[jennifertemple]

@Alchemy Redux, I have not tied fuming, It does not seem complicated but it does seem a little dangerous. I have no place I would dare set up the process!

 

[Brushman4]

And yes, for reference about 11-12 hrs labour in total on the first chair. Not including all the messing around finding materials. Maybe a bit quicker on next ones. .

The chair looks great but if you're trying to make a living out of this, what are you going to charge per hour? I'm retired now but if and that's a big if, I wouldn't touch doing it for less than $40 an hour plus material. So that comes out to $480 a chair plus material.
To do 6 or 8 chairs, not to mention a dining room table with 2 or 3 leaves, you are talking big, big bucks! Will the market you're in bear it?

 

[finishesbykevyn]

You absolutely right Brushman. I ended up charging $450 plus material for the first chair. Honestly should have been more. I like to get atleast $45/hr for shop work.
I wouldn't expect to make a living from this thats for sure, but always open to a challenge and these types of jobs come up from time to time as there are lots of people with cash to blow in my market.,
I'm doing alot of kitchen cabinet jobs , so it's usally these clients that are like "hey while your here"...

The chair looks great but if you're trying to make a living out of this, what are you going to charge per hour? I'm retired now but if and that's a big if, I wouldn't touch doing it for less than $40 an hour plus material. So that comes out to $480 a chair plus material.
To do 6 or 8 chairs, not to mention a dining room table with 2 or 3 leaves, you are talking big, big bucks! Will the market you're in bear it?

 

[jennifertemple]

The chair looks great but if you're trying to make a living out of this, what are you going to charge per hour? I'm retired now but if and that's a big if, I wouldn't touch doing it for less than $40 an hour plus material. So that comes out to $480 a chair plus material.
To do 6 or 8 chairs, not to mention a dining room table with 2 or 3 leaves, you are talking big, big bucks! Will the market you're in bear it?

I charge $275-$375 for a chair but I've been doing furniture a long time and have my methods, pretty much, optimized. The money is still better for painting BUT in winter it's a good side line to keep income up.

 

[Tprice2193]

@jennifertemple I figured you or @Alchemy Redux would bring up pumice and rottenstone. Truly is old school. I have used it on gun stocks. Nothing like that depth and feel. You are right about the time. I only wet sand and "rub out" when I have lots of time on my hands and it is something I want to really look good. I haven't tried the fuming or the french polish.

Wet sanding with finish as the lubricant is a technique I use to fill grain. I have used waterlox for this grain fill process but not poly. I don't know if poly would work but may be worth a try.

Waterlox does not layer like poly. You do not have to scuff between coats. I guess that the coats "melt" together. It a little easier to work with when wet sanding and rubbing out regardless of what abrasives you use.

 

[jennifertemple]

Wet sanding with finish as the lubricant is a technique I use to fill grain. I have used waterlox for this grain fill process but not poly. I don't know if poly would work but may be worth a try.

Waterlox does not layer like poly. You do not have to scuff between coats. I guess that the coats "melt" together. It a little easier to work with when wet sanding and rubbing out regardless of what abrasives you use.

Lacquer is also a great material for rubbing out because each application melds into the prior and it becomes all one so no risk of breaking through "layers". I've never used Waterlox. If they sell it here I may give it a try on some small piece to give it a look-see. When rubbing a finish I always try to have the surface as flat as glass and keep it that way through all steps in the process, so, no mater what the material, I grind every coat with higher and higher grits of wet sanding. If one wants a satin finish you can stop at well rubbed pumice, I only use rottenstone for a high gloss but it is the nicest gloss one can get onto a table top! I think the final waxing is just to protect all the previous work and provide a slight barrier that can be kept up with regular waxing and buffing.

 

[finishesbykevyn]

Are you saying that I can do a wet sand with 1000 grit as a final step?guess that would have been an option to get rid of the dry spray?

Lacquer is also a great material for rubbing out because each application melds into the prior and it becomes all one so no risk of breaking through "layers". I've never used Waterlox. If they sell it here I may give it a try on some small piece to give it a look-see. When rubbing a finish I always try to have the surface as flat as glass and keep it that way through all steps in the process, so, no mater what the material, I grind every coat with higher and higher grits of wet sanding. If one wants a satin finish you can stop at well rubbed pumice, I only use rottenstone for a high gloss but it is the nicest gloss one can get onto a table top! I think the final waxing is just to protect all the previous work and provide a slight barrier that can be kept up with regular waxing and buffing.

