I’m 59 and still fairly new to woodworking, and as I can’t get to any classes TH-cam is my teacher and mentor. Videos like this are invaluable to someone like myself, thank you very much indeed.
You guys could benefit from reading some books by professional finishers like Bob Fkexner and Michael Dresner. If you are sold on internet gurus, don't waste your time though.
Woodworking takes in so much that nobody knows it all. Notice that James is frequently talking about new tools/techniques and so on. While some know a lot about certain areas, just beware the know it alls. I have a great deal of experience in some areas, but I'm a total novice in others. Probably the best we can do is try to learn from each other as we're doing here. As for someone who has the broadest range of knowledge, and who can explain it so it makes sense, I have found no better source than right here from James.
Thanks for the mess I've done mister! I was just taking a sip of coffee and when I read your comment, you can imagine what happened next 😠 Luckily the coffee was fresh made and very hot, it wasn't a big sip but the damage is not any more pleasant because of it 🙃
I am a woman and am tired of not knowing much about carpentry. So, am learning things now so people don't over charge me. So, varnish it is. Thank you so much for your channel. I am new to this.
Thank you. I am new to this as a hobby, and your videos are easily the best for beginners. Most other guys assume that you are as skilled or as knowledgeable as they are.
Thank you. Found your tung oil video on Google. I’m refinishing an old chair and this is my first time doing anything like this. I appreciate the in depth explanation as I’m new and there is so much information out there!
I enjoy your humor and most of all your knowledge of all the things we have worked with over the years! Very good and humorous explanation of the finishes most of us have applied during our years on the job! I retired from Walt Disney World maintenance and worked with many finishes but never heard them explained as you have as to their origins!
Best explanation ive heard yet. it did give me a headache but I didn’t wear a mask. looking forward to the oil version. thanks for all the good videos.
When I took woodshop in grammar school we were taught to finish a very specific, painstaking way. Mr Gravenhorst would first have us sand, using various grits, for a very long time. Tack rag. Then we did a sanding sealer (spit coat) of shellac. Then sand lightly. Tack rag. Then a wood stain. Then sand lightly. Tack rag. Then a coat of varnish. Sand lightly. Tack rag. Then a very careful coat of varnish with no drips allowed. After all that, it was time to apply the Butcher's Wax. It wasn't until I was much older that I found out that Butcher's Wax was the name for a brand of bowling alley paste wax and had nothing to do with butchers. Mr G would make us buff that wax finish till our arms were screaming...then buff some more. For decades the finishes on those pieces looked like the day we took them home home. For decades as well that is the only finish I ever applied to a piece of wood (if I didn't paint it).
looking forward to the oils segment, I personally use linseed oil and not the big box stuff. I use Tried and True. Smells like beeswax and vegetable oil. Taste alright and leaves my hands silky smooth. Came across it so i could use on baby furniture.
Thank you James. Very clear and accurate. Perhaps you can tell us more in another video about different types of "lacquers", different spray finishes, and differences between spraying, brushing and wiping finishes.
Thanks James. I suffer from noise induced hearing loss and how I wish good hearing protection was available 50 years ago when I was a young man. I wear hearing aids now and while I appreciate all they do for me, I must say they cannot "fix" hearing loss, just make it bearable in many common situations. So to any of you that take the time to read this, get good muffs or at a minimum, rated ear plugs or buds and wear them always. If you're wearing buds, turn the volume down, you'll thank yourself in the future. Thanks for sharing
Thank you for pointing out that Varnish is not a specific type of finish. But on another note I almost exclusively use "gel varnishes" and they do not require a scuff between coats.
THANK YOU for making this! Finally I understand the differences with these finishes. It was so confusing and now the fog is clearing. 😃 I look forward to your oils video.
Thank you. As a new woodworker, this is one area I find extremely difficult to navigate. I would welcome an even more in-depth delve into finishes, and am looking forward to part two
Just a couple of observations. Proper spray lacquers give a beautiful finish but are not at all resistant to sunlight and aren't very hard wearing. French polishing (shellac and beeswax) gives the deepest lustre and is a total pain in the arse to live with. In general, satin or matt finishes are much more forgiving than gloss. Use polyurethane for high wear stuff. Danish oil type products are very easy to apply and give a very nice finish for stuff with low to medium wear expectations. They are also very easy to recoat with the tradeoff that the wood darkens more than with other products. I have treated small hardwood pieces with engine oil for a beautiful (and surprisingly non-greasy) finish. The downside is that it offers no real protection against water. Boiled linseed oil produces a cheap and crude varnish for stuff you don't really care about too much, like a work bench. Finally, I've used clear acrylic on a couple of small pieces. Although not recommended for this purpose, I've found it to be the clearest of all finishes. I can't say anything about it's long term application though as those things were gifts. Oh, and if you intend the piece to live outside all of the time and expect any of these things to last, you're dreaming.
