How we finish our work

[TWiG]

Most of my work ( hollow vessels ) is finished to 600 grit  and  a couple of coats of finishing oil, mainly to a satin /semi gloss sheen which is also durable , I find wax finishes although very glossy , are not very durable and spoil easily , they can look good at point of sale but go dull faster than an oil finish especially when handled much . A high gloss finish is often associated with high quality craftsmanship, items such as fine dining tables . pianos etc , but just because it is glossy it is not high quality !  It can also look plastic like rather than woody  On occasion I use a matt finish but these do not seem to sell so well ,also a textured or sand blasted piece can not really be polished and these too seem to have a limited appeal . 

[edbanger]

Thanks Nick

I don't think you can teach people the quality of finish, it's a desire and what looks good to one person can be completely different to another, we all have our own standards.

I was once told by someone that I respected that if a fool tells you you are clever, are you that clever?

So your level should be better than the rest, this of course is impossible.

In my case my desire is to be a better turner than I was a furniture maker, to be better turner than the guy selling his wares next to me, to understand what I'm trying to achieve and once I fully understand that pass it on to the next person.

 My desire will drive my finish, my finish will drive my desire to improve.

My target is to be a RPT member before I die, and I am looking forward to the day that I know enough to help another.

But I dont think you can teach desire.

Ed

[Nick Arnull]

Ed:
Not sure that I totally agree with your last post.
  I think  understanding can only be achieved through growth and ongoing awareness, Time and open education are a great way ahead but if we are to open we need to be careful.
I am able to teach many methods of finish to student ,it is to be seen if they will be able to do so alone,the type of finish used is subjective and relative to what is trying to be achieved I can apply a finish to timber that cannot be seen but I can assure you it is,it is time that teaches a maker to use the right finish for the right job its application can be taught.

Your desire to become a member of the RPT is to be encouraged and applauded.
I would like to point out that the RPT selection process has undergone a major review earlier and will in future will be carried out in a more stringent manner,for more details I would recommend contacting the register when you feel you are ready to apply.

Your comment regarding desire I do agree with,  it cannot be taught but it can be fostered, helped even pushed in a specific direction.

You may find it of interest to look at a thread  started over on the Woodworker instate regarding "Image posting and critique".
6 pages 110 comments and 3596 views and the thread is still rolling and is/has been extremely interesting and stimulating.

http://www.woodworkersinstitute.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=14919&PN=1&title=critique-and-image-posting

Nick Arnull. RPT.

[edbanger]

Thanks again Nick I'll take a look at the thread later tonight

Ed