And thanks, Dad, for giving me this great table and for the refinishing tips. I've ended following in your footsteps with the furniture refinishing knack.
Final product:






There were two previous finishes on this table, the first was dark walnut stain, the second was a painted whitewash. Both were deep in the grain and required extensive sanding to remove. Paint stripper didn't touch it, unfortunately. I ended up sand blasting it out on some of the tougher pieces. I used 220 red garnet sand at the TechShop, and baking soda blasting at home.
Process:
I sanded 60, 80, 100 grit with a random orbital.
Hand sanded 120, 220, 320 and even 600 on the top. I only went to 320 on the other pieces.
Apply danish oil - natural and also fruitwood. I used a mix of the two depending on how it pulled out the color and grain.
Wait at least 72 hours for the danish oil to fully cure.
Then I applied General Finishes water based poly urethane, satin finish. Minimum three coats, sanding with 220/320 between coats.
Here's the before photos:

3 comments:
Stephen,
Looks like you have a very fine finished product, you've got to be pretty proud of it. Plus, that's just about the nicest computer desk I've seen. I hope to have something as nice some day.
I was never really into woodwork until my father-in-law introduced me. The finished product is such a beautiful thing. Pretty amazing.
Brady
Behind Bars - Motorcycles and Life
www.behindbarsmotorcycle.com
Brady, Thanks! I've never been into it either. It's a different animal than metal but just as rewarding. I'm now thinking of furniture that I want to design and build from scratch. I think this is my next creative trip after the motorcycles.
-S
Stephen,
My father-in-law fell in love with woodwork after many years of metalwork. He said he enjoys it because you get the rewards so quickly. (Not quick by my digital-age standards) but when he compared the time to metal work, I could see what he meant. If you're anything like him, mixing the methodical nature of a metalworker with the beauty of wood can be an amazing combination.
Brady
Behind Bars - Motorcycles and Life
www.behindbarsmotorcycle.com
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