First finishing job - Pine/birch chest

[Elijah Fontenot]

So i just finished my first project and I am pleased with it. Its a chest I made for my girlfriend and now its time to finish it. She has chosen the stain and a satin poly. I have already sanded to 220 the whole thing and now I am going to use a Pre-stain conditioner, then a cherry colored Gel-stain (applied with a foam brush). Once that is dry I want to use a Satin Poly that is brush on (applied with a Natural brissled brush).

So that is my game plan. Please let me know if that is ok or what. Im definately open for suggestions. I don't have any HVLP, so im using brushes. Here is the pic of the chest.

[Joe Chritz]

Nothing like starting with some of the hardest woods to stain and finish with one of the harder finishes.

Everything else will be a piece of cake.

Pine has a tendency to "blotch" when stained. Pre-stain conditioner just helps to seal the wood so it doesn't get absorbed unevenly. De-waxed shellac will do the same thing, usually cheaper and easier.

Since the coloring is already picked out, test, test and test again. Get a big piece and finish it to the end. A big piece will allow for any blotching to show if it is going to be an issue.

Aniline dye is much easier on hard to stain woods and I wish I would have used it much earlier. Same goes for non-borg poly. I like Waterlox but any of the premium wipe on finishes mentioned around here are leaps over orange store poly for easy application.

Use something non-oil base inside. Even lacquer is better since it won't offgas so much but I would use shellac. No offgasing and it is what should be on the inside if anything at all. Here I must confess to using giant store stuff. Bullseye seal coat for dewaxed shellac and regular bullseye (thined to 2# cut) for drawers.

Nice looking trunk, good luck.

Joe

[Jim Becker]

My thoughts echo Joe's. You have two different species in the project that react differently to coloration materials. As he says, Pine is one of the hardest to deal with in that respect. Birch has an entirely different look from a grain and pore structure standpoint and absorbs color at a different rate. Gel stains are an entirely different animal, too, and look different than dyes or regular pigment stains.

So Joe's advise to work some test pieces through your entire finishing schedule is absolutely spot-on and essential. And that means on both the pine and the birch. You need to know what's going to happen after each step and what the final look will be.

And I also agree with Joe...that's a fine looking trunk!

[Prashun Patel]

Some other things to consider:

The endgrain on the top will come out very dark. If you sand the trunk to say 180, then I'd sand the end grain on the top additionally up to 320.

I also prefer dewaxed shellac (Zinnsser Sealcoat is readily available) bkz you get more control. I'd thin it to 1# to use it as a prestain conditioner, though.

The lighter the gel stain, the less problems you'll have with blotch.

[Elijah Fontenot]

Thanks for the replys. I have used a couple of scrap pieces of birch so far and the girlfriend has approved the color. I just haven't used the poly yet.

For the inside I want to line it with cedar closet liners for the aroma, however how should i treat the inside of the chest? Pre-condition and stain, then install the cedar liners? I have read that you should treat both sides of wood so you somewhat equalize the movement of the wood.

[Jim Becker]

Do not finish the interior of the chest...especially with anything containing oil. It will smell "forever". If you feel you have to put something on, just use de-waxed shellac.

On your testing you must test on the pine, too...it's likely going to look different than the birch and you'll want to work out the finishing regimen to accommodate. And you should also apply your top coat to the test pieces...it WILL change the color; sometimes just a little and sometimes considerably.

[Elijah Fontenot]

I'll keep that in mind. When i get back home on the 16th im going to jump on the finishing. I'll keep you guys updated.

Thanks a bunch!

[Scott Holmes]

I echo the "pick something other than satin poly for the top coat". Shellac is also an excellent choice however you would need to steelwool it to get it to satin. Shellac is a gloss finish.