# Finishing on Flame Box Elder Jewelry Box



## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

If only I followed my own advice and that of others here. Plan Ahead!
In my thread, http://www.woodworkingtalk.com/f2/working-wood-3-part-process-12743/ I admit that the finishing stage is one most of us leave for last, well it usually is last, but more as an after thought. GUILTY.
So, I'm almost ready to finish my finished keeping box and I'm looking for ideas for the finish. Box Elder seems to be a dense wood, like birch and doesn't take stain very well, and I don't think I want to "stain" it in the traditional sense. If anything I want to bring out the red streaks in the wood. I have spray equipment, regular pressure type gravity guns. 
I did use a 2 part clear coat on my truck cap and was very impressed with the results....very high gloss and no rubbing out. I did that outside in the summer so I don't know about inside in the shop right now, toxic fumes and all. I do have cartridge respirators and exhaust fans.
I've sprayed clear poly and lacquer before, that's what I'm thinking right now. Any other ideas out there?


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## Gene Howe (Feb 28, 2009)

Now, that there is a nice box. 
How about shellac?


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## firehawkmph (Apr 26, 2008)

I agree with Gene. I would start with a coat of shellac to bring out the grain. I would follow up with lacquer if you don't want to darken the piece much at all. On a small piece like this you could brush the lacquer and sand lightly between coats and get a nice finish. Or use something like a wipe on poly. It flows out and provides a very nice finish. I would bother setting up and having to clean the spray equipment for something this small. 
Mike Hawkins
PS, nice job on the box. Looks great. I like the curved cut between the top and bottom.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Mike, did you miss a word "NOT" ?*



firehawkmph said:


> I agree with Gene. I would start with a coat of shellac to bring out the grain. I would follow up with lacquer if you don't want to darken the piece much at all. On a small piece like this you could brush the lacquer and sand lightly between coats and get a nice finish. Or use something like a wipe on poly. It flows out and provides a very nice finish. I would ...NOT....bother setting up and having to clean the spray equipment for something this small.
> Mike Hawkins
> PS, nice job on the box. Looks great. I like the curved cut between the top and bottom.


I really don't mind the clean up. OSHA is not watching yet.....:laughing: bill


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## Hendo446 (Nov 25, 2009)

I hate to post here without a suggestion for you, but I couldn't help saying how great that box looks. Beautiful wood. Looking foward to pics of the finished product.


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## Rick Mosher (Feb 26, 2009)

Nice box! 
It is really hard to recommend a finish without knowing what you like. It isn't that a hand rubbed oil finish or a shellac and wax finish or a high gloss buffed out lacquer is better or worse, they're just different. The main thing I would do is use some scrap and play with different finishes until you get what you like best. Are you going to line the interior with something, flocking, cloth, velvet, paint or the same finish as the exterior? I used to make a lot of boxes and you were saying you liked high gloss, one of the better high gloss clear finishes that were safe to spray that I ever used was Target coatings EmTech 9300. Water based, very clear and buffs out great. (You can also use that shellac as a sealer under it)

http://www.targetcoatings.com/emtech-9300.html


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*I know you've heard this before*

I'll know what I like when I see it! :laughing: I'm really used to working woods like red oak and rosewood and walnut, nothing this light and nothing with red streaks. I'm really impressed with this wood, it's really strong and tenuous, bends way back on itself without breaking. Believe it or not I sprayed it with day-glo marker just to try out but was too outrageous. I even deleted the photos!
Thanks for the advice so far guys. I'll definitely try some samples. I've yet to cut the slots for the hinge bars shown on another post.
Then it's all finished except the finish.  bill


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## JW_in_Indy (Mar 20, 2009)

Oh MAN.... that is one coolio looking box. Really love the craftsmanship of the curved sides. Now, I realize I'm showing my age here.... but I would LOVE to see that that box would look like with a couple of nice coats of clear shellac. The shellac should make that grain pop right up off the surface and give those colors some depth.


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## firehawkmph (Apr 26, 2008)

woodnthings said:


> I really don't mind the clean up. OSHA is not watching yet.....:laughing: bill


Yeah Bill, 
You caught me. I usually proof read my posts but missed that. But you know what I meant. Thanks,
Mike Hawkins
PS, Make sure you post some pics of the finished piece. Should look great. Something about those red streaks.


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## garryswf (Aug 17, 2009)

*Beautiful Wood*

Bill,
I wouldlove to recommend a finish for your project but really have no idea if you want a dark or light finish, a finish that has alot of shine or a low luster sheen. Do you have a scrap piece to experiment with? What ever finish you choose i assume you want the original colors (the red) to be a highlight of the end product. I myself like a good hand rubbed finish with a low luster sheen. My old carpentry teacher talked me into a boiled linseed oil finish for a diningroom table i built, but recommended using a felt eraser to apply the oil, and told me to use an extreme amount of elbow grease. After about 5 coats of the oil and 0000 steel wool inbetween coats the end result was a very low sheen, kind of satin 3D look to the wood grain. Just a thought.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*OK I'm thinkin' low luster or satin*

Shellac? I donno? Will it be durable? If used as the only finish.
What I'm hearing is
Shellac it first to bring out the color...will it yellow? Don't want that.
Then lacquer DEFT or Watco satin, topcoat after a light sanding? 
Probably 3 - 4 medium coats.... sanding in between?

I'm used to Deft, clear lacquer and satin and gloss poly. I will try all of them before taking the plunge. I understand the guides line for shellac is get a fresh can or "cut" your own, probably more than I want to get into ...before Christmas you know.. Deft I know I can do, I guess it's just a form of lacquer anyway. But thanks all..finishing is not my strength ...starting is.:laughing:
Needless to say I have a bunch of "unfinished" projects going. Hey, I'm only 1 person here. But I'm tryin' to change my luck with this box at Christmas. :yes: She's a "treasure" but she won't fit in this size box. Maybe she'll like me more when she finds out how good I am with my hands?  bill


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*I tried some samples*

On the first sample I used Zinzer clear shellac and satin Deft, one coat each. No color change that I could see. One was on a clear piece of Box Elder, no red color present and I couldn't tell any difference between. A drop of water seemed to bead a little better on the shellac, if that's important?
The other test was on piece with red color. The DEFT brought out the color or deepened it by a factor of 2 or twice as deep.

Looks like I'll be spraying the DEFT tomorrow. 

I also wondered if spraying a night with a artificial light source wouldn't be better than the diffuse light during the day to better see the application lines.??? Both products were milky in the can but I stirred them well before brushing them on. FYI. :blink: bill
These are some pieces with rich color, not test pieces however, for future projects:


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Today is tomorrow*

I didn't spray the DEFT after all. I don't know what possessed me to brush it on but that's what I did. The very fine print on the DEFT can says DO NOT SPRAY! No kiddin' Really. I wonder why, since it seems like just lacquer to me. There's a bunch of byyutyl, actylects and keytones in it but other than that and some solids ..well anyway.....
I'm forced air drying it tonight with a small heater and some light bulbs since the shop is at 55 degrees. I'm on the 3rd coat, sanding in between and it's starting to fill in and cover the voids. It's more glossy when wet than when dry.


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## Chad (May 10, 2009)

Looks awesome! Great job Woodnthings.


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## garryswf (Aug 17, 2009)

Bill,
Looks great, wanna sell it:yes:. I think leaving it clear was a great choice.


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## Gene Howe (Feb 28, 2009)

Man, that's nice. Clear was a good choice.


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