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Newsletter #162

Newsletter #162

#162

 Greetings from Bill Boxer, Sr. Vice President, Apollo Sprayers International, Inc                         

     Every year Apollo Sprayers, International, Inc., offers a gift certificate to the three winners in the Excellence in Finishing Division of the Design in Wood Exposition at the San Diego County Fair. John Darroch, our President and CEO is always honored to be asked to judge the extraordinary entries. Submissions are made by professionals, custom woodworkers and amateurs.  

David Marr, the San Diego Woodworking Fair First Place Winner, is an artist in the broadest sense. David is a jazz musician who traveled the world playing the string bass and accompanied jazz legends on over 20 CDs.
David’s interest in woodworking grew and he is now a full-time furniture maker. His company, David Marr Designs is in San Diego. Both of David’s amazing skills involve improvisation. David’s coffee table took about two months to produce. The finish is conversion varnish. The coffee table is a spec piece and is for sale. David received a $500 Gift Certificate from Apollo Sprayers. 

 

                                                          
                

                                                                  Coffee Table by 1st Place Winner David Marr

 

                                            

                                                                   Another piece by David Marr, Calla Lilly Side Board  

Brian Hubel won Second Place with his slim arm chair, made of English Walnut and Holly. It is finished in an oil and varnish blend.
Brian believes that a fine piece of furniture should stand on its own and be timeless. He is inspired by the wood itself. Brian feels obligated to protect and preserve that beauty. His builds his pieces to be graceful and strong. Although subtle, his clean and concise lines show some Asian influence. Brian received a $300 Gift Certificate from Apollo Sprayers.

                                   

                                  Slim Chair by Brian A. Hubel, second prize

 

                                     

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                                                              Brian Hubel’s Waterfall Bubinga Top Slab – Cherry Base – Ebony Accents  

 

Michael Broomell won Third Prize with his Claro Walnut and Citrus Writing Desk. 

           

 

 

 

 

Finishing Article by Charles Neil: Cold Cracking  
                                       
                     

In the photo above we definitely see a very severe case. This is a pour on epoxy finish over copper. While finishing over copper is a separate challenge unto itself, the extreme cracking of the finish was due to being subjected to freezing temperatures and can happen with any finish. In this case the table was transported from Florida to Maryland in January and the table sat on a truck for several days.I would be the first to agree the copper (metal) was a contributing factor as the copper contracting due to the cold didn’t help things out at all. 

I have however seen this several times before.A finish, if left in extreme cold, can and will crack. I have also observed that heavier film finishes are more subject to cracking. In all the cases I have seen , it occurred via a move from a warm climate to a cold one and the finishes were subjected to a rapid temperature change due to transport.

In the case of the copper table, the owners assumed it had been dropped, but there is no evidence of that, it simply froze and cracked, again the copper had a lot to do with it because the epoxy is simply lifting off which means that the adhesion was totally lost.
Be aware that it can happen. I have also see furniture stored in very cold conditions with no effect, thus it really seems to be the rapid change in temperature is a major contributor. If you are moving, be aware.

 Products of the Month: 

 Safe Coat & Aqua Coat all coatings, stains and fillers

 Erecta-rack- Click here to learn about this super product. (video)  Erecta-rack info

  Apollo Filter Stand- saves hours cleaning up spills

  Soy Gel Quarts and Gallons – SAFE, EFFECTIVE STRIPPER Fast, safe, non-toxic – non caustic – biodegradable 

 

Remember when you had vocabulary tests in school? Here’s the Woodworkers List of Vocabulary Words, with definitions, by Bob Flexner. Would you get 100%? (We printed this 5 years ago but we have so many new readers,we thought it was a good idea to look at it again.)

 

As with any technical field, understanding the terminology of finishing is critical. It’s also critical that we all mean the same thing with the terms we use.

 

With that in mind, here are some of the most common finishing terms, in alphabetical order, and their definitions. 

Bleach is a chemical that removes stains and, sometimes, the natural color from wood. The three types of bleach are chlorine (sodium hypochlorite), which removes dye color without changing the color of the wood; oxalic acid, which removes rust marks and lye stains without changing the color of the wood; and two-part bleach (sodium hydroxide and hydrogen peroxide), which removes stains, and also removes the wood’s natural color.

Dye is a chemical that dissolves in a liquid solvent. Typical solvents include water, alcohol and toluene. Dye can be applied to wood dissolved in the solvent alone, or dye can be added to a finish and thinner (with or without pigment included) to make a wiping stain or toner. Dye is transparent.

Film Finish is any finish that can be built up on the wood (by repeated applications) to a noticeable thickness. The key requirement for a film finish is that it cures hard.

Varnish(including polyurethane varnish), shellac, lacquer, water-based finish and a number of two-part finishes are all film finishes.

Finish is a substance that changes from a liquid to a solid after it’s applied to the wood. The purpose of a finish is to protect the wood from moisture and to enhance the wood’s appearance. The term “finish” can also refer to all the steps in a built-up finish. These steps could include a stain, several coats of transparent finish, and coloring steps (glazing and toning) in between the finish coats. The context usually makes it clear which definition of “finish” is being referred to.

