September 22, 2010

Q & A from Woodworkers Journal eZine 258

Here are my answers for the Woodworkers Journal eZine Issue 258:

Q & A
Dying and Finishing Maple Cabinets
I am about to start staining and finishing my new maple kitchen cabinets. Maple has proved
difficult to stain using everyday stains like Minwax® so, after a little research, I realized I
was going to have to use a dye stain. I have chosen to use General Finishes water-based dye
stain as it is easiest for a novice to use and penetrates the maple well. On my sample pieces,
I applied a wood conditioner and lightly sanded. I then applied the stain to the color I
wanted. I do not know what my best next step should be. Should I apply a sanding sealer,
then sand again, or is that necessary? I have also read that you cannot use sanding sealer
under a sprayed precatalyzed spray lacquer, which is what I was thinking of finishing them
with. I am concerned with brushing on a final finish because I don't know if it will cause the
water-based dye stain to bleed into the liquid brush-on finish. Will it? Also, can I just use a
water-based finish like Deft water-based wood finish instead of the spray lacquer? I just
want to be sure and get it right. Any help you can give will be greatly appreciated. - Rebecca
Vosburg

Tim Inman:
and doing some testing first. Sample boards are your
friends! You will not only get a better result using them, but
you will also set yourself up to have some fun doing the real
job. Jumping in headfirst without testing or learning usually
results in headaches and disappointment for all of us.
Maple, one of the really dense woods, does indeed offer
interesting staining characteristics. Actually, some refer to it
as "blotchy" and others refer to it with more favor.
Whatever, it is natural for maple to NOT stain evenly.
I like to "sneak up" on my finishes. I think dye staining is a
great first step. However, I'd recommend you try using your
stain at about half-strength. With dyes, you can go back
later and add more to get a stronger richer color. Dyes are
not very forgiving, so test and sample before you launch.
After your dye has dried, a light sealer coat would be the
next step. I prefer what is called a "wash" of sealer. This
simply means you dilute your sealer material a lot. I often
use shellac cut to about 10 percent shellac and 90 percent
solvent (alcohol) as my sealing wash. Why? It goes on wet,
and "restores" the dry dye color. It soaks in, and it scuff
sands easily. If I want to add more color, I haven't clogged
up the wood with sealer. You could also use sanding sealer
as a wash — just dilute it with the appropriate solvent,
which is labeled on the can. Since you will be putting on
such a small amount of finish product, once it is completely dry, you should have no compatibility
issues with your chosen topcoat.
Now here's a place you might want to experiment a little more. This additional step is more work, but
the results can be fantastic. Oil stains do things to wood that water stains can't. You can have the best
of both. After scuff-sanding your dyed and wash-coat sealed wood, apply a coat of an oil-based wiping
stain. This is a stain that contains both dyes and pigments carried in a drying oil base. Your wood will
take on a rich, deep look as a result. Try this on a sample board first, but I'll bet you like the results
enough to do it on your whole project. Again, seal with a dilute wash coat. Allow it to dry completely,
It is just great that you're asking questions
this step.) Complete your finish. Send us pictures!
and scuff sand for smoothness. (Nylon Scotch-Brite™ or steel wool substitute may be all you need for(Editor's Note: Tim also noted that the book he's written,
Finishin
are available directly from author Tim Inman at
 l: In addition to Tim's thorough answer, I'll add only one more side note: You'll only beModifying Miter-framed Cabinet Doors
I want to put glass in my kitchen cabinet cathedral doors. I have read articles and seen
videos on how to do it. I have the skills to do so, but there is a problem. The doors have
mitered corners. On the inside of the doors, there are what appear to be metal wedges with
a tab that extends approximately 1/2" from the corners. This makes it impossible to route
the inside stiles and rails at all! I have been in contact with numerous cabinetmakers and
none of them have ever heard of these wedges being used or, for that matter, the corners
being mitered on the doors! I am in dire need of advice on how to tackle this job. If I am
lucky enough to knock out the wedges, will I stand a chance of destroying the doors beyond
being able to repair them? Is there an expert in your group who can lead me in the right
direction to follow, step by step? Need serious help! - Tony Grochowski

