Finish to 'pop' grain

[Paul Downes]

I'm finishing up building a cabinet for my shop and the drawer fronts are going to be curly spalted maple. I want to pop the figure and have used BLO to do this in the past but was wondering if shellac will do the job. I have some super blonde thats been waiting for a job but have never used shellac before. I will probably use a lacquer for the top coat. I do have a can of acrylic water based poly but am not sure how this will build. Any suggestions?

[Steve Schoene]

The shellac will do much less well at popping grain than the BLO. Use the shellac (assuming it is dewaxed shellac) as a barrier between the BLO and the waterborne acyrlic if you go that way.

[Lee Schierer]

I would just apply the lacquer. It does a great job of popping grain. This box was finished only with Deft Clear Wood Finish. BLO tends to darken the wood.

[Paul Downes]

Well, i do have some Deft gloss rubbing lacquer, so I did a test piece. I also have a gallon of CAB acrylic lacquer. I don't have an airless sprayer so I just might have to pick one up. I wouldn't dare use my shop air. I did some grinding today and had to wrap a paper towel around the exhaust to soak up the water. I periodically purge the water but it has been raining lately.

[Jim Kountz]

Id go with BLO myself, yes it can turn some woods darker but in a nice way most of the time.

[Paul Downes]

I know that BLO will darken with age and the drawer fronts are spalted with some white flecks in them. I don't want to change the color of them too much so that's what inspired the question.

[Jerry Olexa]

I'd go BLO but lighter than usual Test on a scrap piece first...

[Tony Bilello]

Well, i do have some Deft gloss rubbing lacquer, so I did a test piece. I also have a gallon of CAB acrylic lacquer. I don't have an airless sprayer so I just might have to pick one up. I wouldn't dare use my shop air. I did some grinding today and had to wrap a paper towel around the exhaust to soak up the water. I periodically purge the water but it has been raining lately.

Dont you use filters and moisture traps? Every night I shut off compressor and drain both the filter/moisture traps and the compressor itself. During the day, if I use the compressor a lot, I just drain the moisture trap (about 10 seconds of work). Your lines should remain moisture free if you do this regularly and spraying is never a problem.