A total disaster I’m open to any and all advice

[Robert Engel]

This table did not come out well. After finishing there were several very noticeable defects - lines in the finish as well as cracks.

The finish was brushed on [GF High Perf gloss) the crevices were in the veneer itself. I should have grain filled it, but didn’t even think about it. Not evident but for reference this is what it started out.

1C39E777-C76F-4863-AE98-F419222EE2B1.jpg

First I sanded and recoated with High Perf satin, but even after 5 or 6 coats the crevices would not go away.

The I got the idea of filling the grain and that s where the wheels came off.

This was what I had after Aqua Coat. I had a devil of a time getting it to level out and a couple hazy areas developed.

153520B1-2100-4497-90C7-C003D52B9C83.jpg I could sand until the lines when away but as soon as another coat was on they reappeared.

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So I decided to sand down the top and I’m pretty sure it’s ruined now. I applied some water based dye stain and it was horribly uneven. I gave it a coat of shellac and tried dying again. Here is the disaster I’ve got now


85837354-235D-4503-B727-C624A47173E2.jpgI’ve got the top off and I’m about to take it apart. Fortunately I’ve got another panel with the the same veneer.

Thought I’d put this up before the surgery tomorrow.

[John TenEyck]

Oh boy, did you sand through the veneer?

The only crack I saw in the veneer in the first photo was at the book match. That was a problem best addressed during seaming. Even if you could fill it perfectly it would always be pretty obvious.

I've had my issues with Aqua Coat, too, same as you. The only good solution I found was to first seal the surface with Sealcoat shellac and then make sure I wiped the Aqua Coat off as completely as possible.

Good luck,

John

[Phil Mueller]

If you haven’t sanded through the veneer, I guess at this point, I would keep sanding to try to remove as much of the existing finish as possible. Seal it with SealCoat and refinish.

I do believe I see the “cracks” ...lower right and left hand corners. I’ve had luck hiding those by first filling with a clear burn in shellac stick, then spending a good deal of time with touch up dyes using shellac as the medium. Then seal that in with spray shellac. How did you attach the veneer...vacuum bag, hot iron method? I find with burls, the hot iron method can cause all sorts of cracking.

As John said, not much you can do with the veneer seam...that can only be addressed when originally taping them together. I suppose it can be blurred some using the same dye/shellac touch up.

[Lee Schierer]

I am not familiar with the finish you used, but it looks to me like you tried smoothing the finish as it was setting up and left brush marks. If the finish can get multiple coats, I would suggest sanding the surface with a flat sanding block to cut down the high points without sanding into the veneer and apply additional coast of finish repeating the sanding each time.

The hazy areas are trapped moisture. Sometimes a hair dryer can heat the surface to release the moisture.

[Jim Matthews]

If the burl can be kept near a furnace, or other source of dry heat for awhile most of the trapped moisture should evaporate.

I wonder if applying a gun stock oil would even the sheen? Once stabilized, Shellac and a French polish would reveal depth.