tainly an art to it. By taking the right approach, from the brush you choose to the sequence you use to apply the finish, you can achieve a smooth, flawless, and drip-free surface. Here’s what to keep in mind as you get started.
CHOOSING YOUR TOOL. The first step in getting good results is pairing the proper brush with the finish you plan to use. For oil-based varnish or poly- urethane, a white China bristle brush is your best bet (photo, below left).
These brushes have soft bristles that are perfect for smoothly applying an oil-based finish. Plus, they hold a large amount of finish and release it evenly on the surface.
GETTING STARTED. Once you have the right brush in hand, loading it prop- erly is step number one for getting good results. I typically dip just the
60 • Woodsmith / No. 229
woodworking
essentials
{ Pouring fi nish in a jar prevents contamination in the can and makes it easier to remove excess fi nish from the brush.
Contoured handle improves comfort
Natural, white China bristles hold
a lot of fi nish Quality ferrule
prevents loose bristles
Flagged brush tips lay fi nish down smoothly
the basics of
Brushing an
Oil-Based Finish
WS229_060.indd 60
fi rst couple of inches into the fi nish and then dab off the excess on the side of the container. To make this easier, I transfer some fi nish from the can into a glass jar (lower right photo, previous page). This way, I can see more clearly exactly how much fi nish I am loading onto my brush. Plus, it’s a lot easier to wipe off the excess cleanly on the inside surface of a jar than on the lip of a full can of fi nish.
BRUSHING FLAT SURFACES. Probably the most common area you’ll need to fin- ish on your woodworking projects is a flat surface. To prevent runs and drips from spilling over the surface of the panel and onto the edges, I like to start slightly off the edge and back- brush toward it (left photo above). Then I brush with the grain across the panel, holding the brush at 45° and making slightly overlapping strokes (upper middle photo).
For the smoothest finish possible, there’s one extra step you’ll want to add to your brushing process, and that’s to “tip off” the finished sur- face to make it completely smooth. As you can see in the upper right photo, you’ll hold the brush almost completely vertical for this step.
VERTICAL SURFACES. If you have to brush finish on a vertical surface, gravity presents an additional challenge to your progress. Obviously, these areas are a lot more prone to runs and drips than horizontal ones. To avoid these issues, one useful technique to try is
called cross-brushing. Basically, what you do is brush horizontally against the grain, working your way from the bottom of the vertical surface to the top, as shown in the lower left photo.
Then, once the finish is applied, you “tip off” the entire surface by starting at the bottom and working toward the top vertically (lower right photo). This smooths everything out and prevents any runs and drips from occurring.
BRUSHING TIPS & TRICKS. Whichever type of surface you’re finishing, there are a few other things I keep in mind to improve my results. In general, I like to apply fin- ish in several light coats, rather than a
heavy coat, to get the smoothest, most even results without runs or drips. To that end, even though the directions on most cans of finish recommend two coats, I like to use three or more.
In addition, I sand lightly between coats with 320-grit paper. Then I thoroughly wipe off any dust before applying subsequent coats.
SMOOTH WITH A BRUSH. A fl awless, glass- smooth fi nish is truly possible by taking your time and employing the proper brushing techniques. Ater a little bit of practice, you might fi nd that your results may rival those of a sprayed-on fi nish. W
Woodsmith.com • 61 { By starting slightly off the edge of
a panel and back-brushing carefully toward it, you can avoid runs and drips.
{ Now move back to the starting point, and make a smooth, sweeping stroke with the grain across the panel.
{ After fi nishing the entire panel, hold the brush almost vertically in order to “tip off” the surface and make it smooth.
{ An approach that works well for vertical surfaces is called cross-brushing. First, you brush back and forth across the grain, working from the bottom up (left photo). Now complete the coat by “tipping off” the surface vertically from the bottom to the top (right photo).
WS229_060.indd 61
Here in the Woodsmith shop, we have a panel saw for cutting sheet goods. This handy, wall-mounted tool makes posi- tioning and breaking down large panels
a snap. But like most people, I don’t have that luxury when I’m working in my home shop. So I do what many people do and figure out how to break down
those large sheets at the table saw. These cuts can be challenging. But with the right setup and technique (and a little help), you’ll have that panel of plywood or MDF broken down into more manage- able pieces in no time.
CLEAR SOME SPACE. As you can imagine, one of the fi rst considerations when cut- ting full sheets at the table saw is making sure you have enough space. In order to rip a full sheet of plywood, you’ll need a full 96" both in front of and behind the saw. For crosscuts, it requires 48" of clearance in front and behind the saw, as well as some space along the side.
In my garage shop, I have my table saw on a mobile base. This allows me to move it out to the driveway if I need to break down sheet goods.
TWO-MAN TECHNIQUE
The reality of breaking down full sheets is that it’s easier to do it with two people. So if a friend is available to help out, I often opt for that method. The drawing on the left provides the basic overview of the
strategies for
Cutting Sheet Goods
mastering
the table saw
62 • Woodsmith / No. 229
FIRST: Assistant helps lift and position sheet on the table saw Operator
Assistant
SECOND: Assistant helps square the sheet with the fence as operator
begins the feed
Two-Man Operation
THIRD: Assistant moves to the outfeed side and supports the pieces as they exit the cut
NOTE: Assistant ONLY supports the pieces. He does not pull or guide
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