Choice of wood finish?

[MakerDP]

Have you considered wipe-on poly? It has come a long ways.

Also, General Finishes has really advanced water-based polyeurathane in recent years making it a viable option.

Check this video out too. I know it's on a guitar but no reason it won't work on anything really...

[Phil_S]

I'm finally done! Actually finished at the beginning of September, but am just now getting the pictures off my phone. I used Watco semi gloss lacquer. It is what they sell at the big box store. I used the Preval spray system. These are also available at the big box store for around $5 each and I bought only 1. As I've noted, I work outside, which is a challenge for spraying as even a little breeze has an effect. There was more air blowing around that what I'd consider ideal. I found that holding the spray can about 3-4" from the surface and keeping the surface vertical worked very well. I sprayed several very light coats. It is impossible to know how many. The lacquer was drying very quickly and I kept turning the table until the bottle was empty. I gave it a rest for a couple of hours, rubbed with 320 and 600 grit and water, and then sprayed out another bottle full, about 4 oz. I thinned with whatever brand lacquer thinner I could find in the paint section, about 1/3 thinner 2/3 lacquer in the first bottle. Maybe 80% lacquer in the 2nd bottle. It worked out very well and I'm quite pleased with the result. It doesn't have a flashy shine. The finish is rather subtle. This was the look I wanted. If you remember, I started by saying that I don't like the plastic look of polyuerthane. I have begun to believe it isn't so much the material you apply to the wood as how you apply it. I have a feeling I could have got similar results with polyurethane. Many thanks for everyone's help on this.

[Phil_S]

I'm finally done! Actually finished at the beginning of September, but am just now getting the pictures off my phone. I used Watco semi gloss lacquer. It is what they sell at the big box store. I used the Preval spray system. These are also available at the big box store for around $5 each and I bought only 1. As I've noted, I work outside, which is a challenge for spraying as even a little breeze has an effect. There was more air blowing around that what I'd consider ideal. I found that holding the spray can about 3-4" from the surface and keeping the surface vertical worked very well. I sprayed several very light coats. It is impossible to know how many. The lacquer was drying very quickly and I kept turning the table until the bottle was empty. I gave it a rest for a couple of hours, rubbed with 320 and 600 grit and water, and then sprayed out another bottle full, about 4 oz. Rubbed again with 320 and 600. I thinned with whatever brand lacquer thinner I could find in the paint section, about 1/3 thinner 2/3 lacquer in the first bottle. Maybe 80% lacquer in the 2nd bottle. It worked out very well and I'm quite pleased with the result. It doesn't have a flashy shine. The finish is rather subtle. This was the look I wanted. If you remember, I started by saying that I don't like the plastic look of polyuerthane. I have begun to believe it isn't so much the material you apply to the wood as how you apply it. I have a feeling I could have got similar results with polyurethane. Many thanks for everyone's help on this.

[TUBEDUDE]

Nice job, looks great.

[stelligan]

Congrats! That turned out great.

[Geeze]

Great looking table and finish job Phil! I'm glad you got it to a pleasing finish.

I don't remember if I mentioned with the lacquer I would vigorously hit the unhappy spots - dust bumps and runs - with 0000 steel wool then another coat. I'm in the midst of refinishing a drop top tele and have spent more hours with the finish than I did with the building.

So what's next?

Russ

[Phil_S]

Thanks, Russ! I think a coffee table in similar style is next. I don't think I'm quite ready for a dining room size table yet and I don't know where I'd store the parts while under construction. This will allow me to scale up somewhat in size. I'm thinking I'll document the build to allow for better replication. I expect that just taking notes will allow me to avoid some of the errors I made with this "proof of concept" end table. One critical thing I'll be doing is cutting a plywood tapering jig for the leg blanks. Not sure when that will get underway.

So, will you be showing us your drop top tele? You can't just put out there and not show it!

[Geeze]

I ended up with an AM tele body - boring - so I drop topped it with curly maple. I was experimenting with two colors of RIT dye - purple, then sanded back and cherry on top. In all it was too dark and I had issues with the finish. I do detest finishing.

So after ignoring it for a year, move to an new state & job for lack of solid design ideas I've been on a refinishing kick. Sanded off the finish and I thought most of the dye and now I have a rose tinted tele body.

Still debating on finishing it out - I admire tele's but hate to play them - this is #6.

Russ

[thetragichero]

don't sleep on the waterbased poly. there's a whole 50-something+ page thread on the bass forum of us folks who have had killer results with varathane waterbased poly available at your big box store. i use a 3g pancake compressor (also came with a couple finish nailers and a stapler which is how i justified the purchase) and a $30 lvlp gun and getting great results (and super quick recoat times). always use gloss and determine the final sheen by how far you go down the finish sanding rabbit hole