Finishing curly maple

[Michael Ray Smith]

I usually hang out on the Neanderthal board, so I apologize if this has already been discussed ad nauseum.

I'm making a simple box, mostly out of walnut, but with a very nice piece of curly maple for the top, one with a lot of interest. I'd like to make sure that the finish on the curly maple shows it off, making the grain pop and reflect light the way that curly maple does. Anyone have a personal favorite way of finishing curly maple that you'd like to share?

[Greg Berry313]

I am no expert but I came across this from the wood whisper

http://thewoodwhisperer.com/episode-...oes-the-maple/

Maybe it will help you

[Scott Holmes]

Maple does not stain well curly maple is even worse.

Option 1 - Use boiled linseed oil to pop the grain seal it with dewaxed shellac (rattle can of Zinsser works just fine). Then top coat of your choice. Shellac is OK as a finial finish; or top coat as you wish..

Option 2 - Use dewaxed Garnet shellac. You'll need to mix your own from flakes. Use as only finish or top coat as you wish.

Option 3 - (My preferred method) Dye with a water soluble dye (Transfast is one brand name). Then sand it back so the dye is only in the curl and top coat as you wish. Dewaxed garnet shellac, would be my choice for the maple and the walnut.

[Quinn McCarthy]

I have had great success with water soluble dyes. Mainly transtint from homestead finishing. Really brings out the grain. COmes in quite a few colors. I usualy sand to 180 and the raise the grain with Dist. water and then asand back down and then dye the wood. The usually finish with target topcoat. The best way to figure out what you like is experiment on scrap wood before the project.

Hope that helps.

Quinn

[Steve Hayles]

Michael, For my money you can't beat a good french polish. For high figure light colored timber I use a de-waxed Shellac.
If you don't want to do a French Polish then a good brush on Shellac finish it nearly as good.
Rub down between coats with wet and dry paper I usually start with 400-600 on the first build up and on successive coats
reduce the harshness of the paper until I get to 1500.

Would love to see the finished Box



Cheers

Steve

[John Coloccia]

Maple does not stain well curly maple is even worse.

Option 1 - Use boiled linseed oil to pop the grain seal it with dewaxed shellac (rattle can of Zinsser works just fine). Then top coat of your choice. Shellac is OK as a finial finish; or top coat as you wish..

Option 2 - Use dewaxed Garnet shellac. You'll need to mix your own from flakes. Use as only finish or top coat as you wish.

Option 3 - (My preferred method) Dye with a water soluble dye (Transfast is one brand name). Then sand it back so the dye is only in the curl and top coat as you wish. Dewaxed garnet shellac, would be my choice for the maple and the walnut.

I do #3 as well. I've been trying something just a wee bit different lately, though. I mix Transtint with alcohol instead of water, and then also mix in just a touch of shellac. I usually use sealcoat, which is a 2lb cut, and I usually put in maybe 10% or 20%. Curl can get a little mushy, because it's essentially endgrain, and using alcohol helps, but the shellac also helps by stiffening up all the fibers a bit. It just seems to sand a little easier than just using straight water.

[Jim Becker]

I also tend to use the method in Scott's bullet point number three.

[John TenEyck]

I do pretty much the same as John C. described.

[Jerome Hanby]

I would go with Scott's preferred method...not because I know crap about it but I'm bright enough to recognize that he does...in spades!

Maple does not stain well curly maple is even worse.

Option 1 - Use boiled linseed oil to pop the grain seal it with dewaxed shellac (rattle can of Zinsser works just fine). Then top coat of your choice. Shellac is OK as a finial finish; or top coat as you wish..

Option 2 - Use dewaxed Garnet shellac. You'll need to mix your own from flakes. Use as only finish or top coat as you wish.

Option 3 - (My preferred method) Dye with a water soluble dye (Transfast is one brand name). Then sand it back so the dye is only in the curl and top coat as you wish. Dewaxed garnet shellac, would be my choice for the maple and the walnut.