I‘m a professional woodworker and we‘re currently doing a project with about 2500 square feet of surface area that the client wanted an oil finish on. It’s been nothing but a pain this far. They’re large pieces too, so it’s also becoming a logistical problem. The first coat of oil dries pretty quickly, but the second coat takes almost two days to dry to a point where you can lay pieces on top of each other, even though we only applied a really thin layer and we’re using a supposedly fast drying oil. The furniture for one room gets a polyurethane finish and after oiling for a week, I couldn’t believe we were done with that finish in a day. They were fewer pieces, but it was just so much quicker. Apply the first coat in the morning, sand after lunch, apply the second coat and put all the pieces away for storage the next day. What I’m trying to say - quantity is a huge factor in finishes. The more volume, the smaller your (economical) choices are. If you just have one cabinet, you have all the options. If it’s 10 cabinets, time consuming finishes are out of the race, because you’d be on finishing for a week and nobody wants to pay for that. Normally I like oil, it’s an easy finish and it’s more suitable to wood, because it keeps it natural. For my personal project, I’ll keep using it. But for work, as bad as it sounds, I‘ve become ok with just slapping the plastic on.
I had a trick I used in wood finishing. Not bragging, but I have made some beautiful cabinets and furniture over the years. My secret to a good finish? Send it off to my finishing guy! I could do the wood working part - that was the easy stuff! Applying a finish? Lemme tell ya, you wouldn't wan me to paint your mailbox post, let alone finish a fine wood product. There are 2 ways to accomplish a smooth, durable, professional finish: (1) Learn the art (which I could never master) or (2) find a guy who can do it for you. I went the latter route. For those who can do it well, you have my admiration.
Wow, some fascinating facts here that under normal circumstances, Id be looking on the can for direction and choice. You're bringing a whole lot more into the decision making process. THIS IS GOOD! Knowledge is good and I thank you for enlightening us. Can't wait to hear about Danish oil, I've been thinking about buying some.
Love your videos man! Every time I see Stumpy Nubs it reminds me of a guy I worked with that lost 3 whole and 2 haves of his fingers from table saw accidents. I called him Stumpy Nubs. I guess I could call him Saw Stop. 😀
Yes! This is the only memory of woodworking at school, and is what put me off it for decades. Throwing some horrible brown stuff on that never dried properly.
Would you consider doing a video on thinners and their appropriate uses. Acetone, mineral spirits, paint thinner, lacquer thinner and finally water. Thank you
Good video as always. It's pretty much the same with the word 'mulch.' Most folks (at least the folks I know) think mulch is colored bark laid down. But "A mulch is a layer of material applied to the surface of soil." (From Wikipedia) So basically anything you put down over a patch of lawn is a 'mulch.'
Yes, this video did provide some clarity, thank you! I'm completely new to this space and I find your material is the most helpful instructional videos on the topic. I do wonder, however, whether you'll discuss more water based work and especially restoration projects for beginners. Jobs like repainting old furniture and refinishing cabinets, including inferior types "wood." I realize this might not be your interest and probably wouldn't be helpful for your current audience, but maybe you could make a recommendation or point folks like me in the right direction?
I remember starting out and trying to find varnish since people I learned from said they used it.. that was an interesting journey. Also, I think I am going to start saying polyurinate.. I don't even use it, except for arm-r-seal, which is more like just urithane. My grandfather said he never used it because it was horrible and that was good enough for me!
Now I understood what is varnish. As a beginner I had problems translating varnish to Hungarian and find an equivalent product because the most stuff I see in US videos can’t be purchased here. 😅
Thanks for another clear and accurate presentation on a topic that few innstructors manage to articulate. Tung oil? Must you lick your project to finish? LOL!
