Have been using Shellac for years because of it being OK for children. I made changing tables for at least 5 grandkids and doll cradles for the girl grand kids and great-great and great-great-greats.All with shellac. One granddaughter used the fraise "the wood feels soft" when she felt finished wood.
Great advice and helped me understand many things with Shellac and finishing that have never been made exactly clear. (Pun Intended) Many times people explain how to do things but leave out pertinent details. You explained through the steps and reasoning of not only how but why with logical facts. Two that stick out were the explanation of universal finish and the second fact that you can't go back once you wax. Thank you for sharing your knowledge, and again I've learned something new and facts that I'm confident in their basis.
i never knew you could do this with shellac. Thank you so much for sharing. I always loved using shellac and found it too thick at times, i may try this mixing to thin it down on my next project
Riano's Rustics I finish my high end boxes with a 50/50 mix to start and end with 12-15 coats to fine finish, complete with 3-4 oats well buffed past wax, love your work.
Finishing is by far my weakest skill in woodworking. Thanks for the very thorough rundown. I have a number of projects that need finished, I will be giving this a go!
Hi, great video thanks so much. I am replacing an entertainment center I built ten plus years ago with a huge up-grade in materials. I am using high end amber bamboo plywood. It has been a struggle deciding how to finish it. My mom loves using shellac because of the fast dry time and easy application. After watching your video and a few others I am convinced. Cheers!
Excellent video Billy! Shellac is truly one of the most, if not the most, versatile finishes available. One other neat thing about shellac is that it can be tinted with most any alcohol soluble dye, such as Trans-tint.
I've only been woodworking for about a year and I struggle with any finishing except for water based poly. I always dread doing it when the rest of a project is complete. I'm going to give this a shot using your method. Thanks for the video.
Man, this was a great video! I have not dived into shellac much but I will be so much better informed when I do. This was a great format to show the in's and out's on the finish too. Nice job!! 💪
@@MichaelRedford I just have the Zinser Seal Coat, which I believe is equivalent to about a 2 pound cut? If the stuff you need to fill is small enough, you can also just sprinkle sawdust on and rub it in with maybe a 1pound cut and a bit of mineral spirits. The bigger stuff, you just add shellac to the sawdust until its about the consistency of oatmeal. Its pretty grainy/flakey so you have to press it in pretty good. Most of what I did was small scratches and wormholes, but I did use some to fill out some bigger gouges. I'd put a hole in a piece of scrap wood first to test it out to see whether you think it will work for you or not though.
I wish I had researched a bit more before fearlessly jumping into applying shellac on my project. I am hoping a light sanding will help with the marks left after applying. :(
Very nice video. Very helpful. You did a nice job of showing how you applied the finish INSIDE the box on the first coat, but not on subsequent coats. Did you go to as much effort to make sure you completely covered the entire inside surface on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th coats? If so, were you more and more careful to avoid runs and streaking? Thanks again for the great video!
For the sake of time, I cut some stuff out. I did additional coats on the inside and treated it the same as the outside. I always want to avoid those pesky runs.
@@NewtonMakes I have flakes and alcohol but had not had good results. Brushes are out. I have made wiping finishes for years so will use a rag next time. Another piece of the puzzle.
I bought some Zinsser Bulls Eye Shellac to try a finish on, also, a small box I made out of cedar. The instructions on the back of the can are too small for me to read, so I turned to the internet and youtube searching for videos with the product's name. Found this one. Unfortunately thought I can't find anyrthing on my can that says "dewax" on it. So I guess the intructions in this video won't work for the shellac product I have? OP, if you see this comment please let me know if you have any advice!
Would this type of finish ever need to be touched up with a fresh layer of Shellac? (not right away, but eventually) And if so, would adding the wax at the end not make that possible?
I learned way back in high school woodshop that one should always use a sanding sealer or wood filler (for open-grain wood) before applying Any final topcoat, or stain. Is this still recommended? Thanks, great video!
I like to do it to ensure that I get a smooth finish. Shellac sort of melts into the previous layer. They don't build on top of one another. There are many people who don't sand between coats. You have to see what works best for you.
@@NewtonMakes Thank you for your quick response. I was using the aerosol version. And I've already applied 4 coats. Is it too late to do a light sand before applying a final coat at this point? And lastly, if in the future I want to remove the shellac by using denatured alcohol, will the DnA lift/strip the nice oil-based wood stain I have underneath? I prefer it not to.
