I'm the worst...pics

[JokerRN]

I just can't get this finishing thing down. There is always something I'm not happy with...so frustrating.

Couple of things on this one. It is made from cypress and finished only with Watco Danish Oil in Dark Walnut so far.

1. Before applying the oil, you had to look really close to see where the boards were joined...now it's clearly visible as some of the grain got super dark and some didn't. Neither that dark stripe down the middle nor the one to the right of it were visible at all before applying the color. No idea what causes this or how to prevent it. Fwiw, I didn't use any conditioner, shellac, etc...just sanded to 220 and then applied the oil.

2. In the 2nd pic, you can see about 8" to the right of the knot that there are some imperfections in the surface....something scratched it or something...cypress is soooo soft, there's no telling what caused it. I thought I inspected the top really closely before applying the oil and didn't see these marks at all.

So...I think every time I finish something, I change the process up because of something I read, a youtube video, etc. I have used wood conditioner, shellac, stain, dye, dye stain, gel stain, ARS, poly...and there's always something I don't like.

I just wish I had a go-to, works-most-of-the-time step by step that I could rely on. Any advice is greatly appreciated.

[fredhargis]

One thing you might consider is applying a coat of MS to the surface with a towel before you finish. The MS mimics what the wood will look like with a finish on it, and any problem areas will show up. Then it evaporates and you're good to go to whatever the next step might be. I think other solvents like DNA might do the same (maybe even dry faster), but I've always stuck with MS.

[Snipe Hunter]

I can't help you with your finish issues. I'm a professional painter and it's rare that I'm satisfied with my work. Fortunately, it's rare when my customers are not satisfied. We're usually our own worst critics.

As for the dark areas: Leaving in the knot-hole makes the piece rustic (for lack of a better word in my head), so any other imperfections don't really detract from the piece. While it probably isn't the look you were aiming for, it really is unique and looks fine.

I'm guessing the scratches were there before you finished. being a soft wood, it left exposed fibers that soaked up some stain and darkened. It would probably bother me too but it still doesn't detract from that particular piece.

[gMike]

FWIW, I've never produced a piece I was totally satisfied with.  There is always something I could have done better, sanded to a higher grit, or had better luck with a finish.  I'm reminded of an old saying that I have to keep repeating to myself - The perfect is the enemy of the good enough!  I could probably always make something better at the expense of much more time.  I like woodworking, I'm not all that good at it but I like doing it and my stuff has improved some over the years so I'm happy with what I make although every piece usually has something that could have been better.

Your table looks fine to my eye.  If you wanted uniformity it could have been made out of Formica.  Remember, handmade still needs to have some visible aspects that say it is handmade.

[JokerRN]

Thanks for the replies, guys. Didn't know I needed a pep talk, but tuns out, I did.

After re-reading my post from last night, it's clear I just needed to whine about my frustrations. I was so excited to get that oil on the cypress and watch the process unfold and it just didn't look like what I thought it would/should. As it happens, my wife went out to look at it not knowing that I was unhappy with it and just gushed over it. She's the customer on this one, so I'll take it and move on.

Thanks again.

[joe1086]

You'll notice the imperfections less each day as the cypress picks up more "character" as it ages.

[jteneyck]

I like it too.  But since you asked - I think the dark areas were caused by lower density areas, possibly sapwood?  The defects that showed up when you put the oil must have been there, you just didn't see them.   I can't count how many times that's happened to me.  As Fred said, wiping the surface with MS when you think you are ready to apply the finish will often turn up those defects.  I'm not sure if it would have given you a clue that the wood was going to get those dark streaks, but making a sample board most likely would have. 

Never, ever, apply finish to your project w/o first making a sample board from start to finish, prepped just like your project.  It takes some time, but not nearly as much time as fixing a project that turned out badly.  I speak from painful and too often repeated experience.  

John

[TomFromStLouis]

Yeah, it looks to me like the cypress sapwood absorbed finish differently from the heartwood. And because cypress is so soft and you chose it for a table top, anything less than bar top epoxy will yield a more rustic aged and distressed looking piece over time.

I think you have a handsome piece and only need to adjust your expectations to what you actually made.

[EricU]

I can see why you'd be disappointed, but it looks good to me. One of my first major woodworking projects was some bookshelves I stained.  Horrible idea, splotches everywhere.  Funny thing is, everyone really likes them and I barely think about it any more. 

 I think the usual method of preventing this involves putting down a shellac wash coat first. Not sure that would work in this case though.

[arw01]

You are doing better than me, at least you have a project done! Finishing is an art all to it's own, I've been struggling with plain ole simple seals coat shellac, that stuff dries too fast to rub onto a door, but if I sand it enough it gets close and then I have to rub it on again and the sequence repeats ad-naseum.

You did a great job, the first scratch is the worst, then you get over it, and its even worse when YOU do it vs the kids..