It seem's that I get a lot of private communication from our various members of the forums asking what are fairly basic finishing questions. My guess is that people don't want to ask about basic stuff in the public forums.

PLEASE feel free to post about anything finish related no matter how minor or trivial you may think it is. No question is too simple.

Remember that we all had to start from the basics at some point and we all can remember how truly terrifying it can be to try to finish a piece that you've spent the last part of the year building.

We're here to help while representing Tommy and his show to the best of our abilities.

RadMan.... Thanks for posting this open invitation for open discussion of all finishing topics. I know for sure it will help me.

Bruce

This is my very first time posting on the forum. I've been familiar with the site long before Rough Cut. I have just completed the Jefferson desk, which I made out of mahognany, following Lon Schleining"s plans. I would like to finish this piece as close as possible to the original. Would appreciate some help in this area. Thanks, Mike

The original desk was made by Benjamin Randolph in 1775 and was most likely french polished with shellac.

Thanks Radio, I am concerned with the color of new mahogony being so light. Thought I could let it set in the sunlight for a couple of months to darken, then apply a coat of BLO, than french polish with shellac. What color shellac? I am use to completing the finish process in a reasonable amount of time. If it was a commision piece I would have to. I made a story board using alcohol dyes, transtint golden brown with a few drops of reddish brown and gave it a coat of clear lacquer. Not sure I like the color. How would you finish it? Thanks, Mike

the technique you call across the pond "french polish"
(polishing wood with pumice etc.) was introduced in the early XIXth,
but I think that applying varnish/shellac with a pad existed already.

You got me on that one!!

As you stated the actual French polishing process was perfected and developed by the French in the early 1800's but shellac was being used as a common finish in the 1700's in England and for several hundred years before that in Asian countries. I believe that I read somewhere that they found a piece in an Egyptian tomb that was finished in shellac.

In the time that the desk was made they would have been simply applying shellac with a brush or pad but most likely not doing the full polishing process if that is the finish on it.

Here in the states we give people a had time and tell them that they're not French polishing. They're just putting shellac on with a rag if they don't really know what they're doing.

I'm wondering if anyone here has seen the original desk in person and could possibly shed some light on what the finish appeared to look like?

Personally I would start with a dye base and French polish it with either blonde or garnet shellac. I would also use a dark rotten stone instead of pumice powder so the grain filling process makes the grain pop out a bit. Keep in mind thought that I'm doing this for a living and have a schedule to adhere too.

I'm generally almost always trying to head towards a brown mahogany over the red or dark red traditional look which most of my clients have no interest in, so I start with yellows for a base color. I also don't use blo very much simply due to it's drying time in my area which is hot and humid most of the time. If it's requested by a client for protection, I will sand back the finish a bit and topcoat with a sprayed on satin lacquer made by Mohawk that's called Buffcote. Mostly though we just rub out the polish and wax it. I would also personally probably do some light distressing and glazing to try to mimic a bit of age on the piece but once again I'm dealing with antiques 99% of the time so that's the look I prefer.

It's all in the eye on the beholder as to what you're after if it isn't for a client.

Thamks Radio, I really appreciate you sharing this good information. Now I have to decide how I will approach it with my skill level. Thanks, Mike

I guess you're going to get a good upper body workout then....



Thanks for the kind words but we all have Tommy to thank for making all of this happen in the first place!

living in France makes things easier regarding this
shellac or bee's wax, but some varnish were also developed in
the XVIII to mimic chinese/japanese lacquer.


I really like to apply finish with a pad, be it varnish or wax.
It gives you a good way to have a nice thin finish and no brush marks.

Mr. Mahogany, I bought the plans from Lon Schleining website www.woodbender.com. I would recommend getting a copy of FWW #144. It has Lon's excellent article on the desk. The full size drawing is full size but not to scale. I went by the sizes in FWW. I would highly recommend drawing it out full size yourself that way you can workout all the descrepencies. Go for it! Mike