@joe jitsu Specifically I am in the process of making butcher block counter tops from pallet wood. I've been doing lots of stuff with the wood and my wife wants new counter tops/kitchen cabinets.. The one that our stovetop sits on I used a special oil finish that specifically said it was food safe after 48 hours. The downside is the finish needs redone every couple months, and this stuff is not cheap. So that's why I'm asking. IF anyone wants to see what it looks like I'm always willing to send pics. :)
@@covishen I wouldn't particularly trust pallet wood to be "food safe" unless you know exactly where the wood came from and what exactly was stacked on it and where.. It's pretty notorious for having different contaminates on and in it..
Thank you for your informative content, it's very useful for a beginner like me. Can you tell me one thing please? What is lasure or lazure that is sold in Europe. Is this equivalent to any of these in your video?
I'm confused, lac knowledge, admire your finish, feel sprayed upon, and need to go polyurinate before I meld into an unwaxed base coat, but at least I avoided a shellacking.
I have a teak floor on the interior of a 1983 boat in need of sanding to remove years of buildup of dirt. What would you recommend I use to seal or apply a finish? Water, fish blood, and dirty boots are commonly walking across the floor. Thanks!
The finishing shop I used to work in separated finishes into three types: evaporative finishes, varnishes and oils. The man I worked for was a deciple of Bob Flexner, who also differentiated between evaporative finishes and varnishes. According to Bob, the main difference between an evaporative finish like shellac or lacquor, and a varnish is down to whether the solvent used in the finish will redisolve the finish once dry. In an evaporative finish, the solvent evaporates and leaves a film that will redisolve with the application of more solvent. In a varnish, the polymers cross-link as the finish cures. Further solvent applications will not redisolve the the cured film. Not that I'm nit-picky. It's just how I was raised. Incidentally, Bob Flexner maintains a wonderful blog all about finishing. Just Google "Flexner On Finishing." You'll learn more than you wanted to know about the science behind the finish.
In the violin making world, the word “varnish” is still used in the old sense. It’s mostly resin and turpentine. When they talk about “varnish” they mean it. Not shellac or lacquer, but common tree resin.
In our part of the world wood is either polished or painted. Polish is prepared by dissolving pine wax in methylated spirit and applying with cotton pad. What would you call that material? The paint on the other hand is oil based enamel applied by brush or sprayed . And what would you call that?
What type of varnish do you think I should use for a bodhran? It has to bear some friction and some beating from different kinds of sticks, as well, so it has to be durable enough.
I'm working on a prototype,an acoustic instrument,since I'm not an expert in finishing,I wonder what is the best product for a fretless instrument like a violin for exemple?
Wow great video. Can you explain soap finishes in the next video. Often it is mentioned with oil finishes or more organic products that are used for protecting wood. :)
Very informative, thanks. I'm into guitars and the big deal in guitar paintwork is 'nitro' which I assume is short for nitrocellulose. It's used supposedly for its facility of being able to 'let the wood breathe'. I've regarded this claim with scepticism - what's the deal with this stuff? (oh it also 'ages' so that the surface develops a sort of craquelure over time - which is something lots of people actually want)
All these discussions about finishing has me wondering about a specific application. I have a project coming up where I want to make a new rack for audio equipment. I've placed audio gear (typically somewhat heavy to very heavy) on some "normal" furniture in the past, and after it sits there (sometimes for months or even years) the finish has been taken right off on the feet of the unit when I've moved it - all the way down to the wood. So given this application and potential for problems, what recommendations would you have for a finish to avoid all that?
You could, but I don't see the point. You can build up a beautiful finish with shellac, but when you put poly on top it will make it look like... well, poly. Poly isn't a beautiful finish. But it's very durable. That's the trade-off.
I'm making a ukulele and I don't know what to finish it with. Used spray lacquer on the last one l made and wasn't happy with it , pro's use some kind of wipe on finish I need to find out what it is. Thanks for the info.
Lac based finishes don’t have to be aerosol, they can be applied in more traditional methods. Pine tar finishes also can be applied in non-aerosol methods. Pine (and spruce) finishes are really natural polymer resins with relatively long polymer chains, making them reasonably durable once fully dried and cured, Amber is pine resin that has cured over hundreds of years and is fully plasticized. The next longest natural polymer is shellac and then lastly lac. They all get very durable and very hard when fully cured. It should be noted that most of these natural resins cure in UV light, sunlight obviously works best.