Tim Inman:
really nice to see. My confidence in my answer
would be much greater if I could see your doors!
But, here goes.
First, I agree that knocking apart the doors would
most likely lead to disaster. Using the procedure
I'm outlining here, I don't think it would be
necessary, either. I think you should be able to use
a router and jig to rout out the rabbet for the glass
everywhere but the last half inch or so, before you
hit that little metal devil in the miters. Then, I'd go
to hand tools. A simple little dovetail saw and a
scrap block guiding jig should let you saw one edge
of the rabbet close to the metal. A good sharp
chisel and you should be able to pare away the
remaining wood to reveal the metal part.
My secret weapon: For little trouble jobs like this, I
often find that an ordinary Dremel tool with an
abrasive cut-off saw does the trick. These little
saws "don't get no respect," as Rodney Dangerfield
used to say. My experience leaves me with a lot of respect for them. If you haven't used one, let me
describe the part. It looks like a little disc of abrasive material (sandpaper-like) about the size of a
quarter. It has a hole in the center that lets it mount to a work arbor. It is not simply sandpaper; it is a
solid carbide abrasive type material. It will cut metal easily, both ferrous and nonferrous. I think you'll
be surprised how readily this little saw will cut off the offending part. Be sure to cushion the glass when
you install it so it doesn't rub the metal edge and "Zing!" off an edge of your glass. If this answer
misses the mark for you, please email us a picture!
A picture of your problem would beChris Marshall:
the metal wedges must serve a structural purpose of some sort to keep the mitered rails and stiles
connected. I can't imagine how or why they would hold the wooden panels in place that are currently in
your doors. The metal might even be the only mechanical connection holding the frames together,
besides a glue bond. If you dive into installing that glass, pick a door you can afford to sacrifice before
removing the metal wedges. If the wedges do come out, consider reinforcing the corner joints with
some other mechanical connection (dowels or screws) just in case. The glass will add weight to the
frames and consequently more stress when you open and close them.

I'm less optimistic than Tim about this one. If your cabinet doors are factory-made,Best Lubricant for Wood Screws?
My husband and I are making windows for our cottage. We would like to know if there is a
paste or lubricant we can use for long wood screws that will allow them to thread easily and
protect them from rust? Just in case 10 years from now the window needed to be replaced,
so as not to break the screws off. - Lucinda

Tim Inman:
screw so the threads don't have to push or swell the wood as they go in deeper. Hard woods need a
larger pilot hole, softer woods get a smaller diameter fit. I find that ordinary bar soap makes a great
lube for screws. Beeswax works great, too. There are arguments for and against, but all in all, I use
both and find nearly identical results. I've been restoring furniture for pay for 47 years now, and I have
had occasion to refinish a piece or two the second time, after decades of service. The screws were not
rusted, and they were holding tight when I removed them — again.
A well-fitted pilot hole drill is your first best thing to do. Drill the pilot hole as deep as the

Chris Marshal
in danger of smearing water-based dye if you topcoat it with a finish that contains water as its
solvent— such as water-based varnish. Water will redissolve the dye in the wood and could lead to a
mess. Once the dye is encapsulated under a seal coat as Tim discusses, any finish (even water-based)
should work fine. Or, if you don't use a sealer over the dye, pick a topcoat with a different solvent base
(shellac or oil-based varnishes are safe choices).

The Art of Classical Furnitureg, "covers all this and more." It is available from Amazon.com or autographed copieswww.historicinteriors.co.)m

September 7, 2010

Q & A from Woodworkers Journal eZine 257

Woodworkers Journal eZine 257 Q & A

Formula for Plywood Thickness?