Hi there, thanks great vid, i followed your exact methods, but for some reason my mixture came out very merky (milky), . i used 99% denatured alcohol, even when i use Spirits it come merky.I
@@NewtonMakes Thanks i will try a different brand,funny enough i used 70% Alcohol which was hand sanitizer and the Shellac came out clear as day, used spirits but came out looking like coffee with milk , cloudy......Should i just ask for mineral spirits at the hardware store?
Hi! I purchased a bed (headboard/footboard) for my daughter off Marketplace. She wanted it sanded to natural wood. I did the rails so far. I think it is pine. It is nice. I was considering shellac for the finish and I love your video! My problem is she doesn't want to darken the wood. And the shellac seemed to darken it up quite a bit. Can you suggest a finish that will keep the color of the pine as light as possible?? Thank you!
I like oil based lacquer or polyurethane. The shellac comes off with alcohol. So I wouldn’t recommend unless you know for sure that it won’t come near organic liquid like alcohol. Another one I like is the epoxy.
I like your bug spit video. I was wondering if I could use the Zinsser under a top coat of Waterlox in order to have a very smooth finish easily done. My concerns are losing any kind of durability. This is for a kitchen countertop.
You could use conditioner under shellac but shellac itself is often used on pine to prevent blotching when staining wood. Shellac is a universal binder so it pretty good at sticking to various other types of finishes.
@@NewtonMakes Thank you for the fast response. I have a 150 year old door the main frame is French Oak and the panels are European Pine. I want the two woods to blend. I'm afraid the pine might become significantly darker than the oak so the thought of using conditioner would help mitigate this. Would you use conditioner? Any negative effects? Thank you
I must admit, I’ve watched your video 3 times in the last day. We chose “shellac” from Home Depot not knowing there was a waxed vs unwaxed shellac. I’m applying it to a 67” x 48”, live edge spalted oak table. It looked horrible!! Like exaggerated orange peel with drag. After the 4th coat with waxed shellac we sanded it down to 220 grit, found your video, bought sealcoat, (which was hard to find in big stores) and plan to wipe it on tomorrow. Any suggestions?
I’m making big bass marimba bars (percussion instrument that will be struck thousands of times with a medium hard mallet and will vibrate like crazy over and over and over). Traditionally they finished with oils and waxs, though I want to experiment with other stuff. For my experiment phase-in order of best to worst-can you please suggest/brainstorm what you think might work out for coating/sealing wooden bars that will be taking a lot of inherent abuse? With all the beating and vibrating, for instance, might shellac or lacquer or polyurethane or wood hardener or an acrylic poor be too brittle, resulting in getting rattled and crushed to death and breaking apart microscopically over time? Also consider which finish would be the most scratch resistant. (Bars will be stored in stacks and slid against each other with the potential of dirt and sand bits in between. Thanks for brainstorming with me 👍🏻 Sam
A little bit out of my expertise. Poly doesn't dry brittle like a lacquer or shellac. It has more flex to it. But I'd consider a hard wax finish like rubio monocoat or osmo. Not a film finish so no issues like you're describing.
Canned shelac has chemicals added to it to preserve the shelf life in the can, any time you can avoid needless chemicals in life is a good thing, which is why I only use shelac flakes when it comes to sealing table tops..
@@doughalpern6751 Some people claim it's six months, I personally, don't know. Using shellac flakes allows me to make just enough shellac to complete a project I'm working on, and if I make just a little bit too much, I just use up the excess with extra shellac applications on my project, so I end up with no shellac to store in a container for future use.
@@Orange-Jumpsuit-Time Thanks for the info. Mixing it yourself seems like a great idea since you can use straight alcohol without any denaturants and have a totally nontoxic product to work with.
I am using shellac and i sand between coats but wht do you remove dust with? I have been using a cloth with a little turps on it it seems to pick up dust very well. What do you THINK
GenealogistWoodworker i am making wood crosses for loved ones. Do you recommend me use shalac for a finish? Or something else. I live in Arizona and it gets very hot here. Please let me know asap
GenealogistWoodworker We are planning on putting the crosses at their graves. So what do i use then to keep the wood from fading? Or keep the wood looking nice even under the harsh sun here.
