Hiding Oak Plugs on Danish Furniture

[Mark D Gaal]

Hi everyone,

I've been having a hell of a time with a set of 6 of these chairs:
http://antikmodern.blogspot.com/2010/10/shop-borge-mogensen-shell-chair-6.html?m=1

The worst off of the chairs was re-jointed by the previous owner quiet poorly. He drilled through the back of the frame and applied puddy to try and conceal. What a mess!
339582

Originally, I thought the frames were teak (not oak) and I made some 1/2" plugs out of some scrap teak also from the 1950s. I thought it looked pretty good:
339583

Then I applied some danish oil and realized that the bases were not teak at all, but instead Oak (probably with a grain sealer) colored to look more teak-like. (in fairness to myself 3 other people at the local woodworkers club didn't argue with me when I said it was teak).

Anyway, long story short, I repluged with some scrap Oak that I had an this attached is the result after applying some Teak Oil & Danish oil color mix (1Tbs Teak Oil, 1Tbs Dark Walnut DO, 1Tbs Red Mahogany DO)
339584339585

Now many people would be happy with this result, but I'm not trying to celebrate the repair. I'm more concerned with hiding it. What are my options to do so? I've never tried to "build" with Danish Oils and (I don't believe that you can).

Finally, since sanding down the joinery and thereby opening the Oak grain, then using the danish oils it seems like I am coloring the grain too dark for the rest of the chair. I'd like to color match close to the original finish to avoid having to sand the frames on all 6 chairs. the original color is closer to the bottom of the leg where I didn't sand as much (you'll note the lighter grain and overall more redish/brown opaque finish).
339590339591

Thank you in advance. To preface, I'm an amateur so please bear with any stupid questions.

[John TenEyck]

It sort of looks like the chair originally was finished with a glaze or colored lacquer, both of which could be used to obscure the grain underneath. And that might be the approach to use now if you want to replicate the original look. Glazes you can do by hand. Toners, however, are best done by spraying. Get some scrap oak and try out some ideas to see if you can replicate the original look of the chairs.

John

[Mark D Gaal]

This would be my first time working with a glaze.... I'm pretty okay with the 1/1/1 Tbs mixture of Watco's Teak Oil, Dark Walnut DO and Red Mahogany DO is representative of the chair's original color. Would it be appropriate to mix those in with a oil based glaze to achieve the desired color?

[Wayne Lomman]

Mark, I approach this sort of problem with all my colours, a 3/16 pencil brush and a scrap to use as a mixing pallette. I then start with my best guess as to which colour is closest and make up the exact colour from there. Add a bit of lacquer to the colour to give it some body. Use the pencil brush brush to apply colour using you best artist's skills until the plug is camouflaged. Then go on and polished up the whole section. Cheers

[Jim Becker]

In all honesty, it's extremely, extremely hard to totally hide a plug like that in many species, including oak. Even with the most careful grain match... You've done a pretty darn good job, quite frankly!

[Wayne Lomman]

Second what Jim says. Cheers

[Prashun Patel]

The grain match isn't your issue; it's the hole around the plug. In my experience that's really hard not to 'celebrate' especially when staining. Even if you are able to perfectly seal the perimeter of the hole with wood and glue, it's hard to get it to stain or take the finish just exactly so. And with time, the glue line can expose itself. Personally, I would not worry about it. You have done about as good a job as I would hope for.

[John TenEyck]

Maybe I'm off base, but it looks like the front legs were filled with grain filler, or perhaps sprayed with an masking lacquer or similar. When you sanded the rear leg you sand whatever it was off. The only way I think you'll get rid of the pronounced grain is to replicate what was done originally. That's why I suggested using a glaze or masking toner. Another option would be to completely strip the chairs, then start fresh by filling the grain, sealing it, applying a glaze or masking toner, and then the topcoats. (Danish oil would not be part of that approach.) As long as the rim of the hole where the plugs are is completely flush they will mostly disappear when you apply the glaze or toner. You can even use a tiny paint brush and paint in grain lines with glaze to further obscure the hole rims.

If you don't fill the grain, any penetrating color will seek the more porous grain and end up darker. Filling the grain with a filler the same color as the base wood will take the grain out of the picture. If you aren't up for filling the grain, another approach to mitigate the grain is to seal the wood really well with several coats of dewaxed shellac, sanding between coats, and then apply a heavy glaze, like gel stain, then your topcoats. Again, no Danish oil.

John

[Mark D Gaal]

First, thanks for everyone's kind words on doing a pretty good/decent job. I am upset with the chip out and inability to cover all of the imperfections caused by the prior wood-putty repair. I halfway wanted to go to 5/8" plugs but don't think there is enough material there. I'm am interested in going down the rabbit hole of glazing so I will address John.


Maybe I'm off base, but it looks like the front legs were filled with grain filler, or perhaps sprayed with an masking lacquer or similar. When you sanded the rear leg you sand whatever it was off. The only way I think you'll get rid of the pronounced grain is to replicate what was done originally. That's why I suggested using a glaze or masking toner. Another option would be to completely strip the chairs, then start fresh by filling the grain, sealing it, applying a glaze or masking toner, and then the topcoats. (Danish oil would not be part of that approach.) As long as the rim of the hole where the plugs are is completely flush they will mostly disappear when you apply the glaze or toner. You can even use a tiny paint brush and paint in grain lines with glaze to further obscure the hole rims.

I agree that some type of grain sealer was used, I did have some luck using only watco teak oil first then putting the dark walnut and red mahogany on top afterwards (prevented the darker DOs from soaking into the heavier grain). I abandoned this strategy after rubbing and the color match subsequently not taking.

My question about coloring a oil-based glaze with Danish Oil was a cost driven question (I don't want to buy 3-5 glaze colors just to arrive at a color that isn't quiet as good as what I've already matched with Danish Oil). If I can't color the glaze with Danish Oil do you have any recommendations on a brand and color combo that is representative of Danish / Scan furniture from the 1950's? Basically, that reddish-brown/orange teak look that was so popular?

[John TenEyck]

Finish is cheap compared to all the time we invest in our projects. I remind myself of that every time I need to buy another quart of this or gallon of that to complete a project. Trying to add Danish Oil to gel stain will make it too thing to do it's job properly. Just grit your teeth and buy two or three pints or quarts of whatever brand you like or can easily get and start mixing and trying it on scrap. I like General Finishes. And don't forget to first either seal the wood really well or fill the grain first and seal that in, or the stain will preferentially end up in and highlight the pores. What you are doing is applying a thin masking layer to the wood to obscure the heavy grain of the oak. Sort of a shame, but they did that a lot back then. I reworked a sort of yellow green piece once only to find it was mahogany. Good grief.

John