Tiger Maple

[Tony Zaffuto]

Good evening all,

I'm looking for some suggestions as to how to finish tiger maple drawers for a cherry side table I've built. I want to tiger grain to "pop" and also to retain as much of the blond of the maple as I can. I've sampled several methods and I'm looking for additional suggestions. What I've tried is: 1. Danish oil, starting with several half-cut coats followed by ful strength, 2. Gloss polyurethane and 3. China tung oil full strength.

Thanks in advance and I will sample suggestions prior to use!

Tony Z.

[Jim Becker]

I'd use a coat of BLO and then seal/finish with shellac. You really don't want to use an oil based product inside of a drawer, especially if there will be anything cloth or soft living in it...the smell will never go away due to off-gassing. The BLO will enhance the "shimmer" of the maple and one coat will not darken it much. If you use a blond or super blond shellac, you'll also minimize ambering from the finish, but know that the maple, itself, will yellow a bit over time naturally.

[Mike McCann]

Tony

you can check out the wood whisperers site. he has a pod cast on poping the grain on some tiger maple. He uses transtint dye to pop the grain then sands it off and the tiger portion really shows through.

[Tony Zaffuto]

Jim & Mike,

Thanks for the suggestions and I will try each on some scrap.

T.Z.