Issue 584

Favorite Finishing Recipes

Some woodworkers really enjoy finishing a project, while for others, finishing is that thing they have to do once the fun part is over. If you’re in the latter “camp,” maybe it’s because you just haven’t felt successful with your finishing efforts — and here’s where a new video series of mine might come in handy. Recently, Rockler Woodworking and Hardware asked me to create six “finishing recipe” videos that will help the most inexperienced beginner get good results. These are nearly “no fail” finishing solutions drawing from the information our finishing expert Michael Dresdner has shared with me over the years. You can check them out here, if you are curious. But what I want to know is, what are your go-to finishing processes and recipes? Do you plan the finish before you begin the project? If so, have you ever changed your mind as you were building? Let me know and I will share what you share.

Rob Johnstone, Woodworker’s Journal