AboutGreg Scholl Expertise Questions on Woodworking, wood finishing and refinishing of all kinds, repairing furniture and wooden objects,Architectural details, Woodturning, carving, tool usage, product usage, some chemistry as it applies to woodworking and related interests,cabinet making and furniture construction/design, etc. I have experience with all manners of colorants, finishes, paints, stains, dyes, glazes, and coatings,wood species recognition,usage,etc.
Experience Fine furniture restorer and cabinet maker for over 30 years,serving high end Antique dealers, Interior designers, Collectors in the CT area. Sold, built, serviced, setup Home,Industrial and Commercial stationary woodworking tools for a major tool retailer in CT. for three years, sold hand and power tools, and offered instruction on use and care as well.I even have some Trade show Demo experience.
Organizations none at this time.
Publications Published in Fine Woodworking Magazine (12/97), included on Fine Woodworkings first "Best of Fine Woodworking" CD-ROM (2002) ...("27 year compilation of expert know-how"), local newspapers as well
Education/Credentials Art School at Silvermine Guild in Norwalk, CT., 9 year apprenticeship in a European run Cabinet and Restoration shop in CT., various classes on subjects having to do with the field. Seminars by Major tool manufacturers, Delta, Powermatic, Performax, Porter Cable, Skil/Bosch to name a few.
Past/Present Clients Many varied clients including work on Martha Stewarts' Westport, CT. show house, many fine Antique dealers and private collectors in and around Fairfield County and in Woodbury, CT.(the Antiques capital of CT.) Consulting for area Painting/Decorating and Building contractors on non painting issues..(staining, wood prep.,clear finishing, floor restoration and architectural detail restoration and repair, etc.), local Museums and Historical Societies.
QUESTION: I am building a hope chest out of Scandinavian soft pine. It looks good so far. I have decided to put some trim on the chest and have bought and cut western cedar. My question is, should I polyurethane the chest with one coat before I put the trim on? Or do I put the trim on then polyurethane the entire chest? Should I polyurethane the cedar at all considering that I am using the rougher side as the face side?
ANSWER: I wouldn't poly something like this at all, especially if your exposing a rough cut surface.I would consider a flatter, penetrating finish, like an oil or oil/varnish/poly blend. Oil finishes are also easier to repair/renew on a softwood that will inevitably get dinged, scratched, dented, etc. Do the woods look sinilar?
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QUESTION: No. The pine is much lighter. I noticed that the cedar matches the knots in the pine. Keep in mind that I made the sides, top, and bottom by cutting 3/4" strips and gluing them together. You can definitely see the transitions.
Answer I thought there would be a substantial difference in color....so it's really up to what you want from the finish, and I can't really make an aesthetic decision for you.....do some samples on scrap, another option for a softer finish would be a wipe on poly like the General Gel Urethane or Arm-R-Seal. Post back if need be- Greg
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