Here are some newly completed pieces you first saw in earlier blogs. Remember those chairs with the cane seats that had "blown-up" (April 17th's blog). Well look at the cane seats now...good as new again! These chairs have navigated the challenges through several generations already; they have the battle scars to prove it. Yes, they would definitely benefit from some cleaning-up, but it's not going to happen this time around. Nevertheless, it is unanimous--I heard it from them!--they're happy to be going home.
And...do you remember the 60's-styled solid Mahogany lamp table? As I mentioned in the previous blog, it appears to have been a high school shop project for a student (John Toohey...anybody know him?). Well, here's that project some 40 years later and it's pretty nicely weathering life's storms, wouldn't you agree? I wonder what John would think of it know? Nice job John. Memories, memories--yes, wood does talk!
In the final stages of this finishing process I stumbled into a reeeeely bad case of "fish eyes." They're never any fun. In this case I believe I know why it happened, but as a result I had to do a lot of heavy duty buffing to lessen the damage. For your information, "fish-eyes" are a circular rumpling of a still wet newly applied surface finish. It's caused when oily-type impurities have penetrated the finish surface of the wood to lurk on or just beneath it's surface and "rumple" the wet finish--it's a reaction kind of like an oil on water phenomenon. Once they appear there's little a finisher can do but start all over again...or invest a lot of time and energy through several surface applications and buffing, buffing, buffing. Even then the final surface product often remains mildly compromised. Here, below, is a close-up picture of what these "eyes" looked like staring up at me from the piece's surface. Ugh, but I did a good job softening their stare this time. I think we foiled em. Ha. They won't painfully detract from the color and depth of the Mahogany's beauty.
OK...that's WoodTalkin for this morning. Keep listening for those fun whispers.
Dick
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