New to this Forum

[RCrowley]

I've been a wood working hobbiest for the last five years, having built corner cabinets for my dining room, cedar chest for myself and 3 friends, coffee and end tables and some bar stools. Then while awaiting the inspiration to design my new bedroom furniture, I got into segmented bowl turning. I've turned more than 25 bowls, raning from simple 20-30 piece things, up to a pair of 755 piece large coffee cups, and a set of name bowles for everyone in my family. I took a bit of a hiatus about 2 years ago to build a Factory Five, but since I'm nearing completion on that, I'm starting to long for the smell of saw dust again.
> My first project as I get back into it... Refinish the dining room table. Solid, Amish made Oak. Way to pretty to put a table cloth on, and, being a bachelor, not my style anyway. So it's got a few stains on it. I can sand. I can stain. But I've never been good at determining the best finish. What's best for a tabletop??? Varnish??? Laquer??? Polyeurethane???
Help a new guy out.
Rob

[Danno30008]

Hey Rob:

Welcome to the forum!

Some of the guys with more experience than me can help you with this question.. I just made some picture frames and took the advise from Don on this forum and sprayed them with three sealer coats and then three coats of lacquer and they looked like a piano! I could not believe how nice they turned out. I hit them with some 320 sand paper inbetween coats and they look great. Not too sure if lacquer is the way to go on your table top, but rest assured, you will get great answers from this forum.

There is a fantastic group of guys that basically can answer anything that you might throw at them. Anyway, take photos and post either as you go along or when you finish the project.
Take care and I hope you enjoy the forum!
Dan in Atlanta

[thekl0wn]

Welcome!

I wish I could help, but finishing isn't my department. Unless it's doing artistic airbrushing or Bondo work, I don't get into the whole finishing business... That's where my old man comes in! But there are some VERY knowledgeable people on the finishing end of things here! :D

[Don]

Hey, RC and welcome to the forum. Well . . . you being a a bachelor and me knowing what goes on in a bachelor pad, I would recommend a re-coatable finish like Briwax. Oak needs wood filler to get a piano finish and after all the work you wouldn't like sweaty cans of beer on it. A hand rubbed wax finish is easy, will last a lifetime and you can always recoat and touch up to bring it back up to speed. Plus its easy and relatively cheap. You owe it to yourself to get a can and test on the underside and see what you think.

All the best and good luck, Don

[RCrowley]

I went with the sanding sealer and Deft Laquer. It's what I usually use. Turned out pretty good for less that 8 hours worth of work. The table was refinished for a friend that took it from me. He's a family guy with a wife that puts table cloths on their old one, so I'm sure he'll treat this with the same respect. I wanted the table to look brand new when I gave it to him and his wife. So I didn't bother with the hand rub wax. Too much work for something I was giving away.