Hi I am building countertop with Acacia butcher block. I bought Arm R Seal but I would like to put a dark tone on the block. Can I stain and then finish it with Arm R Seal ?
great video! can't wait for the next one! Beginner woodworker here, I've been working on some small coasters lately and have found aerosol spray polyurethane a bit difficult to get good finishes one. So I've been using "painter's touch 2x cover" by rust-oleum, I've been wondering what kind of finish that is (is it enamel or poly?) and if its any good long term for coasters? also considering danish oil for the coasters too
Is vernissa always the lindseed oil boiled? I don't understand. It's also referred to as a varnish that gives protection to a painting. From dirt, UV... However first you oil it with lindseed oil after oil painting. Then you vernissa it. I am in a weird rabbit hole that I don't know what to make off yet.
Great delivery and so detailed! Can you recommend a varnish for raised bed gardens that is food safe? I've used Tung oil I believe but I don't think it offers much if any protection for outdoors.
Could you describe the pros and cons of acrylic spray paint clear coats sometimes called enamel as well? (The clear coat world is insanely confusing) I use these sometimes on low traffic projects to clear coat because it has a 2 minute re-coating time vice 4 hour in the case of poly, but I worry I’m doing something wrong spray painting on top of an oil based stain finish.
I don’t know what we used in jr. high and high school but when you came out you were so high because all they gave us were disposable dust mask Awesome information and advice not to bring it up in a guild meeting.
I am interested in finishing a project (inside use) using boiled linseed. Can I put a polyurethane finish over the linseed finished wood for protection to the finish? Thank you.
I use a product called Hydrocote Resisthane, a waterborne finish. They call it lacquer. When I inquired as to how can you call it lacquer, I was told that it is because if coats are added within a few days, you get "100% burn-in" meaning that the layers become one, like nitrocellulose lacquer. Finishing terms are very confusing like "enamel" what the heck does that mean? Thanks for the video!
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I’m 59 and still fairly new to woodworking, and as I can’t get to any classes TH-cam is my teacher and mentor. Videos like this are invaluable to someone like myself, thank you very much indeed.
Same here, but I'm a bit older...
You guys could benefit from reading some books by professional finishers like Bob Fkexner and Michael Dresner. If you are sold on internet gurus, don't waste your time though.
Woodworking takes in so much that nobody knows it all. Notice that James is frequently talking about new tools/techniques and so on. While some know a lot about certain areas, just beware the know it alls.
I have a great deal of experience in some areas, but I'm a total novice in others. Probably the best we can do is try to learn from each other as we're doing here.
As for someone who has the broadest range of knowledge, and who can explain it so it makes sense, I have found no better source than right here from James.
First time caller long time listener. Same here but younger
I am also learning woodworking from TH-cam. All these videos are great
A friend of mine swallowed a bottle of varnish.
He died, but it was a lovely finish.
Thanks for the mess I've done mister! I was just taking a sip of coffee and when I read your comment, you can imagine what happened next 😠
Luckily the coffee was fresh made and very hot, it wasn't a big sip but the damage is not any more pleasant because of it 🙃
Great little joke! Thanks!
lmao
Kinda reminds me when I was 5 I took a big sip from a bottle of epoxy hardener, looked like syrup to me :)))
I had a friend drink it too..he lives upstairs on the 2nd floor….but that’s another story
Good summary. Ive been in the Paint industry for 34 years, and you got everything pretty much correct.
I am a woman and am tired of not knowing much about carpentry. So, am learning things now so people don't over charge me. So, varnish it is. Thank you so much for your channel. I am new to this.
Nice.
Thank you. I am new to this as a hobby, and your videos are easily the best for beginners. Most other guys assume that you are as skilled or as knowledgeable as they are.
I'm glad I found this channel. You break it down and it makes sense for us new guys. Thank you for these, they are invaluable.
Definitely I agree
You have did it again, explaining what looks like complicated into an easy to follow and understand video
Thank you for sharing 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
Thank you. Found your tung oil video on Google. I’m refinishing an old chair and this is my first time doing anything like this. I appreciate the in depth explanation as I’m new and there is so much information out there!
I enjoy your humor and most of all your knowledge of all the things we have worked with over the years! Very good and humorous explanation of the finishes most of us have applied during our years on the job! I retired from Walt Disney World maintenance and worked with many finishes but never heard them explained as you have as to their origins!