Gel stain is a stain that has been made thick and resistant to flow, similar to glaze. Because of the resistance to flow, gel stains don’t penetrate well, so they are used primarily to reduce blotching on blotch-prone woods such as pine and cherry.

Glaze is a stain that has been thickened enough so it stays where you put it. It doesn’t run on vertical surfaces or flatten out on horizontal surfaces. Glaze is used to decorate (graining, antiquing, highlighting, etc.) and to add the appearance of age and depth.

Glazing is the application and manipulation of a stain or glaze between coats of finish with the purpose of adding decoration. Typical effects include graining, antiquing, distressing and highlighting recesses.

Paste wood filler (or “pore filler”) is a finish (usually varnish or water-based finish) with a pigment colorant and a solid filling substance added. The filling material is usually silica (resembles fine sand) in varnish-based fillers and wood dust in water-based fillers. Paste wood filler is used to fill the pores of porous woods such as oak, mahogany and walnut before the application of topcoats. The filler can be applied directly to raw wood to fill and stain in one operation, or it can be applied over a washcoat or sealer coat to add color only to the pores (the best procedure). All excess paste wood filler has to be wiped or sanded off the surface to avoid muddying the wood.

Patina is the mellowing and color change that occurs in wood over time due to oxidation (from exposure to air) and bleaching (from exposure to light). Patina is also the dings, scratches and wear in the wood or finish that give old furniture and woodwork character.

Penetrating finish is any finish that cures too soft to be functional if built up on the wood. The excess finish has to be wiped off after each application. All oil and oil/varnish blend finishes are penetrating finishes. By this definition, wax is also a penetrating finish, but it isn’t usually referred to as such because it doesn’t penetrate much. A better terminology would be “film-building” for all finishes that harden and can be built up, and “non-film-building” for all finishes that don’t harden and have to be wiped off.

Pigment is finely ground earth or colored synthetic particles made to resemble earth. Pigment is used to add the color to stain, glaze, toner, paste wood filler and, of course, paint. Pigment is opaque and hides the wood if built up thick. But if the excess is wiped off, the pigment remaining in the wood’s pores highlights them, which adds depth and grain definition to the wood. The pigment settles in cans and must be stirred into suspension before each use.

Rubbing and polishing is the procedure used to level the surface of the final coat of finish and raise or lower the sheen. Various types of abrasives are used to do this, including sandpaper, steel wool, abrasive pads and rubbing compounds in liquid, paste or powder form.

Sealer is the first coat of finish applied to the wood. This first coat seals the pores of the wood so that any liquid applied on top, including the next coat of finish, will remain on top; it won’t penetrate into the wood. A sealer can be the first coat of the same finish you’re using for the topcoats, a special varnish or lacquer “sanding” sealer made to sand easily, a water resistant vinyl sealer commonly used under catalyzed finishes, or shellac, which forms an effective barrier over oil, resin and odors (from smoke or animal urine) in the wood.

Shading stain is a toner used to change or adjust the color of part of the wood without affecting other parts. Examples of situations where shading stain (toner) is used include highlighting (darkening the areas around the area to be highlighted) and matching sapwood to heartwood. Shading stains are always sprayed.

Sheen is the degree of gloss in a cured finish. All film finishes cure to a gloss sheen unless they have flatting paste (gloss-reducing solid particles) added. Semi-gloss, satin, matte and flat finishes have flatting paste added. These finishes must be stirred before use to put the flatting particles into suspension.

Solids content is the ratio of finish (the part that hardens) to thinner (the part that evaporates) in a finish. Most finishes are supplied with a solids content ranging from 20 to 40 percent.

Solvent is any evaporating liquid that will dissolve a dried finish. The solvent for a finish can also be used to thin the finish. Examples of common solvents are lacquer thinner for lacquer, denatured alcohol for shellac and mineral spirits for wax.
Stain is any liquid that colors wood. Two colorants are used in stains: pigment and dye. Pigment requires a binder (finish) to glue it to the wood. Dye can be used with or without a binder.

Thinner is any evaporating liquid that can be added to a finish, stain, glaze, toner or paste wood filler to thin it and make it easier to apply with a brush, cloth or spray gun. Examples include mineral spirits for oil-based products, water for water-based products, lacquer thinner for lacquer products and denatured alcohol for shellac products.

Toner is finish, usually lacquer, thinned with up to six parts thinner and a pigment and/or dye colorant added. Toner is always sprayed and can be used to add color in very thin layers between coats of finish. Toner is most often used to adjust the wood’s color after it has been stained and sealed, or used as a shading stain.

Topcoat refers to all coats applied over a sealer coat.

Washcoat is any finish thinned to 10 percent, or less, solids content. A washcoat can be applied directly to the wood to partially block the penetration of a stain and prevent blotching, or to harden end grain so it becomes easier to sand smooth. A washcoat can also be applied between coloring, filling and glazing steps to keep them separated and make them stand out better.

Wood Conditioner (also called stain controller and pre-stain) is a commercial washcoat product made by thinning varnish with two parts mineral spirits, or thinning water-based finish an equivalent amount. Wood conditioner is used to prevent blotching in pine, cherry and other blotch-prone woods. To be effective, the product should be allowed to cure thoroughly before applying a stain.

 

Woodworkers Vocabulary List