Hi Newton, is it possible to draw with a pen on the wood below the shellac? I need some lines on my boardgame before finishing it with shellac. Thanks for help!
Yes it is. I'd recommend doing it on a test piece first since there are so many varieties of pens. You may opt to stray the shellac so that you don't rub the pen with a cloth or brush until it's sealed in by that first layer of shellac.
@@NewtonMakes I have been testing with a foam brush on scrap wood. OK I'll cut up a white t-shirt and try that out, and go super-light. Thanks for the input!
California will not allow Denatured Alcohol to be sold any longer. Crown 1 Qt Denatured Alcohol, Due to Governmental State VOC compliance policy, this product could not be shipped in California and Colorado.
@@NewtonMakes damn its probably the can. . . Ive bought 5 cans of this stuff so far and none have done me well. .. i want toget the flaked version but i cant find denatured alcohol nor can i purchase grain alcohol without a permit. . . Ive avoided sanding past 220 grit and stayed around 150.
@@NewtonMakes Yeah, I'm kind of confused why they say it's one of the easiest to use, most forgiving finishes. I guess that's only when you're thinning it?
@@NewtonMakes yup, I brushed polyurethane onto a work table and was happy how that came out. But now I'm refinishing a dinner table and my best guess about the original finish is shellac (for color) with a top coat of lacquer. Wish I had tried rubbing the sealcoat on instead of brushing it. I also put a second coat before watching videos that recommend only using one coat of shellac under a different top coat, as well as your video. I'll see if I can sand the shellac down enough...
@@NewtonMakes and yeah this is a nice video, despite the difficulty with this dinner table I won't be afraid to try your method here on smaller projects.
Have been using Shellac for years because of it being OK for children. I made changing tables for at least 5 grandkids and doll cradles for the girl grand kids and great-great and great-great-greats.All with shellac. One granddaughter used the fraise "the wood feels soft" when she felt finished wood.
You can use denatured alcohol to blend runs and smears without sanding. Just use a few drops at a time, depending on how big the run or smear.
Really brought that grain out nicely. Thanks for the tutorial.
Great advice and helped me understand many things with Shellac and finishing that have never been made exactly clear. (Pun Intended) Many times people explain how to do things but leave out pertinent details. You explained through the steps and reasoning of not only how but why with logical facts.
Two that stick out were the explanation of universal finish and the second fact that you can't go back once you wax.
Thank you for sharing your knowledge, and again I've learned something new and facts that I'm confident in their basis.
Thanks for this! Such a kind message. I really appreciate it.
i never knew you could do this with shellac. Thank you so much for sharing. I always loved using shellac and found it too thick at times, i may try this mixing to thin it down on my next project
Riano's Rustics I finish my high end boxes with a 50/50 mix to start and end with 12-15 coats to fine finish, complete with 3-4 oats well buffed past wax, love your work.
Finishing is by far my weakest skill in woodworking. Thanks for the very thorough rundown. I have a number of projects that need finished, I will be giving this a go!
I Learned some stuff here. Thanks
Hi, great video thanks so much. I am replacing an entertainment center I built ten plus years ago with a huge up-grade in materials. I am using high end amber bamboo plywood. It has been a struggle deciding how to finish it. My mom loves using shellac because of the fast dry time and easy application. After watching your video and a few others I am convinced. Cheers!
Great video. I’ve been looking for options so I’m definitely going to try this.
Great video. I'm going to try it on a chair that I have restored.
Thanks for posting very informative
Excellent video Billy! Shellac is truly one of the most, if not the most, versatile finishes available. One other neat thing about shellac is that it can be tinted with most any alcohol soluble dye, such as Trans-tint.
I like Shellac and Beeswax because they are non toxic. Superb video.
But methanol and turpentine can be.
Super thorough overview for using Shellac - thank you so much, I've been looking for this video forever!
I've only been woodworking for about a year and I struggle with any finishing except for water based poly. I always dread doing it when the rest of a project is complete. I'm going to give this a shot using your method. Thanks for the video.
Dorky dad vibes 100.
Also this is good, because this is the same shellac I use (minus the wax top coat). It's nice to see the sanding method though.
Thanks helps a lot with my project
Man, this was a great video! I have not dived into shellac much but I will be so much better informed when I do. This was a great format to show the in's and out's on the finish too. Nice job!! 💪
Very nice video! Thanks!!
