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 Post subject: help with redwood finish
PostPosted: Thu Oct 22, 2015 7:17 am 
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Koa
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I have a big slab of curly redwood that I am making into a table. I have four coats of Minwax polyurethane varnish so far (solvent, not water base). It dries as if the varnish is still soaking into the wood, that is, not glossy. I had expected the first coat to seal the grain so that this would not happen. There is no other sealer applied. Any advice would be appreciated. I cannot use an epoxy filler because I am too allergic to epoxy.


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PostPosted: Thu Oct 22, 2015 7:38 am 
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Koa
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I'd just continue with additional coats of the Minwax -- it levels and polishes great on flat work. I assume you are using gloss not satin.

Also I recommend contacting the tech support at Minwax before introducing a new/different chemical into the process. They are very helpful.

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These users thanked the author kencierp for the post: wbergman (Thu Oct 22, 2015 7:49 am)
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PostPosted: Thu Oct 22, 2015 9:01 am 
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I have used that product before on some furniture pieces, and I think I had 7 or 8 coats before I was satisfied with the results.
Have had good results with the epiphanes varnish as well.

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These users thanked the author Bri for the post: wbergman (Fri Oct 23, 2015 6:47 am)
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PostPosted: Thu Oct 22, 2015 11:07 am 
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Brazilian Rosewood
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Is it drying, and not staying tacky?



These users thanked the author meddlingfool for the post: wbergman (Fri Oct 23, 2015 6:47 am)
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PostPosted: Thu Oct 22, 2015 4:42 pm 
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Koa
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It is drying. It seems to me that the first coat should seal the fibers so that subsequent coats would not be soaked up. I cannot imagine where all the liquid is going. After each coat dries, the surface looks dark, so the curl shows more, but otherwise looks as if it never had anything applied.


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PostPosted: Thu Oct 22, 2015 7:44 pm 
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I've used truoil on Redwood.
Took quite a few applications before the oil started building on the top.
It was pretty cool to see the figure emerge once the surface was sealed.


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These users thanked the author dzsmith for the post: wbergman (Fri Oct 23, 2015 6:47 am)
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PostPosted: Fri Oct 23, 2015 12:41 am 
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Koa
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The curly figure means you have some end grain. Redwood end grain is amazing in its ability to soak up finishes. (Maybe it has something to do with the way redwood trees move the sap 300+ vertical feet.) Where I live, redwood has been commonly used for house framing, planking, and finish work. Paint a coat of white latex house paint on unprimed redwood end grain, and it just disappears. Paint another coat, and it's gone too--the surface looks like bare wood. Give it some dry time, and add more coats. At some point, it starts to build. Some sort of pore-fill might speed things up.



These users thanked the author Eric Reid for the post: wbergman (Fri Oct 23, 2015 6:47 am)
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PostPosted: Mon Oct 26, 2015 10:48 am 
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Mahogany
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Dan, that is one gorgeous tele! Drool city over here.


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PostPosted: Mon Nov 02, 2015 6:22 am 
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Koa
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Hope the photo loads.

Eight coats before the last of the porous spots filled. Then extra leveling and another coat. Then a failed attempt at going through all grits of Micromesh, so a final coat and no polishing.


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