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Hey Bob and Dave, If you plan to apply varnish or polyurethane as a topcoat, you should stain and finish the panel(s) before you glue the assembly together. Then stain and finish the frame. You can tape off the panel, but it really isn't necessary, because the topcoat will seal the surface—you'll be able to wipe off any stain or finish
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A Woodworker's Royal Wedding Gift! A Gift Fit of a Future King—and Queen For many, Friday April 29th is a special holiday; a day off work with street parties and other festivities to celebrate the Royal Wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton, the future King and Queen of England. But for Ian Hawthorne, it means making a mark in history
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Hi Harlan. You have to allow each coat to dry before applying another coat. The drying time depends on the type of wipe on/rub off finish you use, so start by following the directions on the can. Gel varnishes dry so fast you can often apply two coats in a day. Blended finishes, such as Danish oils and the boiled linseed oil/pure tung oil/polyurethane
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Hi Wally. Thanks for your question. With your 1/2" x 1/2" bit you'll be able to cut through dovetails in stock up to 1/2" thick and half-blind dovetails in stock up to 3/4" thick Tim Johnson
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"Make Your Own Bar Rail Molding" appears in the Feb/Mar 2011 issue of American Woodworker. Download a printable full size version of this bar rail pattern.
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In the 25th Anniversary issue of American Woodworker (#149, Aug/Sept 2010), I selected the following tools (or tool categories) as game changers, based on the significant influence they had on woodworking during the past 25 years: Low Cost Asian Imports The Benchtop Planer New Tablesaw Safety Technology The Random Orbit Sander The Do-It-All Dovetail
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Hi Chet. How are you planning to finish the exterior of the trunk? I'd recommend using the same finish on the underside of the lid, so changes in humidity will affect both sids of the lid equally. As for the sliding shelf, I'd apply one of two coats of blonde shellac. Unlike oil finishes, shellac dries to a hard film, so it's easier to keep
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Hi Farmall. Old finishes have a unique appearance, because they contain both applied color and the color of the wood. As wood ages, it's color changes, even under a finish. For example, oak turns from pale tan to a yellow-gold color. So I suspect the finishes you remember consist of a warm brown color applied over oak that has aged to a golden color
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Hi Sasha. You did a great job buiilding this cabinet. I hope it's as useful for you as it has been for us here in the American Woodworker shop. The best solution would be to brush on a coat or two of waterborne polyurethane. Unlike oil-based poly, or even shellac, waterborne poly will add protection without significantly changing the natural color
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Working with Melamine It's dirt cheap, it's practical, and best of all, there's no sanding and finishing! by Dave Munkittrick Melamine is the professional cabinetmaker’s best friend. Build a cabinet with it and you have a complete, durable interior that requires no sanding (yes!) and no finishing (oh, yeah!). Pros often build whole