen to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted November 6, 2023 Report Share Posted November 6, 2023 Did you guys make your own pieces? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhighlander Posted November 6, 2023 Report Share Posted November 6, 2023 I vote shellac for 'maximum luster and depth'. Maybe not quite as tough as poly, but the appearance is hard to beat, and as mentioned, easy to maintain & repair. Woodwhisperer video Similar example fron Fine Woodworking 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted November 6, 2023 Report Share Posted November 6, 2023 Is de-waxed shellac required/recommended when other than another coat of shellac is applied over it? Can a second coat of other than de-waxed be applied over it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhighlander Posted November 6, 2023 Report Share Posted November 6, 2023 @Coop, the general recommendation is to use dewaxed when coating over with something else, but I think shellac over shellac doesn't matter so much. But if mixing from flakes, you CAN get some very high wax content, so I guess there could be some issue. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted November 6, 2023 Report Share Posted November 6, 2023 Oh heck. And all this time, I thought that the flakes were de-waxed. What is the purpose for the added wax, the sheen? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
treeslayer Posted November 6, 2023 Report Share Posted November 6, 2023 The flakes I bought were dewaxed but I think they come either way, also I thought Mark (woodwhisper) pretty much proved that you can put just about any finish over either one without problems and it was a myth that varnish would not work over waxed shellac 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhighlander Posted November 6, 2023 Report Share Posted November 6, 2023 @Coop, shellac has wax in it's natural state. Result of being a bug excrement. Dewaxed shellac is refined to remove the wax. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark J Posted November 6, 2023 Report Share Posted November 6, 2023 Osmo PolyX-Oil would be be a good choice, too, but it is expensive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Just Bob Posted November 6, 2023 Popular Post Report Share Posted November 6, 2023 6 hours ago, Mark J said: Osmo PolyX-Oil would be be a good choice, too, but it is expensive. This would be my choice. Here is my chess table finished with polyx. 3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roughsawn Posted December 3, 2023 Report Share Posted December 3, 2023 I just finished a piece (walnut) for my wife, and applied 3 coats of shellac. Didn't quite do it for me, so I wiped on a coat of boiled linseed oil...over the whole thing. Buffed it out the next day. Really made it "pop", and gave it some depth. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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