blair

Preventing Bubbles from Forming in your Finish Coats

Nov 062007
 

by Alan Noel

Whether you’re a hobbyist or a pro, brushing on an even coat of bubble-free oil- or water-based varnish
is often a very frustrating task. Sometimes bubbles even appear mysteriously while the finish is drying, even though they weren’t visible during the application process.

Here are six tips I’ve found to help eliminate those pesky tiny bubbles:

  1. Never shake the finish. Shaking the container will cause bubbles. Always stir the finish in the can.
  2. Be sure to apply the finish in the direction of the grain whenever possible.
  3. Always use a good quality brush. This is the most important part of the process. A high
    quality natural bristle brush should be used for oil based varnishes and the best for water based
    finishes are brushes having synthetic bristles.
  4. After brushing on a coat of finish, use a different dry brush of the same type and gently brush the
    finish holding the brush at a 45 degree angle to remove any bubbles that are in the finish.
  5. Remember that two light coats are better than one thick one. Laying it on too thick
    will promote skimming of the finish. Trapped thinners will then force their way towards the surface creating
    bubbles.
  6. Never attempt to finish any surface unless you are sure the wood is completely dry and ready
    for finishing. Trapped moisture can cause bubbles to appear long after the lights have been turned off.

Visit Highland Woodworking’s WoodNews Online Archives for more tips and information.

Fun Woodworking Project: Bandsaw Puzzle Cubes

Oct 302007
 

Bandsaw Puzzle CubeHow’s that scrap pile in the corner of the shop coming along? Getting any smaller? Here’s one way to put some of your cherished chunks of thick stock to good use, producing casual gifts of irresistible appeal to young and old alike. Kids under ten can reassemble these puzzles in 30 seconds, grown-ups in only three or four minutes if they’re sharp.

Make sure your bandsaw blade is square to the table, both left & right and fore & aft. The larger the puzzle cube, the less error you can get away with. Kerf width forgives some inaccuracy, but not much.

Start off by milling up a cube — any size will do, but bigger is better: 3″ x 3″ or 4″ x 4″ makes a good puzzle blank. Put a 1/8″ or 1/16″ blade on your bandsaw, and don’t think about any claims you might have seen that you can’t cut thick stock with a very narrow blade. Cool Blocks lateral guides are essential for 1/16″s and mighty useful for 1/8″ blades, too.

Orient the cube so you’ll start cutting across the grain, and cut a randomly invented jigsaw puzzle pattern across the block. Make a fairly simple pattern. Push gently, using just your fingertips.

Let the saw take its time working through the stock, so the blade stays vertical and your curves are consistent throughout. You’ll notice that sawing with the grain is much slower than across it; be ready for significant changes in speed and back pressure as you turn the block.

After completing the cut, slide the two pieces apart, blow out the dust and reassemble. Wrap the block with masking tape or duct tape to hold it together firmly. Now turn the block so you’re sawing into an uncut face, and repeat the process of cutting a jigsaw pattern. Remember not to push too hard, especially if you’re using a 1/16″ blade! When you finish the cut, remove the tape and disassemble the puzzle. A few odd bits of wood may fall loose if your two patterns intersected to cut them free; no matter. Blow all the dust off and try putting your cube back together. Got it?

Optional enhancements include sanding all the corners round, and staining or painting each piece a different color. Come to think of it, you could saw wavy curves into every face of the cube, but that would be simply too diabolical, wouldn’t it?

Visit Highland Woodworking’s Library for more pictures and a printable pdf of this project idea.

The New Complete Guide to the Band Saw by Mark Duginske

Oct 282007
 

203681.jpgIn the world of small shop woodworking, Mark Duginske is the unquestioned maharishi of the bandsaw. His Band Saw Handbook has been a best seller here since anyone can remember. Mark’s new book is completely updated with color pictures and with information on today’s bandsaws. For instance, he compares newer steel frame saws to conventional cast iron ones. As usual, he debunks myths, dispels rumors and generally gives you the straight dope on issues such as after market accessories, blade selection, saw tuning and techniques. The book also includes chapters on resawing, jigs, joinery and projects. Of particular interest is Mark’s take on the dubious value of saw blade tension meters. As with all of Mark’s books and videos, this is an excellent resource that you’ll refer to often.

Visit Highland Woodworking for more information.

Georgia Association of Woodturner’s Meeting October 2007

Oct 182007
 

The Georgia Association of Woodturner’s meets in our Seminar Room tonight at 6:30pm. They are open to visitors, so come by and check it out. Alan Batty will be demonstrating.

alan_batty.jpg

Alan has a lifetime of turning experience, both as a teacher and a production turner steeped in the traditions of the English woodturning trade.

Our store is open until 8:00pm on Thursdays so you can do some shopping, too.

Blair

The Woodwright’s Shop with Roy Underhill on the web

Sep 222007
 

woodwrightshop.jpg

One of our favorite woodworkers is Roy Underhill of The Woodwright’s Shop on PBS.

He’s been a guest at several of our sales and he’s taught classes here as well. He’s talented, entertaining and we like his style.

I just discovered this week over on the Toolmonger blog that PBS has posted all of Season 26 of The Woodwright’s Shop on the web for free!

Check it out here.

You can see some of Roy’s books here.

Blair

Georgia Association of Woodturner’s Meeting September 2007

Sep 202007
 

The Georgia Association of Woodturner’s meets in our Seminar Room tonight at 6:30pm. They are open to visitors, so come by and check it out. Stuart Mortimer will be demonstrating.

stuart_mortimer.jpg

Stuart Mortimer has been turning since 1969. He is an award winning, internationally known woodturner with a wide knowledge in many aspects of turning. His demonstrating and teaching skills are recognized world wide.

Our store is open until 8:00pm on Thursdays so you can do some shopping, too.

Blair