Finishing
Learning a lot about finishing the mahogany/maple table. I’m amazed at the variety of finishes and finishing techniques out there. I’m reading a couple of finishing books now and am completely overwhelmed. An old-timer at the local Woodcraft graciously spent about 20 minutes with me today going over all the different types of finishes that I can put on the table. Nice guy and he gave me some great advice.
What I’m planning is a 3 part finish. First, I’ll sand to 220, then seal the grain with a grain filler, then sand to 320 or 400, then stain with an oil based dye, then put 3 or 4 coats of Tried and True varnish down. Then after a week or so put 3 coats of wax. The maple will just get T&T and wax, no stain or grain filler.
Is all this worth it? I sure hope so. The table looks great right now in its unfinished form. I want the finish to look as good. I’m trying to get it finished before Erin’s mom and grandmom come up for a visit on May 8th.