Finishing up a project for a friend's wife.

[Culvercreek hunt club]

Wanted to put this out there for a couple reasons. The last project we did his wife drove me bonkers on finish colors. we ended up custom mixing to get what she wanted. She has no vision and unless it is on the exact wood in the exact size, she can't picture anything. Didn't want to spend the money on all solid maple but didn't like the normal grain variations in plywood veneers.  Well I told he is had to be a stock stain color and bring us the stain and that is what she was getting. Well she strolled in to Lowes and listened to the lady in the paint department and brought home a minwax GEL stain. My friend thought he would get a jump on the finishing and help move the project along so he applied the sanding sealer and started applying the gel stain. I would have sent her back for regular stain. The Gel stain sucks. It forms a barrier that will not allow for additional coast of stain to deepen the color. DO NOT USE THIS CRAP. So here we sat with a desk that would not take any more stain (even normal stain) and she wanted a much darker color. Luckily she wanted kind of a distressed look so we pulled out the sprayer and mixed small amounts of regular mahogany Minwax stain in the polyurethane and started coating...and coating....and coating.  It got to the finish she wanted and then we top coated with straight ploy becasue the stain addition makes the finish a bit soft. 

There is a hutch that goes on the desk and we will start the assembly tonight. We finished this unassembled because all the inside corners make it a bear. I'll post up pics when that is done. 

I really enjoyed this build and think I will start doing more of this. She wants to see a test piece for a poured glass epoxy top  so I may be doing this to the desk. 

[left field]

I am in awe of anyone who can do cabinetry. Nice work.

[Nomad]

Yes great job Bob, I can’t saw the end off a board straight .

[grampy]

Awesome work Bob!!! That is WAY beyond my capabilities!!!

[The_Real_TCIII]

What a beautiful piece!

[WNYTRPR]

Nice work 

[Dinsdale]

Looks good.

Just a general comment. Skip the hd and lowes stuff.

Buy Sherwin Williams sher wood wiping stains. Bigger stores can mix on site to standard color list or can go custom. It works more like a dye with deeper fuller color. Idiot proof.

I happen to also like true aniline dye stains but they can more pesky for an amateur to use.

That's how furniture makers get deep color.

[Culvercreek hunt club]

Update. 

I poured the epoxy top last Thursday before we went to camp so it sat for a week prior to messing with it. The hutch is done but the face trim is being finished this week. I HATE finishing around all the inside corners so it was all cut and dry fit prior to finishing. Should be able to put up finished pics next week. 

[Culvercreek hunt club]

[ny hunter]

Beautiful bro.,,

[grampy]

That really shines!!! Beautiful work Bob.

[Arcade Hunter]

Super nice job!

[Cabin Fever]

Wow!! Beautiful work Bob!

[Culvercreek hunt club]

well he finally finished to finish coats.  Last night I installed the hutch face and mounted the drawers. Move into it's spot in the house on Sunday and just need to drill 2 cable management grommets in once she decides where she is placing the electronics. 

[Cabin Fever]

Impressive!!


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[Steuben Jerry]

Wow, that is beautiful!