Best explanation ive heard yet. it did give me a headache but I didn’t wear a mask. looking forward to the oil version. thanks for all the good videos.
My first varnish project was a 8 inch pine clothespin.My mother said it was the best.
Finally, the answer to this question. Thank you.
Thanks James, you always have a good explanation of somewhat confusing topics.
When I took woodshop in grammar school we were taught to finish a very specific, painstaking way. Mr Gravenhorst would first have us sand, using various grits, for a very long time. Tack rag. Then we did a sanding sealer (spit coat) of shellac. Then sand lightly. Tack rag. Then a wood stain. Then sand lightly. Tack rag. Then a coat of varnish. Sand lightly. Tack rag. Then a very careful coat of varnish with no drips allowed. After all that, it was time to apply the Butcher's Wax. It wasn't until I was much older that I found out that Butcher's Wax was the name for a brand of bowling alley paste wax and had nothing to do with butchers. Mr G would make us buff that wax finish till our arms were screaming...then buff some more. For decades the finishes on those pieces looked like the day we took them home home. For decades as well that is the only finish I ever applied to a piece of wood (if I didn't paint it).
looking forward to the oils segment, I personally use linseed oil and not the big box stuff. I use Tried and True. Smells like beeswax and vegetable oil. Taste alright and leaves my hands silky smooth. Came across it so i could use on baby furniture.
Thank you. Your videos are very educational, informative and you are quite humerus. Keep up the good work.
Thank you James. Very clear and accurate. Perhaps you can tell us more in another video about different types of "lacquers", different spray finishes, and differences between spraying, brushing and wiping finishes.
Thanks Nubs!!! New woodworker hobbyist. Great help!
Is that the joe robinet logo?
Frank Musella you bet. I switched when We all lost Scout.
@@dustinbjorkquist1185 it was a sad day for all of us
Thanks James. I suffer from noise induced hearing loss and how I wish good hearing protection was available 50 years ago when I was a young man. I wear hearing aids now and while I appreciate all they do for me, I must say they cannot "fix" hearing loss, just make it bearable in many common situations. So to any of you that take the time to read this, get good muffs or at a minimum, rated ear plugs or buds and wear them always. If you're wearing buds, turn the volume down, you'll thank yourself in the future. Thanks for sharing
At least you've outlined where the confusion begins and ends, so the journey is not so daunting! Cheers Jim
Thank you for pointing out that Varnish is not a specific type of finish. But on another note I almost exclusively use "gel varnishes" and they do not require a scuff between coats.
I am building a wooden kayak and have been doing research on the finish. This video helped alot
Great discussion Stumpy! It is always helpful to understand the finishes we all use!
I love these videos. Great information presented in an accessible manner.
THANK YOU for making this! Finally I understand the differences with these finishes. It was so confusing and now the fog is clearing. 😃 I look forward to your oils video.
Thanks. Short and clear (and accurate as far as I can judge).
Thank you. As a new woodworker, this is one area I find extremely difficult to navigate. I would welcome an even more in-depth delve into finishes, and am looking forward to part two
Just a couple of observations. Proper spray lacquers give a beautiful finish but are not at all resistant to sunlight and aren't very hard wearing. French polishing (shellac and beeswax) gives the deepest lustre and is a total pain in the arse to live with. In general, satin or matt finishes are much more forgiving than gloss. Use polyurethane for high wear stuff. Danish oil type products are very easy to apply and give a very nice finish for stuff with low to medium wear expectations. They are also very easy to recoat with the tradeoff that the wood darkens more than with other products. I have treated small hardwood pieces with engine oil for a beautiful (and surprisingly non-greasy) finish. The downside is that it offers no real protection against water. Boiled linseed oil produces a cheap and crude varnish for stuff you don't really care about too much, like a work bench. Finally, I've used clear acrylic on a couple of small pieces. Although not recommended for this purpose, I've found it to be the clearest of all finishes. I can't say anything about it's long term application though as those things were gifts. Oh, and if you intend the piece to live outside all of the time and expect any of these things to last, you're dreaming.
Thank you, thank you, thank you!
This has been so confusing. You have cleared up a long disputed subject...