It also makes an underrated wood filler imo when mixed with source sawdust. One of the few fillers that'll easily accept a stain.
Just shellac and sawdust or do you use denatured alcohol as well? What’s the mix?
@@MichaelRedford I just have the Zinser Seal Coat, which I believe is equivalent to about a 2 pound cut? If the stuff you need to fill is small enough, you can also just sprinkle sawdust on and rub it in with maybe a 1pound cut and a bit of mineral spirits. The bigger stuff, you just add shellac to the sawdust until its about the consistency of oatmeal. Its pretty grainy/flakey so you have to press it in pretty good. Most of what I did was small scratches and wormholes, but I did use some to fill out some bigger gouges. I'd put a hole in a piece of scrap wood first to test it out to see whether you think it will work for you or not though.
Another great video. I am learning tons. Where do you get your bars for the accents on your lids?
I wish I had researched a bit more before fearlessly jumping into applying shellac on my project. I am hoping a light sanding will help with the marks left after applying. :(
Very nice video. Very helpful. You did a nice job of showing how you applied the finish INSIDE the box on the first coat, but not on subsequent coats. Did you go to as much effort to make sure you completely covered the entire inside surface on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th coats? If so, were you more and more careful to avoid runs and streaking? Thanks again for the great video!
For the sake of time, I cut some stuff out. I did additional coats on the inside and treated it the same as the outside. I always want to avoid those pesky runs.
Thank you. Very informative.
@@NewtonMakes I have flakes and alcohol but had not had good results. Brushes are out. I have made wiping finishes for years so will use a rag next time. Another piece of the puzzle.
Thank you!
interesting fact about bulls eye is it's an alcohol-based solution of lac. You can add more but not necessarily required.
I bought some Zinsser Bulls Eye Shellac to try a finish on, also, a small box I made out of cedar. The instructions on the back of the can are too small for me to read, so I turned to the internet and youtube searching for videos with the product's name. Found this one. Unfortunately thought I can't find anyrthing on my can that says "dewax" on it. So I guess the intructions in this video won't work for the shellac product I have? OP, if you see this comment please let me know if you have any advice!
Would this type of finish ever need to be touched up with a fresh layer of Shellac? (not right away, but eventually) And if so, would adding the wax at the end not make that possible?
I learned way back in high school woodshop that one should always use a sanding sealer or wood filler (for open-grain wood) before applying Any final topcoat, or stain. Is this still recommended? Thanks, great video!
@@NewtonMakes Thanks!
Is it waterproof and will it protect the outside similar to polyurethane? I guess like a film finish
Sounds really good - problem in CA is denatured alcohol is banned. I need to make a still!!
You can use kerosine, but it can introduce other problems. please do some research it.
Great video. Could I use this as a sealer before applying a water based varnish to help prevent fish eye?
This was very helpful, thank you!
can you tell me if you would apply this onto a box top that has a veneer with a decorative inlaid band?
Can we apply same technique for larger furniture like dining table? Would couple of coats be enough for durability?
Can this be applied “before”stain to help prevent fish eye?
Hello. What happens if you didn't sand after the first coat of shellac? I didn't realize you were suppose to do this.
I like to do it to ensure that I get a smooth finish. Shellac sort of melts into the previous layer. They don't build on top of one another. There are many people who don't sand between coats. You have to see what works best for you.
@@NewtonMakes Thank you for your quick response. I was using the aerosol version. And I've already applied 4 coats. Is it too late to do a light sand before applying a final coat at this point?
And lastly, if in the future I want to remove the shellac by using denatured alcohol, will the DnA lift/strip the nice oil-based wood stain I have underneath? I prefer it not to.
No, it's not too late. I don't know. I wouldn't think so because the stain is locked into the wood. But I'm guessing based on my own experience.
How long do you wait between coats
Hi there, thanks great vid, i followed your exact methods, but for some reason my mixture came out very merky (milky), . i used 99% denatured alcohol, even when i use Spirits it come merky.I
@@NewtonMakes Thanks i will try a different brand,funny enough i used 70% Alcohol which was hand sanitizer and the Shellac came out clear as day, used spirits but came out looking like coffee with milk , cloudy......Should i just ask for mineral spirits at the hardware store?
