Mike Ziegler
This video was made in partnership with Klingspor Woodworking Shop
Great finishing results start all the way back at the beginning with the design process. As we watch this video, Mike prompts us to try to answer some questions before we start our projects so that the answers will guide us toward the appropriate finish or treatment choice. What is the purpose of what I’m making? What is its function? What abuse will it take?
Differentiators like deciding if your project will be used outside or inside, if it will be something that is cut on or just used for display, or if it will be something that needs to be washed after use are big questions that need to be answered. Knowing the end goal of your project will decide how it’s made, what it’s made of, and how to finish or treat it.
For example, making a cutting board out of knotty pine and treating it with a water-based polyurethane would be equivalent to wearing shorts outside in a snowstorm. It just plain doesn’t make sense! But it’s important to know WHY. In this video, you’ll get background info on using hardwoods vs softwoods, oil-based vs water-based finishes, food-safe finishes and their various protective qualities, interior vs exterior finishes, all the info anyone would ever need on film finishes, CA glues and other finishes that tend to be favorites for woodturners, and finally, you’ll get an intro to epoxy as a finish.
Check out the full video by Mike Ziegler and follow along with his furniture restoration journey on Instagram. For specific applications, check out some of Mike’s favorites from Klingspor Woodworking Shop below.
Food Safe
Real Milk Paint Co: Pure Tung Oil
Exterior
Oil-based: Waterlox Marine Finish
Water-based: General Finishes Exterior 450
Interior
Oil-based: General Finishes Arm-R-Seal
Water-based: General Finishes High Performance
Consider enrolling in TMCU for full access to all of the educational content and follow along with Mike for more tips and tricks on how to:
Select the best finish for the job
Choose the best brush for the product you are using
Apply the finish to get the most bang for your buck
Know when to use which type of film finish and why
Mike is a master at Finishing. Finishing is where all your hard work can go wrong so learning more from him and doing it right will go a long way in taking the stress away. I look forward to many more tips and tricks from him.