What do an oak door, walnut mantle and a cherry rocker have in common? Besides being constructed of natural wood, all look especially good with a clear finish. In fact, most natural woodwork jobs call ...

For shellac finish users, good news: Shellac flakes have become more plentiful. Even those familiar with shellac may not know that it starts out as a crusty protective coating secreted on tree ...

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Dear James: I recently bought an older house. It has beautiful cherry woodwork that needs to be refinished. I have heard about a French-polish finish. Is this a good finish to use and how do I do it? ...

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links. As a professional woodworker of over five decades, I have learned a few tricks to make my time in the shop more efficient and more enjoyable.

Touch-up. When removing glue squeeze-out, sand with the grain using P220-grit sandpaper. Keep the block flat against the work to avoid rounding over an edge. Shield adjacent surfaces with a wide ...

For lacquer finish users, good news: Shellac flakes have become more plentiful. Shellac starts out as a crusty protective coating secreted on tree branches by the tiny lac bug (Laccifer lacca), which ...