I‘m a professional woodworker and we‘re currently doing a project with about 2500 square feet of surface area that the client wanted an oil finish on. It’s been nothing but a pain this far. They’re large pieces too, so it’s also becoming a logistical problem. The first coat of oil dries pretty quickly, but the second coat takes almost two days to dry to a point where you can lay pieces on top of each other, even though we only applied a really thin layer and we’re using a supposedly fast drying oil.
The furniture for one room gets a polyurethane finish and after oiling for a week, I couldn’t believe we were done with that finish in a day. They were fewer pieces, but it was just so much quicker. Apply the first coat in the morning, sand after lunch, apply the second coat and put all the pieces away for storage the next day.
What I’m trying to say - quantity is a huge factor in finishes. The more volume, the smaller your (economical) choices are. If you just have one cabinet, you have all the options. If it’s 10 cabinets, time consuming finishes are out of the race, because you’d be on finishing for a week and nobody wants to pay for that.
Normally I like oil, it’s an easy finish and it’s more suitable to wood, because it keeps it natural. For my personal project, I’ll keep using it. But for work, as bad as it sounds, I‘ve become ok with just slapping the plastic on.
I had a trick I used in wood finishing. Not bragging, but I have made some beautiful cabinets and furniture over the years. My secret to a good finish? Send it off to my finishing guy! I could do the wood working part - that was the easy stuff! Applying a finish? Lemme tell ya, you wouldn't wan me to paint your mailbox post, let alone finish a fine wood product. There are 2 ways to accomplish a smooth, durable, professional finish: (1) Learn the art (which I could never master) or (2) find a guy who can do it for you. I went the latter route. For those who can do it well, you have my admiration.
These two videos are excellent! Wish I had seen them years earlier.
Excellent foray into the confusing subject of finishes. Thank you.
I'm so happy that you are a woodworker and not a comedian!
Wow, some fascinating facts here that under normal circumstances, Id be looking on the can for direction and choice. You're bringing a whole lot more into the decision making process. THIS IS GOOD! Knowledge is good and I thank you for enlightening us. Can't wait to hear about Danish oil, I've been thinking about buying some.
Looking forward to video on Boiled Linseed Oil and stuff like it. It’s been my choice for shop projects for years. Always something to learn.
Love your videos man! Every time I see Stumpy Nubs it reminds me of a guy I worked with that lost 3 whole and 2 haves of his fingers from table saw accidents. I called him Stumpy Nubs. I guess I could call him Saw Stop. 😀
Yes! This is the only memory of woodworking at school, and is what put me off it for decades. Throwing some horrible brown stuff on that never dried properly.
Great talk Stumpy. Very informative !
Would you consider doing a video on thinners and their appropriate uses. Acetone, mineral spirits, paint thinner, lacquer thinner and finally water. Thank you
Might be interesting...
Cant forget turpentine
Good video as always. It's pretty much the same with the word 'mulch.' Most folks (at least the folks I know) think mulch is colored bark laid down. But "A mulch is a layer of material applied to the surface of soil." (From Wikipedia) So basically anything you put down over a patch of lawn is a 'mulch.'
Yes, this video did provide some clarity, thank you! I'm completely new to this space and I find your material is the most helpful instructional videos on the topic. I do wonder, however, whether you'll discuss more water based work and especially restoration projects for beginners. Jobs like repainting old furniture and refinishing cabinets, including inferior types "wood." I realize this might not be your interest and probably wouldn't be helpful for your current audience, but maybe you could make a recommendation or point folks like me in the right direction?
I shall insist
Well said thank's I learn a lot from your video's
Always something useful with me doing that fractal wood burning I dont have as many options for finishes
I remember starting out and trying to find varnish since people I learned from said they used it.. that was an interesting journey. Also, I think I am going to start saying polyurinate.. I don't even use it, except for arm-r-seal, which is more like just urithane. My grandfather said he never used it because it was horrible and that was good enough for me!
I dissolve lac flakes in whiskey and varnish with beaver hair brushes. I use 4 coats of polyeurothane boat varnish for things outside.
Now I understood what is varnish. As a beginner I had problems translating varnish to Hungarian and find an equivalent product because the most stuff I see in US videos can’t be purchased here. 😅
Great explanation and info.
Very knowledgable
Thank you so much for this. You’re a great communicator. Is there such a thing as a pre-varnish?
Subbed. I like your video and humor.
Thanks for another clear and accurate presentation on a topic that few innstructors manage to articulate.
