doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com OT-wood finish

Hardness aside, one should always use gloss for all of the preliminary coats in any wood finishing project. All sheens other than high gloss contain flatting agents that obscure the grain.

Water base poly is harder than oil base, but can be brittle and is very difficult to perform spot repairs on. Scratches and dings will develop whitish edges and require more steps to repair. I won't use the stuff. For me, it's oil only.

In my brush with paints (pun), I recall talc was added to flatten them. I even recall the need to flatten an enamel for the metal ceiling panels for my bordello style dining room and I added a pile of baby powder. When I sprayed it, the smell of a fresh baby's bottom was everywhere.

Chuck, baby powder will work in a pinch for opaque coatings. Most commercially made coatings use some sort of silica mix for the flatting agent, and the environmental watchdogs in CA have made it more difficult to get those coatings. Up to a few years ago, one could buy flatting agents in 50 pound sacks from paint manufacturers, and then blend your own coating to get exactly the finish desired. Now, one must bring in the flatting agents from AZ. I think it's legal as long as it's not for commercial use.

Yeah, they've created the need for a flattening "agent" within the FBI, with all these laws.

Gets worse every year in CA. About the time I figure out all the tricks with various coatings and solvents, they change the formulations and I have to start over. I'm starting to stockpile paint the way some guys stockpile loading components.

I use Waterlox products on all my gunstocks; originally the thin, clear version, but lately the Original Satin version. In addition to all its other fine properties, I'm very partial to the sheen I get. The flatteners don't obscure the figure of any but the very darkest walnut blanks and I find that cutting the gloss by any method tends to muddy the look of very dark wood. All of these were done with the Satin and the darkest I own is the one without metal...

Question for you termites out there familiar with Wipe-On Poly (oil): I've got about 4 or 5 coats on the oak doors, they look great but are not grain filled nor do I think this stuff will ever fill the coarse grain of the oak. Am I there yet? Or do I need to keep going? This is for the inside of the doors that open outward and will see some sun on occasion.

Chuck, open pore oak is incredibly difficult to fill with out using a filler/sealer first. I don't care for the filler/sealer because it changes the character of the wood in my opinion. Stand back a few feet and look at the door with some light from different angles. If you like what you see get an adult beverage and declare victory; if not put on another coat. You have enough for protection for an interior door.

Jim

Filling the grain will have no significant effect on how well the doors are protected. It's purely cosmetic at this stage. If you decide you want to fill the grain, get some paste filler from a woodworking supply, add some PIGMENTED stain (ground pigments, not dye stain) to match the color of your oak, wipe it on, wipe it off across the grain after it sets up for a while, let it dry, then do it again until grain is filled to your satisfaction. After final application of paste filler is dry, give it a lite wet sanding with 360 or 400, then more wipe-on poly. Don't use dye stains or universal colorants because they will fade under exposure to sunlight. Pigmented stains are forever.

Victory declared! Beverage openned.