bonsaiTALK Community - View Single Post - Question for all you Woodworking experts

This is a very nice stand. I like the lines of it very much. As for the finish, tuff break. Those scratches are pretty much ruining the top of the table.This finish, to me, looks to have had some color in the finish. This a trick that many of the asian stand makers use to achieve the depth of color on the stand. Many of the stands made for export are not made of rosewood as the color might lead one to believe. Many are made from raman wood ( asian beech, rubber wood, poor mans maple) I have heard it called many things. One thing is for sure, it can become nearly any wood one wants it to be with the artistic application of finish.

Trying to spot repair this will leave you with a dull spot, even if you could dupliacate the finish exactly. The difference in thickness of the surrounding finish will be enough to give it away. Further, removal of any layers of the over spray will leave the area lighter in color. The only real solution to fixing the top would be a complete sand out and duplicating the color in a new finish. Something I would not be willing to do even for myself.

As for wax, never paste wax a wood stand. Why? You will hate yourself in the morning if you do. You will be looking for the solvent bottle and a rag trying to figure out how to get all the white wax residue out of the grain, rough spots, around legs and any scratch or nick it finds its way into.

Walnut oil is good or gunstock oil are my favs for restoreing a finish.

Good luck and shoot from a low angle, ak

7-Nov-2006	#7
bonsaial1 Greybeard Join Date: Aug-2001 Location: Fresno, CA Country: USA USDA Zone: 9 AHS Heat Zone: 13SH Posts: 5,109	This is a very nice stand. I like the lines of it very much. As for the finish, tuff break. Those scratches are pretty much ruining the top of the table.This finish, to me, looks to have had some color in the finish. This a trick that many of the asian stand makers use to achieve the depth of color on the stand. Many of the stands made for export are not made of rosewood as the color might lead one to believe. Many are made from raman wood ( asian beech, rubber wood, poor mans maple) I have heard it called many things. One thing is for sure, it can become nearly any wood one wants it to be with the artistic application of finish. Trying to spot repair this will leave you with a dull spot, even if you could dupliacate the finish exactly. The difference in thickness of the surrounding finish will be enough to give it away. Further, removal of any layers of the over spray will leave the area lighter in color. The only real solution to fixing the top would be a complete sand out and duplicating the color in a new finish. Something I would not be willing to do even for myself. As for wax, never paste wax a wood stand. Why? You will hate yourself in the morning if you do. You will be looking for the solvent bottle and a rag trying to figure out how to get all the white wax residue out of the grain, rough spots, around legs and any scratch or nick it finds its way into. Walnut oil is good or gunstock oil are my favs for restoreing a finish. Good luck and shoot from a low angle, ak __________________ It's about time that the proper respect be given to the fine art of balloon animals...