 

[Tprice2193]

@finishesbykevyn yes wet sanding with 1000/water would probably work. If you have any nibs you will have to use 600-800. Since you sprayed with hvlp those coats are pretty thin. So be careful! May have put some polish on it to bring up the luster. The reason I use Meguairs is thats what I had on hand and I also use it on my cabinets and car. 3M makes some wet abrasives of various cuts but they are pricey.

 

[Tprice2193]

@jennifertemple Waterlox will give you a less plastic look. It has a phenolic resin not polyurethane. Not that a poly finish is not beautiful. 15 yr ago I did some oak cabinets and did a side by side of waterlox and General Finishes Arm-R-Seal. I never did decide which I liked best. I ended up using Arm-R-Seal on that set because you can get a good hand rubbed looking finish with the Arm-R-Seal faster than with Waterlox. I think of Waterlox like a danish oil with a little build. Waterlox original is the product to try first. They have a low voc version but have not tried it. Lot of good videos out there on how to use it.

 

[jennifertemple]

Are you saying that I can do a wet sand with 1000 grit as a final step?guess that would have been an option to get rid of the dry spray?

For the job you are doing I would use 400 or 600 with a light water sanding as prep for the final application.One needs to work up to 1000 and in your case, not doing a full rubbed finish there is no need for super high grits.

 

[jennifertemple]

@Tprice2193 Can Waterlox be used as a wipe on application?

 

[jennifertemple]

@finishesbykevyn DON'T CHANGE PRODUCT ON THE SAME SET OF CHAIRS!!! You know what they say about "changing horses mid stream". If you started with poly keep going with poly. The last thing you want is a mismatch on the finished look. Lacquer, oils and Urethane all have a different look.

 

[jennifertemple]

@Tprice2193 I just looked into Waterlox, it is basically a Danish oil type finish or they do have a Urethane. I love the look of the oil finishes but for dining tables & chairs I don't think they stand the wear as well. I tend to Urethane on anything that people use regularly. Otherwise I would spend my life going back to fix water marks,heat rings, stains and what ever else they might subject a table to. I expect like the polyurethane, Waterlox Urethane would have distinct layering. In any case, Waterlox is not sold in Canada that I can find.

 

[Tprice2193]

@jennifertemple wiping is the preferred way to apply Waterlox. No need for thinning any further. The waterlox original can be sprayed or brushed as well. Waterlox, though not as hard as poly, is tough. I have used it on floors and tables and since it dont layer or yellow repairs are a lot easier. Takes 30 days to reach full hardness.

 

[finishesbykevyn]

Update: I finished 2 more of those chairs. This time I brushed on the OM Poly. Much smoother finish. A little tricky keeping it from dripping/ curtaining. Super easy to put on too thick.. I think a wiping poly would definitely be the way to go. 1 Coat of old Masters Red Mahogany Stain. 2 Coats Of OM PU brushed on. (No benite, sorry coco) Sanded with about 400 between coats..I probably could have put on a 3rd coat, but it looked so dang good with 2 coats I didn't bother..I may put a 3rd on the next ones if I have time. Much quicker this time too.
Gave her a deal this time at $425 per chair. Pretty sure I could do them for $350-$375 /each but didnt want to change my tune too drastically..Plus travel time picking up and dropping off, it's barely worth it anyhow..

 

[jennifertemple]

Update: I finished 2 more of those chairs. This time I brushed on the OM Poly. Much smoother finish. A little tricky keeping it from dripping/ curtaining. Super easy to put on too thick.. I think a wiping poly would definitely be the way to go. 1 Coat of old Masters Red Mahogany Stain. 2 Coats Of OM PU brushed on.

Looking Great!:smile:

 

[cocomonkeynuts]

dalys teak oil is similar to waterlox, high solids phenolic resin, tung and oil modified urethane.

 

[ArnoldBerna]

I wonder where do you get this old furniture, or is a new one? I think it is a great idea, to take an old chair or shelving unit, and upgrade it a little bit.