I'm building some furniture for my son -- bed, headboard, bookshelves. We're going to use plywood. Is there a formula for determining what thickness of plywood I should use? I can guesstimate it by looking at the thickness and how much I can get the large sheet to bend, but is there a rule that determines what thickness is needed for given dimensions and expected load?- Chip McDaniel

Tim Inman: From your question, it sounds as though you are wanting to make curved or bent surfaces. Without knowing more, it is very difficult to give good advice. However, if you are wanting to make pieces with significant curves, I'd suggest using a product called “bending ply” for your lay-ups. For serious work, I'd laminate multiple pieces of 1/4 inch bending ply to get the curve, and the thickness, you'll need for your structure.

Causes for Floppy Biscuits

I have a Ryobi biscuit jointer that cuts slots for 0, 10, and #20 biscuits. I upgraded to the newer unit because I had a smaller unit that cut slots where the biscuit would literally flop around in the slot, making a good joint impossible (unless I did something wrong). Anyway, with this new jointer, the biscuits still flop around, only not as much. But a tight fit there isn't. When possible, I watch The New Yankee Workshop with Norm Abram. I noticed when he uses a biscuit jointer, the biscuits fit tightly, with no flop. So my question is this: Are there consistency standards in the biscuit manufacturing industry, or are the machines that cut the slots using different size cutters? I am annoyed when I purchase a unit like this and can't get a good outcome. Or am I doing something wrong? Please help. - Tom M.

Tim Inman: Have you tried a different batch of biscuits? This sounds too simple, but it may not be the tool, but rather the insert biscuits that are undersized If you get a sloppy fit from more than one source of biscuits, then the tool - or the tool user - need to be questioned. My biscuit joiner leaves me with a nice, snug fit -- with multiple sources of biscuits. If I need a looser fit, I can manipulate the tool and make the groove sloppy. So from that, I can say the operator does have control over the fit. Maybe you're making multiple cuts on the same groove? Be sure the guide surfaces on the cutter are flat and seated before you plunge the cut.

Preventing Tearout

I just got a Box Joint sled from Rockler and started to make small drawers from Baltic birch plywood. Is there a trick to prevent the tearout from the spiral router blade on the plywood? I was thinking of either rolling glue onto the edge or sandwiching the plywood between two sacrificial pieces of wood. Any suggestions? - Abbott Fleur


Tim Inman: Perfection is always more difficult. If the little tearout is too much, then some sort of "sacrificial" surface is probably your best answer. Sometimes a little tape can do the trick. Adhere masking tape along the edge before you make your cuts. That jig makes it easy to lay another piece over the "real" one. I'd suggest something like 1/8-inch Masonite or hardboard to protect the finish wood, and let the bit cut clean. You may need to sandwich the workpiece between two sacrificial ones so both the front and theback cut clean.

FEEDBACK:

We received a little feedback on my answer to a questioner wanting to know how to get a hole through a lamp stand he had already turned.  The wood was 15-inches long.  My sage advice was to drill from both ends to meet in the middle, then use a piece of 1/8-inch threaded pipe to join the fittings together. 

It seems one of our readers felt I was 'more furniture maker than turner' and thought we had missed the mark by not telling the fellow to turn the piece in his lathe and drill it there.  Of course, that would be my first choice!  But, I was answering the question put before me - by an obviously inexperienced crafter.  Our reader suggested buying a lamp drill, which is always good.  (Never pass a chance to add to your tool room!) 

For me, using a time-honored 'D' drill would be the best.  D drills are always shop made.  They are made with high speed steel or high carbon/vanadium chrome drill rod.  The cutting end, when ground properly, resembles a 'D' exactly.  These are the drills used by the ancients to bore straight holes in important things like gun barrels and ivory cigarette holders and pipe stems, etc.  They will not 'lead' off to the side, but instead find the center and follow it straight and true every time.


Let me know if you have an interest in learning more about 'D' drills - or anything else I might be able to share with you about.  Just leave a comment with the tool at the bottom of this blog.

Until then, Good luck!

Tim Inman