# Painted Inlay



## Rick Mosher (Feb 26, 2009)

I am working on a high gloss conference table with a painted inlay this week so I thought I would post some step by step pictures...

It's an avodire veneer top with solid mahogany edges


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## Rick Mosher (Feb 26, 2009)

Step one is to lay out the inlay line with 1/4" crepe tape. This goes where the inlay will be and I use it as a guide to tape to so I get consistent width.


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## Rick Mosher (Feb 26, 2009)

The avodire is finished natural so I mask off the solid mahogany and since this table will be sprayed with polyester I seal the avodire with isolante. This will also allow me to burnish the fine line tape so there is no bleed through of the black.


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## Rick Mosher (Feb 26, 2009)

Next I mask off the sealed avodire and stain the mahogany. The client wanted a special dark stain which is one of our standard colors. The stain is WD Lockwood water based dye stain sprayed on and then wiped off.


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## Rick Mosher (Feb 26, 2009)

After drying for 1 hour the solid is sealed with isolante also.


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## Rick Mosher (Feb 26, 2009)

Next I scuff sand the isolante with 320 paper and tape off the inlay with 3M 218 Fine Line Tape. The trick is to burnish the tape so the color doesn't bleed through. The tape on the left side of the picture is stuck down with just my finger the tape on the right has been burnished. I like the fine line tape because it is easy to see if it has been properly burnished.


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## Rick Mosher (Feb 26, 2009)

Here the fine line tape has been applied to both sides of the crepe tape and the crepe tape has been removed. You can see where the water stain bled under the crepe tape. You don't ever want to burnish tape on raw wood as it will splinter when you peel the tape off. (hard maple is one of the exceptions here) I also went back after this picture and burnished the inside edges again where the fine line tape was against the crepe tape.


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## Rick Mosher (Feb 26, 2009)

After masking off the entire table I am now spraying the black inlay. I used the same isolante with 844 UTC black as my color coat. I apply the black in multiple light passes not letting it puddle so there is no chance of bleeding.


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## Rick Mosher (Feb 26, 2009)

The next step is spraying the polyester. This is the first coat of polyester while it is still wet. This entire process from raw wood to this point took 4 hours. I will post pictures of the finished table as soon as I am done.


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## Rick Mosher (Feb 26, 2009)

Here is a shot of the whole top. It's about 20 feet long and 4 feet wide.


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## Old Skhool (Oct 31, 2009)

*Beautiful Job!*

I really enjoy reading your posts, and seeing pictures of your work. You got a very nice blend in the mahogany, where the rounded corners were mismatched badly before your work.

I'm not familiar with isolante, can you elaborate a little? Where did you get your training? Mohawk? There are very few finishers with your skills. (I've followed some of your other posts, and pictures of your work, Impressive!)

Are you going to rub out the finish? Keep the posts coming.:thumbsup:

Thanks,
Bill


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Me Too, Rick*

You are the Finishing Man! Very beautiful, informative and professional as usual!. :thumbsup: ....the other bill
BTW would you ever use the vinyl striping tape the car painters use? It is a little stretchy an may not want to hold to the radius unless it's on a painted or sealed surface. The green tape doesn't come in that narrow width correct?


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## Rick Mosher (Feb 26, 2009)

Thank you guys! Old Skhool, isolante is a product made by the polyester mfg. to "isolate" the wood and stain etc from the polyester and assure good adhesion. Polyester comes off in sheets when applied over oily woods for example. It is basically a thinned down 2k urethane.
I have already sanded the polyester (through the wide belt sander) and sprayed several coats of 2k urethane topcoat and am going in today to wet sand and buff out the top. I will post more pictures when I get home. 

woodnthings: I have used the vinyl tape and don't like it as much. It does have a tendency to stretch and you can't tell if it is burnished down as easily. The green tape comes in sizes all the way down to 1/16" 
http://3m.com/Product/information/Scotch-Fine-Line-Tape.html

They even make a 1" tape with 8 pull outs 1/16" wide
http://www.shop3m.com/70016026901.h...gh&WT.mc_id=shop3m-AtoZ-Scotch-Fine-Line-Tape


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## Rick Mosher (Feb 26, 2009)

Started sanding the urethane today. I use a Dynabrade air sander. First I sand with 1000 grit 3M finishing film disks. I like sanding dry on the first step so I can see the shiny spots (low spots) these have to be eliminated before going to the next grit. (no cheating by hand sanding, all sanding HAS to be done with a block or a sander with a rigid pad)
The picture shows shiny spots which must still be sanded out.


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## Rick Mosher (Feb 26, 2009)

After all the shiny spots are leveled out I then switch to wet sanding. Same type of sandpaper but now 1200 and then 1500 grit. (I mix a little dish soap in the water I use for wet sanding as a lubricant) After the 1500 grit I use 2000 and 4000 grit abralon pads. Now the sanding is finished and I can start buffing. This picture shows the table after wet sanding.


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## Rick Mosher (Feb 26, 2009)

Now I an ready to begin buffing. I use 3M polishing compounds starting with super duty rubbing compound 05954 (this should get all sanding marks out), then 3M perfect-it extra cut rubbing compound followed by Perfect-it finishing glaze for the final gloss. After buffing I wipe the entire top down using Meguiars Final Inspection and a clean cotton cloth.


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## Rick Mosher (Feb 26, 2009)

This was a rush job, I would normally allow the 2k urethane a week to fully cure before sanding and buffing. I started finishing this table on monday Feb 22 and finished today saturday Feb 27. I really wish I would have had the time to do it properly but in todays economy you take whatever jobs you can get.


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## jeff d (Mar 1, 2010)

Rick, I am brand new to this board and also to woodworking. I can only hope you keep posting up stuff like this. It is not only nice to see the progression of the project but, I have learned alot about finishing in the process. I only hope to one day be posting photos of projects like yours.

Nice job and thanks.


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