Tung oil? Must you lick your project to finish? LOL!
When you go into oils, can you do a small segment on edible finishes like whats used on butcher block countertops, tables, etc?
Thanks!!
Don't eat shellac...
@@richardflorence3927 Why not? I pour some on my bran flakes every morning....
@@covishen Mineral oil is "edible" as far as I've heard.
@joe jitsu Specifically I am in the process of making butcher block counter tops from pallet wood. I've been doing lots of stuff with the wood and my wife wants new counter tops/kitchen cabinets.. The one that our stovetop sits on I used a special oil finish that specifically said it was food safe after 48 hours. The downside is the finish needs redone every couple months, and this stuff is not cheap. So that's why I'm asking. IF anyone wants to see what it looks like I'm always willing to send pics. :)
@@covishen I wouldn't particularly trust pallet wood to be "food safe" unless you know exactly where the wood came from and what exactly was stacked on it and where.. It's pretty notorious for having different contaminates on and in it..
Thank you for your informative content, it's very useful for a beginner like me. Can you tell me one thing please? What is lasure or lazure that is sold in Europe. Is this equivalent to any of these in your video?
I'm confused, lac knowledge, admire your finish, feel sprayed upon, and need to go polyurinate before I meld into an unwaxed base coat, but at least I avoided a shellacking.
Thankfully I had just FINISHED swallowing my tea when I read your comment! ☕😂
Thank you. Looking forward to the video on oils.
Your timing is perfect thank you!!!!!!
I have a teak floor on the interior of a 1983 boat in need of sanding to remove years of buildup of dirt. What would you recommend I use to seal or apply a finish? Water, fish blood, and dirty boots are commonly walking across the floor. Thanks!
With these two video's you need to complete. Stains and dyes.
The finishing shop I used to work in separated finishes into three types: evaporative finishes, varnishes and oils. The man I worked for was a deciple of Bob Flexner, who also differentiated between evaporative finishes and varnishes.
According to Bob, the main difference between an evaporative finish like shellac or lacquor, and a varnish is down to whether the solvent used in the finish will redisolve the finish once dry.
In an evaporative finish, the solvent evaporates and leaves a film that will redisolve with the application of more solvent. In a varnish, the polymers cross-link as the finish cures. Further solvent applications will not redisolve the the cured film.
Not that I'm nit-picky. It's just how I was raised.
Incidentally, Bob Flexner maintains a wonderful blog all about finishing. Just Google "Flexner On Finishing." You'll learn more than you wanted to know about the science behind the finish.
If I had a shop teacher like you, I might not have become a psychologist.
I use quite a bit of pre varnished baltic birch and is gets scratched as i work it. What kind and what color should i use to fix it?
In the violin making world, the word “varnish” is still used in the old sense. It’s mostly resin and turpentine. When they talk about “varnish” they mean it. Not shellac or lacquer, but common tree resin.
In our part of the world wood is either polished or painted. Polish is prepared by dissolving pine wax in methylated spirit and applying with cotton pad. What would you call that material? The paint on the other hand is oil based enamel applied by brush or sprayed . And what would you call that?
Hey Stumpy could you make a video on the Egyptian pine sap and turpentine varnish that you mentioned??
What type of varnish do you think I should use for a bodhran? It has to bear some friction and some beating from different kinds of sticks, as well, so it has to be durable enough.
thankyou, really helpful!
Thanks for telling the unvarnished truth! 😜
I'm working on a prototype,an acoustic instrument,since I'm not an expert in finishing,I wonder what is the best product for a fretless instrument like a violin for exemple?
Very good breakdown of these confusing terms ... Can you thin yacht varnish with mineral spirits to make it "wipe on" like diy wipe on poly?
Wow great video. Can you explain soap finishes in the next video. Often it is mentioned with oil finishes or more organic products that are used for protecting wood. :)
Very informative, thanks. I'm into guitars and the big deal in guitar paintwork is 'nitro' which I assume is short for nitrocellulose. It's used supposedly for its facility of being able to 'let the wood breathe'. I've regarded this claim with scepticism - what's the deal with this stuff? (oh it also 'ages' so that the surface develops a sort of craquelure over time - which is something lots of people actually want)
you are very correct in your comments
All these discussions about finishing has me wondering about a specific application. I have a project coming up where I want to make a new rack for audio equipment. I've placed audio gear (typically somewhat heavy to very heavy) on some "normal" furniture in the past, and after it sits there (sometimes for months or even years) the finish has been taken right off on the feet of the unit when I've moved it - all the way down to the wood. So given this application and potential for problems, what recommendations would you have for a finish to avoid all that?