Hi! I purchased a bed (headboard/footboard) for my daughter off Marketplace. She wanted it sanded to natural wood. I did the rails so far. I think it is pine. It is nice. I was considering shellac for the finish and I love your video! My problem is she doesn't want to darken the wood. And the shellac seemed to darken it up quite a bit. Can you suggest a finish that will keep the color of the pine as light as possible?? Thank you!
Probably too late, but water based poly finishes don't add any tint
Also pretty durable which is a plus for bed rails
You needed to use white shellac
I like oil based lacquer or polyurethane. The shellac comes off with alcohol. So I wouldn’t recommend unless you know for sure that it won’t come near organic liquid like alcohol.
Another one I like is the epoxy.
Are you using wet/dry 600 grit sandpaper in between coats?
Awesome video. Thanks!
I like your bug spit video. I was wondering if I could use the Zinsser under a top coat of Waterlox in order to have a very smooth finish easily done. My concerns are losing any kind of durability. This is for a kitchen countertop.
How well does shellac protect the wood vs something like polyurethane?
Exactly what I'm wondering
Did the inside and bottoms receive only 1 coat?
Hi I am in California and I can not find denatured alcohol. What can I use instead ?
Can you apply shellac in my garage where the temp is 40F?
Any tips for me to handle blushing? I apparently put my first coat on during high humidity.
Can wood conditioner be used successfully on pine to prevent splotching with shellac ?
You could use conditioner under shellac but shellac itself is often used on pine to prevent blotching when staining wood. Shellac is a universal binder so it pretty good at sticking to various other types of finishes.
@@NewtonMakes Thank you for the fast response. I have a 150 year old door the main frame is French Oak and the panels are European Pine. I want the two woods to blend. I'm afraid the pine might become significantly darker than the oak so the thought of using conditioner would help mitigate this. Would you use conditioner? Any negative effects? Thank you
Is the denatured alcohol marked fuel the same as regular DNA??
How long do yOu wait before sanding?
I must admit, I’ve watched your video 3 times in the last day. We chose “shellac” from Home Depot not knowing there was a waxed vs unwaxed shellac. I’m applying it to a 67” x 48”, live edge spalted oak table. It looked horrible!! Like exaggerated orange peel with drag. After the 4th coat with waxed shellac we sanded it down to 220 grit, found your video, bought sealcoat, (which was hard to find in big stores) and plan to wipe it on tomorrow. Any suggestions?
I’m making big bass marimba bars (percussion instrument that will be struck thousands of times with a medium hard mallet and will vibrate like crazy over and over and over). Traditionally they finished with oils and waxs, though I want to experiment with other stuff. For my experiment phase-in order of best to worst-can you please suggest/brainstorm what you think might work out for coating/sealing wooden bars that will be taking a lot of inherent abuse? With all the beating and vibrating, for instance, might shellac or lacquer or polyurethane or wood hardener or an acrylic poor be too brittle, resulting in getting rattled and crushed to death and breaking apart microscopically over time? Also consider which finish would be the most scratch resistant. (Bars will be stored in stacks and slid against each other with the potential of dirt and sand bits in between. Thanks for brainstorming with me 👍🏻
Sam
A little bit out of my expertise. Poly doesn't dry brittle like a lacquer or shellac. It has more flex to it. But I'd consider a hard wax finish like rubio monocoat or osmo. Not a film finish so no issues like you're describing.
@@NewtonMakes Cool. Thanks for getting back. I appreciate it 😁
Denatured alcohol is also known as methylated spirit or methylated spirits in other countries.
do you ever use grain filler?
How do they collect bug spit?
Spittoon, of course.
Do you use the shellac thinned for all coats?
How did you make the box? Did you build / buy it?
Canned shelac has chemicals added to it to preserve the shelf life in the can, any time you can avoid needless chemicals in life is a good thing, which is why I only use shelac flakes when it comes to sealing table tops..
What is the shelf life of shellac flakes mixed with alcohol without the preservatives?
@@doughalpern6751 Some people claim it's six months, I personally, don't know. Using shellac flakes allows me to make just enough shellac to complete a project I'm working on, and if I make just a little bit too much, I just use up the excess with extra shellac applications on my project, so I end up with no shellac to store in a container for future use.
@@Orange-Jumpsuit-Time Thanks for the info. Mixing it yourself seems like a great idea since you can use straight alcohol without any denaturants and have a totally nontoxic product to work with.
