A Polisher’s Handbook
Finishing Techniques for Australian Woodworkers
by Neil Ellis
(Australian Publication)
Softcover
- Ringbound
145 x 205mm
192pp
Published by 'u Beaut Publishing, Geelong, VIC.
R.R.P.$31.50
ISBN 0-646-25424-3
ON BACK ORDER
As reviewed in The Australian Woodworker Issue 104
Neil Ellis, the author of A Polishers Handbook, is an accomplished woodcarver, woodturner and finisher, who many may know as the man who makes and promotes the 'u Beaut range of polishes.
His background in polishing is extensive - he was commissioned by the Victorian Education Department in the early 80's to conduct in-service workshops throughout the state, to teach the teachers how to teach polishing - and he continues to produce commissions for major clients, most recently a Huon Pine State coat of arms, for the Courts of Appeal (Melbourne).
Neil has been teaching himself and others about finishing for a long time, and all of the knowledge he has gathered about traditional polishing techniques, primarily using shellac, are compiled in his book. Designed for use in the workshop, it is ring bound and covered with plastic for protection.
The book covers all stages of finishing, from gluing up to surface preparation, to choosing a finish and applying it. The focus is on various techniques of polishing with shellac, and the text will solve the mystery of french polishing for all but the most stubborn of readers.
The chapter on Stains, Dyes & Chemicals reveals a lot of dirty old secrets many might have thought lost forever.
Neil has also included many recipes for various waxes, furniture creams and polish revivers, oil finishes, woodgrain fillers, French polishes, tack rags, water and oil rubbing compounds, leaving no doubt in the reader's mind that the book is more than just a package for promoting his range of products. He makes a point of humourously pointing out when he is giving his products a plug, and when he does, it reflects a sincere belief in their quality.
A special section on finishing for turners focuses on sanding, troubleshooting and how to get the most out of a variety of finishes.
The list of materials included in the book gives uses for various chemicals that are used in finishing, and complements the excellent glossary and index.
Illustrations: Black & White
Contents
Dedication
Foreword
The Author
Introduction
In
The Beginning
Stripping, Cleaning up Stripping, Stripping Hints, Caution,
Commercial Stripping.
Preparing
The Wood
Dressing, Removing Bruises, Bruise Removal on Veneered Timber,
Stopping, Cleaning Up, Staining, Staining Hints, Filling In.
French
Polishing
Skinning In, The Swooge (Fad), The Swooge Coat, Making the
Polishers Rubber, The Work Begins, Hints and Tips, Bodying Up, Extremely Important,
Stiffing Up, Johns Method of Stiffing, Notes.
Advanced
Polishing
Colouring and Matching, Bleaching, Dulling Down, Acid or Vitriol
Finish.
Shellac
- More Information
What is it, How to Mix Shellac, French Polish, How
to Use Shellac Polish, Applying With a Brush, Waxed French Polish, French Polished
Finish, Spraying, Coloured French Polish, Dewaxed White Shellac, Stained Timber,
Sanding Sealer - Application, Special Hint - Shellac and Talc.
Gluing
Up
A Bed Time Story, How it Should Be Done, Hide Glue, More on Hide Glue
- Pearl Glue, Powder Glue, Heating the Glue, Other Glues, PVA Glue, Aliphatic,
Urea L Resorcinol Resin Glue, Contact Adhesive, Cyanoacrylate (Superglue), Hot
Melt Glue.
Abrasives
Grading, Types of Paper, Glass Paper, Flint, Garnet, 45 Aluminium Oxide, Silicon
Carbide, Wet and Dry, Webrax Scotchbrite, Steel Wool, Sanding Fallacy, Progressive
Sanding, Wetting down, Mechanical Sanding, Disc Sanders, Belt Sanders, Orbital
Sander, Random Orbital Sander, Other Sanders, Tips for Hand Sanding, Making Your
Own Block Sander, Hand Sanding Without a Block, Joke Time Again.
