Hi,
Thank you Colin for your kind comments it's nice to be appreciated and even if only one person takes up French polishing or veneering after reading my stories then I will be happy.
So many of the old skills are being allowed to die out which is such a shame; many still practice these skills but compared to the world population in fact these are few?
For a novice to French polishing or veneering or in fact new to a number of such techniques now is a good time to have a go; lots of information and videos are freely available on the web all that is needed is a bit of determination; at basic level equipment and materials are cheap enough so mistakes won't bankrupt anyone but the enjoyment in learning and succeeding really is worth all the effort involved; I've come very near to failure with many of my projects and right at the lowest point when all hope was lost something suddenly goes right and from then on each of my projects have shaken hands with me allowing completion without further trouble. Low points are indeed low points and here is where most is learnt; it's too easy to quit and walk away when things go wrong so if something is going wrong whilst trying one way think about it and try another approach; when things get so bad it's very easy to forget that the materials are only fighting because you are doing something wrong; the materials will talk to you if you stand back and listen to them?
Veneer isn't alive nor does it behave strangely because it doesn't like you; it responds to how it is being treated just as we do; when veneer is produced lots of stresses are released; just as in you or I these stresses are different to veneer as they are to humans; some veneers are less troubled such as Sapele which is quite docile but others such as Burrs are very upset by these stresses and respond by showing it as they curl and buckle. Sapele veneer is as I say very well behaved but try applying hot hide glue to one side only without wetting the other side and even Sapele will complain; it's not the veneer at fault if we don't take the time or trouble to understand what it is trying to tell us.
French polishing is just the same; it needs a bit of understanding before it will become your friend; work with it and get to know it; too thick it won't feel right too thin it won't cover well and be prone to runs; it has a shelf life and this isn't three score years and ten but if the shellac is purchased in flake then it can be stored for a very long period of time without deteriorating. Whilst applying shellac it doesn't like being played with; by brush it wants slapping on and leaving alone; trying to brush it out like paint will only rough it up and make a mess; applying by rubber it will tell you if you are doing it wrong; if the rubber is over-charged it will leave tramlines on the surface and if the rubber is worked too much on one surface it's actually possible to remove previous layers or the rubber will stick ripping up the previous layers; it's all about taking notice and responding accordingly; I don't think there is any black magic involved it's simply called a learning curve.
Both French polishing and Veneering will kick up one heck of a fight to a novice who in turn fights back so starts the conflict; learn to listen what these materials are telling you and don't fight but settle back and enjoy the process; it gets a lot easier with practice but practice only comes if you stick with it. Nothing at all will happen if you don't try.
One of my favourite woodworking books is "The fine art of cabinetmaking" by the author James Krenov. I must have owned this book for the best part of twenty years after buying it through a book society which I joined allowing me to purchase books at discounted prices. This book is unlike any of my other woodworking books; I expected it to cover hands on woodworking giving finished projects but instead it gave me an insight into another world and not only related to woodworking. James goes into "why" rather than "How" and what a tremendous difference between these two simple words. After reading the book I started to understand what James was explaining; anyone can follow instructions and even complete complicated projects without even having basic skills but James goes into the why; rather than treat projects as simply projects with a start and and end if we put our heart and soul into a project and understand the materials and techniques used then we get into a whole new world no longer behaving like a robot.
If a project is going wrong then don't fight and compromise; try to understand why; it's no good trying to force a project right because it will only become worse; we take on these projects for pleasure and I confess at times I could scream at mine but when it comes down to it if things are going badly who is to blame? The materials are only responding to me and if they are not responding as expected then I am am doing something wrong; it's very important to get this idea across.
I too have very much enjoyed watching Norm on The New Yankee Workshop Colin; he is a favourite; very easy to follow and understand whilst demonstrating many techniques; like me Norm appears to be a tool junkie and certainly loves his circular saw and router. Bron has watched many episodes with me and another lesser known program involving Norm is "This old house". The early series of "This old house" saw Norm Abram paired with Bob Villa but eventually Bob Villa fell out with the TV company I believe due to advertising; Norm never pushed products but Bob fell foul of this so was replaced;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s0S6cJVVtpI
For those unfamiliar with The New Yankee Workshop here is Norm in action;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJjrB4SvMWg
Isn't it a wonderful feeling Colin to make something so nice as your drawer unit and to see it used every day?
I put the heating on in the workshop about an hour ago so I'd better wander in and tinker around for a while.
Kind regards, Col.
