Quote Originally Posted by Rich Dorffer View Post
I am dealing with this same issue, recently designing/building a dresser and a crib and quickly approaching the finishing stage. Both pieces are mostly solid walnut (the dresser has maple drawers with walnut faces). I haven't built anything for a few years (last item was a cherry pie safe) and my biggest downfall is finishing IMO (most of my history is with Watco Danish Oil and wax finishing techniques with walnut and using Minwax stains and Vanguard varnish on other species, I have never used shellac).

My plans on the crib and dresser are as follows:

- Sand everything to 220
- Boiled linseed oil on both pieces, just a light amount and then,
- Shellac. I made up my first batch of shellac (garnet flakes with Bekhol), about a 1.3# cut which I plan to pad on a few coats with some light sanding with 320 and/or maroon Scotchbrite pad.
- Waterlox satin (on the crib and exterior of the dresser), 1 or 2 coats for complete protection.

I need to do my basic plan on a few practice pieces to determine this is for certain what I want to do. I don't think the garnet shellac is what I will want on the maple (I believe I will want to keep it very light), so I might buy a quart of Zinsser SealCoat to use on the maple drawers (all interior parts).

Regards,

Rich


Rich, I've got a question about your pie safe, if I may? What kind of combination does one use for a pie safe?