@@doughalpern6751 Exactly, grain alcohol called Everclear.
I am using shellac and i sand between coats but wht do you remove dust with? I have been using a cloth with a little turps on it it seems to pick up dust very well. What do you THINK
GenealogistWoodworker i am making wood crosses for loved ones. Do you recommend me use shalac for a finish? Or something else. I live in Arizona and it gets very hot here. Please let me know asap
GenealogistWoodworker We are planning on putting the crosses at their graves. So what do i use then to keep the wood from fading? Or keep the wood looking nice even under the harsh sun here.
@@luleetomas2108 Helmsman Spar Urethane or any marine grade wood protectant as they are made for items that are constantly in the sun.
The denatured alcohol with shellac doesn’t mess up a stain, does it?
Usually not but I recommend performing a test.
Can you use shellac to go over kitchen cabinets?
You can, but I wouldn't. I don't feel like it's durable enough for that.
Hi Newton, is it possible to draw with a pen on the wood below the shellac? I need some lines on my boardgame before finishing it with shellac. Thanks for help!
Yes it is. I'd recommend doing it on a test piece first since there are so many varieties of pens. You may opt to stray the shellac so that you don't rub the pen with a cloth or brush until it's sealed in by that first layer of shellac.
When and why do you use Shellac versus Poly? I thought shellac was more for interior of cabinets, dressers?
What are those yellow stands called ?
Thanks
Painter's pyramids
Any thoughts on a sanding sealer for this?
If using the Zinsser Seal-coat as he did,,,,, it is a sanding sealer in itself. Hence the name "Seal-coat"
Can you use this on a cutting board
I wouldn't because shellac is a film finish and cutting it could causes pieces to come off.
nice! what are those pyramid thingies you use to prop them up on??
GenealogistWoodworker thanks much!
If I'm getting super small air bubbles, am I just applying it too thick?
Possibly. That can also happen with foam brushes. Apply it lightly. Don't press down hard on the surface of the wood.
@@NewtonMakes I have been testing with a foam brush on scrap wood. OK I'll cut up a white t-shirt and try that out, and go super-light.
Thanks for the input!
Useing a rag leaves cotton all over the surface.. going back to a brush
See and the brush leaves too many marks... it’s also very hot where I live so maybe the product is evaporating...
As I am also curious for Shellac, please share, how was your experience with Sparying Shellac.
❣️
I like shellac because it doesn't stink like polyurethane.
California will not allow Denatured Alcohol to be sold any longer.
Crown 1 Qt Denatured Alcohol, Due to Governmental State VOC compliance policy, this product could not be shipped in California and Colorado.
Billy, many thanks for your video. a noob question here, would you use Shellac for plywood?
Yes, shellac can absolutely be used on plywood without a problem. 👍
@@NewtonMakes bless your heart. Thanks for letting me know.
I have a shellac problem. It seems to not bind properly nor does it give a strong chatoyancy effect. I feel its the damned canned shellac. . .
@@NewtonMakes damn its probably the can. . . Ive bought 5 cans of this stuff so far and none have done me well. .. i want toget the flaked version but i cant find denatured alcohol nor can i purchase grain alcohol without a permit. . . Ive avoided sanding past 220 grit and stayed around 150.
Informative, and I appreciate that, however using the same four bar Loop of music for your whole project, get's really annoying, just a thought....
I liked the video content, not a fan of tne background music/whistling though.
I see you all came to get your shellacking...
Man I made the mistake of applying straight out of the can and it's not even at all 😂
@@NewtonMakes Yeah, I'm kind of confused why they say it's one of the easiest to use, most forgiving finishes. I guess that's only when you're thinning it?
@@NewtonMakes yup, I brushed polyurethane onto a work table and was happy how that came out. But now I'm refinishing a dinner table and my best guess about the original finish is shellac (for color) with a top coat of lacquer. Wish I had tried rubbing the sealcoat on instead of brushing it. I also put a second coat before watching videos that recommend only using one coat of shellac under a different top coat, as well as your video. I'll see if I can sand the shellac down enough...
@@NewtonMakes and yeah this is a nice video, despite the difficulty with this dinner table I won't be afraid to try your method here on smaller projects.
that darkened the wood quite a bit for a "clear" product
J