David Marks Nit Pick

[Chris Barton]

OK, So I just started my day off as usual when I have the luxury of being at home by watching David Marks on Woodworks. I really enjoy his shows and some of his projects are things I would make although his tastes run a bit more modern than mine and sometimes he uses jointery techniques I would not use, most likely at the insistance of the DIY folks (i.e. brass pins...). But, only one thing ever really makes me crazy about his technique and that is... the way he puts finish on a piece, most often the perfect example of tung oil or BLO. On his show he is always using a 1" wide china bristle brush in his left hand putting down oil finish as the right hand equiped with a paper towel is wiping up 99% of what just got on to the wood back off! I let my oil finishes soak in and I apply them with foam brushes and pretty much just slop it on as thick and fast as I can. Has any one else given thought to David's technique or am I just a nit wit?:confused:

[Russ Filtz]

It might just be he does it for show on TV. A gloppy, runny mess wouldn't look good on camera! Or he doesn't like to come back later to wipe off before it gets gummy and just puts on more coats?

[Bob Noles]

Chris,

I'm with you on this one. I am a firm believer in letting it soak in for the little extra protection and depth it gives. Seems like the method he uses wastes more than he gets the benifit from, but then again, I guess we need to appreciate TV show time restrictions to some extent ;)

[John Branam]

I personaly like using regular brushes over sponge brushes. As for seeing him wipe off the oil as soon as he puts it on, my thought is that he is showing that the oil needs to wiped off after application. You never see him applying the finish to the whole peice because of time consraints of the show. He may use a larger brush but for TV close ups he uses the smaller brush.

[Alan Tolchinsky]

Yes, I agree but that doesn't bother me half as much as his disregard for safety devices like a blade guard or splitter. But I guess he knows what he's doing.

[Steve Wargo]

Actually his technique works perfectly. I've finished a ton of pieces using the same type of technique that he does and it works great. 99% of the finish is not getting whiped off with the rag. It's actually working the finish into the pores of the wood, and the small voids spots in the previous coats of finish. It take a few more coats to build a finish, but after 4 or 5 coats it looks great and the ammount of rubbing out in between coats is much less than just slatherig it on with a brush and waiting for it to dry. Try it some time, you'll be impressed.

[Mark Singer]

I went to see David at a class on furniture design. He talked about the show and how his time on finishing was very limited on the show and that was why he used tung oil most of the time. If it is a polomerized tung oil...it should be spread and rubbed in with a rag soon after application and removed within an hour. David really knows how to apply many finishes and wood treatments , but the time constraints really limit him.

Tage Frid would apply Watco very thick and leave it overnight....then remove it with more Watco and steel wool... I tried that technique and didn't really like it...

David's technique of removing most of it is the same for Bartley's Gel varnish....a small area at a time works best..

[John Hemenway]

I've only seen one of his pieces in person and don't know how he finished it. It looked REALLY good, so perhaps he has a method that works for him?

Seems like there are an infinite numbers of ways to finish. Have you tried his method? I don't get the show so I don't know if he has discussed the pluses of the quick brush on, wipe off.

For Alan T.:
Many years ago NYW would have a disclaimer about guards being removed for photographic clarity (or some such). At some point they dropped it. Perhaps Norm just didn't like the quality guards provided by Delta :) !

[Mark Singer]

David is actually concerned about safety...he talks about "muscle memory" and training yourself to repeat proper technique. Hands on the "valleys" of the tablesaw sled.

BTW I was at a friends shop and a helper was cutting a panel of plywood ...no guard , or splitter..the piece came back at him...cause he was pinching the blade as it moved through the saw....I shwed him to apply most of the force on the side between the blade and the fence and let the other side trail a little....gaurd or no gaurd experience is the most important thing.

David uses the rollers on the tablesaw which I also use. they add a great deal of safety...the piece against the fence cannot be kicked back and the rollers lead the piece into the fence and away from the blade

[Todd Franks]

Does David actually use oil finishes on his show? Even though he calls it tung oil I was under the impression it was nothing more than wipe on poly from General Finishes. Here's an FAQ from his website.

http://www.djmarks.com/stories/faq/What_is_the_mix_ratio_for_the_Linseed_Oil_Tung_Oil _and_Urethane_46687.asp

[Mark Singer]

He uses both and really likes " Seal a Cell" and Arm R Seal...from General

[scott kinninger]

I also wonder if he is using pure tung oil like he sometimes implies or if it's the "General Finish" product. It seems like he'll say "tung oil" then 15 seconds later he talks about a commercially available mixture of BLO/TO/urethane.

I love his show and look foward to it every morning even it I've seen it before, I am a novice and he has shown me things that I never thought possible. He is THE MAN!

[Dan Forman]

Arm-R Seal sets up fairly quickly, they recommend doing small areas at a time for this reason, so waiting to let it sink in wouldn't work.

Dan

[Joe Grout]

I actually feel for David and would not get down on him too much for his finishing practices on the show. They give him 20 minutes to buld the piece,and put finish onit what could you expect.

David is probably one of the foremost finishers in the US and his work bears that.( Not wanting to post links here so suggest you google David Marks... lots of fine work and finishes in the gallery of his site)

Listening to him talk about the constraints when filming, designing projects that would fit into the time frame given, working over holidays to make the designs work etc. left me in awe of his capabilities.

Joe

[Mark Stutz]

Chris,
When I have used the General Finish products, I have used a similar technique, and use several coats, with good results. When I have used plain BLO I have done what you describe and let it soak in some. Both have worked for me.