Thank you Colin for your kind comments it's nice to be appreciated and even if only one person takes up French polishing or veneering after reading my stories then I will be happy.
So many of the old skills are being allowed to die out which is such a shame; many still practice these skills but compared to the world population in fact these are few?
For a novice to French polishing or veneering or in fact new to a number of such techniques now is a good time to have a go; lots of information and videos are freely available on the web all that is needed is a bit of determination; at basic level equipment and materials are cheap enough so mistakes won't bankrupt anyone but the enjoyment in learning and succeeding really is worth all the effort involved; I've come very near to failure with many of my projects and right at the lowest point when all hope was lost something suddenly goes right and from then on each of my projects have shaken hands with me allowing completion without further trouble. Low points are indeed low points and here is where most is learnt; it's too easy to quit and walk away when things go wrong so if something is going wrong whilst trying one way think about it and try another approach; when things get so bad it's very easy to forget that the materials are only fighting because you are doing something wrong; the materials will talk to you if you stand back and listen to them?
Veneer isn't alive nor does it behave strangely because it doesn't like you; it responds to how it is being treated just as we do; when veneer is produced lots of stresses are released; just as in you or I these stresses are different to veneer as they are to humans; some veneers are less troubled such as Sapele which is quite docile but others such as Burrs are very upset by these stresses and respond by showing it as they curl and buckle. Sapele veneer is as I say very well behaved but try applying hot hide glue to one side only without wetting the other side and even Sapele will complain; it's not the veneer at fault if we don't take the time or trouble to understand what it is trying to tell us.
French polishing is just the same; it needs a bit of understanding before it will become your friend; work with it and get to know it; too thick it won't feel right too thin it won't cover well and be prone to runs; it has a shelf life and this isn't three score years and ten but if the shellac is purchased in flake then it can be stored for a very long period of time without deteriorating. Whilst applying shellac it doesn't like being played with; by brush it wants slapping on and leaving alone; trying to brush it out like paint will only rough it up and make a mess; applying by rubber it will tell you if you are doing it wrong; if the rubber is over-charged it will leave tramlines on the surface and if the rubber is worked too much on one surface it's actually possible to remove previous layers or the rubber will stick ripping up the previous layers; it's all about taking notice and responding accordingly; I don't think there is any black magic involved it's simply called a learning curve.
Both French polishing and Veneering will kick up one heck of a fight to a novice who in turn fights back so starts the conflict; learn to listen what these materials are telling you and don't fight but settle back and enjoy the process; it gets a lot easier with practice but practice only comes if you stick with it. Nothing at all will happen if you don't try.
One of my favourite woodworking books is "The fine art of cabinetmaking" by the author James Krenov. I must have owned this book for the best part of twenty years after buying it through a book society which I joined allowing me to purchase books at discounted prices. This book is unlike any of my other woodworking books; I expected it to cover hands on woodworking giving finished projects but instead it gave me an insight into another world and not only related to woodworking. James goes into "why" rather than "How" and what a tremendous difference between these two simple words. After reading the book I started to understand what James was explaining; anyone can follow instructions and even complete complicated projects without even having basic skills but James goes into the why; rather than treat projects as simply projects with a start and and end if we put our heart and soul into a project and understand the materials and techniques used then we get into a whole new world no longer behaving like a robot.
If a project is going wrong then don't fight and compromise; try to understand why; it's no good trying to force a project right because it will only become worse; we take on these projects for pleasure and I confess at times I could scream at mine but when it comes down to it if things are going badly who is to blame? The materials are only responding to me and if they are not responding as expected then I am am doing something wrong; it's very important to get this idea across.
I too have very much enjoyed watching Norm on The New Yankee Workshop Colin; he is a favourite; very easy to follow and understand whilst demonstrating many techniques; like me Norm appears to be a tool junkie and certainly loves his circular saw and router. Bron has watched many episodes with me and another lesser known program involving Norm is "This old house". The early series of "This old house" saw Norm Abram paired with Bob Villa but eventually Bob Villa fell out with the TV company I believe due to advertising; Norm never pushed products but Bob fell foul of this so was replaced;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s0S6cJVVtpI
For those unfamiliar with The New Yankee Workshop here is Norm in action;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJjrB4SvMWg
Isn't it a wonderful feeling Colin to make something so nice as your drawer unit and to see it used every day?
I put the heating on in the workshop about an hour ago so I'd better wander in and tinker around for a while.
Kind regards, Col.
Happiness is a wreck of a cabinet to restore.