Stains,
Dyes and Chemicals
Stains - Pigment, Binder, Carrier, Stain Examples l
& 2, Dyes, Old Dyes - Logwood, Yellowood, Brazilwood, Walnut Crystals, Cochineal,
Madder Root, Liquid Nightmare, Tea. Mordants, Chemical Treatment - Potassium Bichromate,
A Little Experiment, Sulphate of Iron/Green Copperas, Van-dyke Crystals, Alkalis,
Danger. Modern Synthetic Dyes, Water Soluble Dyes, Alcohol Soluble, Oil Soluble,
Notes, Joke.
Other
Finishes
Spraying, Nitrocellulose Lacquer, Sanding Sealer, Applying the
Lacquer, Some Rules For Spraying, Polyurethane, My Method of Applying Polyurethane,
Finishing the Finish, Matt Finish, Satin Finish, Bright Finish, Oil Finishes -
Tung Oil, Danish Oil, Danger, Linseed Oil, Organoil - A Quick Lesson. Notes on
Oil Finishes, Wax Polishes, The Problem With Beeswax, Traditional Wax, Methods
of Use, For Antiques, For Woodcarvings, For Woodturners, For Furniture. Good Question
(Joke), Notes.
Recipes
Safety First. The Fun Begins - Walnut Brew, Liquid Nightmare, Tea Stain,
Potassium Bichromate, Potassium Permanganate, Copper Sulphate, Tannic Acid. Wax
Polishes - Recipe Number l (beeswax paste) No 2 (hard bright wax) No 3 (soft wax
polish) Extra Ingredients. Furniture Cream, Polish Revivers - Revivers No 1, 2,
3. Oil Finishes - No 1, 2, 3, 3A. Woodgrain Filler - Oil Based, Water Based. Beaumontage,
French Polish Button Shellac, Flake Shellac, Granulated White Lac, Tops. Note
on Shellac Shelf Life. Tack Rag. Water Rubbing Compound, Oil Rubbing Compound,
A Make Your Own Boo-Boo. Final Note on Making Your Own. Notes. I
Decorative
Finishes
Decorative Finishing'??, Decorative Shellac, Applying the Finish,
Gesso The Fun Finish, Textured Gesso, Lets Make Some Gesso, Recipe 1, Effect No
1 (Stippled), No 2 (rolled brush), No 3 (Bagged), More on Gesso, Recipe 2, Using
Recipe 2 - Effect No 1 (3 colour cut through) No 2 (Marble) Still More Gesso,
Decorated Oak. Marbling, Water Marbling, Lets Do Some Marbling. Scumbling, One
For the Drips, Let us Dribble, The Bottom Line, Gilding - Water Gilding, Oil Gilding,
Let us Gild.
Fire
& Weather Worn
Burnt Finish, Light Edge Burn (Spanish Style), Burntwood
(Heavy eroded style) Weather Worn Simulations. Sandblasting, Hints & Tips,
Safety First.
For
Woodturners
Sanding Techniques - Wet Sanding, Method, Tip for Sanding
& Polishing Thin Walled Bowls, Rotary Sander, Finishes & Decoration, Shellawax,
Danish Oil, Organoil, Cynoacrylate, Warning, Waxes, Wax Over Shellac, Decoration,
Burnt Rim, Casting resin Cove, Windows, Colours
U-Beaut
Polishes
A Brief History. Shellawax - Small Bowls, Hand rubbing. Shellawax
Cream - For Woodturners, For Woodcarvers, on Flat Surfaces, Tips and Tricks. EEE-Ultra
Shine - For Woodturners, on Crushed Velvet, Finishing the Finish, For Stone, For
Polishers & Restorers. Traditional Wax - Coloured Wax, Polish Reviver. Non
Toxic Water Dyes. Shellac, French Polish, White Polish, Sanding Sealer. Talc,
Tripoli Powder, Woodturners Waxtik. Shellawax Problem Solver. Woodworking Australia.
Treefella Extraordinaire (joke)
Woodworkers
Bulletin Board
Others Have Their Say.
Subject - Spraying Lacquer
Subject - Dust in a Polyurethane Finish
Subject - Finish For Pens (also
Using Stain Under Shellawax)
Subject - Acid Stripped Doors
Subject -
French Polishing Carvings etc.
Materials
Glossary
Recommende Materials
Suppliers List
Addendum
Index
Bibliography
Your Favourite Suppliers
The Last Page