Can you use shellac as a base coats to build up the finish then apply oil or water based poly once it has dried?
You could, but I don't see the point. You can build up a beautiful finish with shellac, but when you put poly on top it will make it look like... well, poly. Poly isn't a beautiful finish. But it's very durable. That's the trade-off.
I'm making a ukulele and I don't know what to finish it with. Used spray lacquer on the last one l made and wasn't happy with it , pro's use some kind of wipe on finish I need to find out what it is. Thanks for the info.
Lac based finishes don’t have to be aerosol, they can be applied in more traditional methods. Pine tar finishes also can be applied in non-aerosol methods. Pine (and spruce) finishes are really natural polymer resins with relatively long polymer chains, making them reasonably durable once fully dried and cured, Amber is pine resin that has cured over hundreds of years and is fully plasticized. The next longest natural polymer is shellac and then lastly lac. They all get very durable and very hard when fully cured. It should be noted that most of these natural resins cure in UV light, sunlight obviously works best.
Hi I am building countertop with Acacia butcher block. I bought Arm R Seal but I would like to put a dark tone on the block. Can I stain and then finish it with Arm R Seal ?
I use Spar varnish. I would like to see a video in all the tools behind you and how to properly use them.
Maybe you will ;)
great video! can't wait for the next one!
Beginner woodworker here, I've been working on some small coasters lately and have found aerosol spray polyurethane a bit difficult to get good finishes one. So I've been using "painter's touch 2x cover" by rust-oleum, I've been wondering what kind of finish that is (is it enamel or poly?) and if its any good long term for coasters? also considering danish oil for the coasters too
What finish can we use to prevent our new cedar fence from turning grey?
Great video topic. I get so confused with all the finish options
What is "polyurethane color varnish " my local paint store sells them for staining wood.
Is vernissa always the lindseed oil boiled? I don't understand. It's also referred to as a varnish that gives protection to a painting. From dirt, UV... However first you oil it with lindseed oil after oil painting. Then you vernissa it. I am in a weird rabbit hole that I don't know what to make off yet.
Great delivery and so detailed! Can you recommend a varnish for raised bed gardens that is food safe? I've used Tung oil I believe but I don't think it offers much if any protection for outdoors.
All modern finishes are food safe after the fully cure. th-cam.com/video/m3orVP3pZ_k/w-d-xo.html
@@StumpyNubs Thx!
I love varnish.
Thank you so much. How would you classify "clearcoat" ?
Eric Doucet car varnish 😝
Can you tell me what is cellulose varnish please
So what is laquer thinner then? Aliphatic, Cellulose etc?
Did you say, "Unlike shellacker lacquer?" Hahaha! Just feeling a little squirrelly today.
Can I make a varnish from natural materials like sap?
hey is that right "polyurinate" ??
Very helpful information, Thank you :)
I’m a Spar Urethane man for anything outside. And I’m a lacquer man for anything inside.
well said . thanks for sharing your video
Could you describe the pros and cons of acrylic spray paint clear coats sometimes called enamel as well? (The clear coat world is insanely confusing) I use these sometimes on low traffic projects to clear coat because it has a 2 minute re-coating time vice 4 hour in the case of poly, but I worry I’m doing something wrong spray painting on top of an oil based stain finish.
I don’t know what we used in jr. high and high school but when you came out you were so high because all they gave us were disposable dust mask Awesome information and advice not to bring it up in a guild meeting.
thaaaaanks for making that clear, varnish is a term
I am interested in finishing a project (inside use) using boiled linseed. Can I put a polyurethane finish over the linseed finished wood for protection to the finish? Thank you.
Yes you can, but let the BLO cure for a few days first.
@@StumpyNubs great. Thanks for the fast response.
I use a product called Hydrocote Resisthane, a waterborne finish. They call it lacquer. When I inquired as to how can you call it lacquer, I was told that it is because if coats are added within a few days, you get "100% burn-in" meaning that the layers become one, like nitrocellulose lacquer. Finishing terms are very confusing like "enamel" what the heck does that mean?
Thanks for the video!