u/Gain_Professional — reddlx

Sealing stained wood: alternative to polyurethane

First time attempting to stain and poly, in the past my little projects have been OK with just English Oil or similar. I did the:

prestain -> stain -> 4hr wait, then second coat -> next day poly #1 -> 6hr wait, 220 grit sand, poly #2 on red oak boards.

One of the things that happened is that the red oak didn't take the poly evenly because of the gouges. I had sanded to 220 grit to start but there was a flatness issue. But that's just poor prep work/starting point on my part.

Anyway, the project was looking mostly OK except that the poly continued to take impressions from and dull from clamps and tools. Finally I applied iron-on edge banding (the red oak also had a plywood back) and the tool that trims the edge band kept getting stuck on the poly. Worse yet, the poly was strong enough to pull some of the face of the red oak with and leave a gouge.

All day today I spent on taking the poly off with a plane and then sandpaper...ugh. Just stained again and it's looking good enough, better than the first time. But I am wondering if I can seal with paste wax or another beginner-friendly sealant.

Thank you!

reddit.com

u/Gain_Professional — 3 days ago

▲ 8 r/woodworking

Is this destined to fail?

This is a little sewing station that will fold down along the wall.

The base is a 2' x 2' half-inch plywood. The three pieces are 1x2 red oak. On the "open" side of the plywood, I will install two folding brackets and mount this to the wall studs.

The brackets' arms don't extend the entire 2 feet, so I added the two pieces on the side for stiffness and the one on the front will also tie to those pieces.

It is also visible in the picture but I have three pocket holes little under a foot apart, and then two tying the side boards to the one on the front.

It feels plenty rigid just glued up but I am wondering if the movement in the 1x2 boards will cause this to fail.

u/Gain_Professional — 9 days ago

▲ 9 r/woodworking

Finishing with Minwax: quick question about "raising grain"

Hi,

I have some plywood projects (indoor, dry locations) that I want to finish with Minwax. I haven't use any finishes in the past and made some basic, ugly stuff so far.

I sanded with 80 -> 120 -> 240 and the surface was feeling smooth. To remove the sawdust, I wiped down with a damp rag and the grain seems more prickly now.

So I am wondering what's the right way to do it?

- Sand with 80, 120, and wipe

- Sand with 240, don't wipe

- Apply finish

Is this correct or should it be in a different order? Do I even need to wipe anything? (I may have picked up poor instructions from a video)

Thank you!

reddit.com

u/Gain_Professional — 10 days ago

▲ 71 r/Leathercraft+1 crossposts

Beginner-friendly basket stamping guide (belt focused)

This is just a collection of tips I have found helpful to place the stamps. I used lightweight leather for this and wet it down as I went along so the guide is not about casing! Just on placing the stamp.

I found that the best way is to place the center row in a straight line by drawing guides and then doing adjacent rows and only then figuring out where the border will be.

Of course, once you have found a good belt width and basketstamp combination, you will have reference measurements.

u/Gain_Professional — 18 days ago

▲ 5 r/woodworking

Noob question: opinion on construction with machine screws and threaded inserts

I am brand new to this subreddit but I have done some simple projects before. Just by asking questions, I have found some very nice plans (Ana White!). My general, and likely inaccurate, observation is that most of the plans/designs/posts here are designed to be moved as one unit once they've been put together right. Which is just fine, I am not being a critic!

But, I am wondering if it makes sense to build with machine screws and threaded inserts if I expect to move frequently (well, not *that* frequently, but maybe every couple of years?).

There's the matter of screwheads sticking out and potentially snagging or just being a pain/source of pain every time you bump against them. While less than ideal, maybe using lower profile or domed heads may solve mitigate some usability and aesthetics concerns. But the upside, in my mind, is smooth assembly and disassembly.

Soliciting your opinions/comments on building with machine screws... things I am not aware of/haven't thought of.

Thank you!

u/Gain_Professional — 24 days ago