Woodworkers – as with most other people in the world – are creatures of habit.
Think about breakfast, especially during the work week… so many of us stumble to the breakfast table, eyes barely open, and go through the motions of getting what is – in many cases – the exact same breakfast we had the day before. A cup of coffee, a bowl of cereal, a glass of orange juice.
We typically stick with the familiar because we are on autopilot, so finding the comfortable and familiar is what works.
The same thing happens when it comes to finishing. When we get to the end of a project, most woodworkers want the tried-and-true methods that will give good results – and prevent disaster on a project we spent so much time lovingly building.
When it comes to your finishing regimen, what is your favorite think-of-first method of applying finish?
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I typically will use a wipe on tung oil varnish to “pop” the grain followed by several more wiped on coats of tung oil or polyurethane or a blend of the two.
One thing I’ve learned as I’ve grown older and (hopefully) wiser is that it’s a lot easier to pre-finish as many parts as possible before assembly – especially the interior parts.
— Phil