Back to the Shop - Spraying the Water Based Dye and Rubout

Well I am back from my 2 week sabbatical in sunny Florida.  Tough duty but someone had to do it.  When we got back on Wednesday the low over night was zero and it snowed.  I am soooo glad to be back.  Should have stayed another 2 weeks.
I got back into the shop today and picked up where I left off.  Ready to spray the English Brown Mahogany water based dye.
I used about 16 oz and as you can see in the video it got all over the table, but most things were covered.   I used what is called a dry spray which is higher pressure and lower volume to make the spray go on lightly and hopefully not run.   It came out ok.  After it dried, I rubbed it out with 0000 steel wool to remove any fuzzies that were caused by the water spray.
Now I am mixing up a 2 lb. cut of dewaxed shellac, I have both dark and blond.  I am going to start with the dark and then switch to the blond.

So here is today video.

Staining Practice and Color Selection

Well the package came with the Lockwood Dye that I ordered.  But not until late in the day yesterday.  So I mixed it up last night and let it cool down over night.  
Today I prepared a maple board and sanded it to 220.  I divided the board and wiped on the four Mahogany dyes.   This is to select the colors.  My wife and I selected the English Mahogany which looks like what I envisioned for the piece.
Spraying the dye will help reduced the amount of blotching that will occur with maple.   So I tested spraying with one of the other colors since I don't want to waste the good color.  The trick is to raise the air flow and reduce the fluid delivery on the spray gun to get a fine almost dry spray. Since it is water it is already very thin and dries slowly in these cool temperatures.  We do not want it to pool or run.
It takes some practice and I don't spray everyday.
I also bought some pre-stain conditioner from Charles Neil and tried that out.  It did prevent the blotching but it blocked the grain too much for my taste.
I am going to take a break from woodworking for about a week and do some chores that need to be attended to here at home.  When I get back to it, I'll be ready to spray the table.
So here is today video.

Sanding and Pre-Stain Raising the Grain

Good Evening.   Today, I finished sanding the table to a 220 grit.  So now I will raise the grain with water prior to applying a water based dye.  I have done this before and it works well when you are going to use a water based dye.   If I were going to use a alcohol or oil based stain I would not have to do this.  But water based dye is the deepest penetrating colorant of the group.
After raising the grain with water, I will lightly sand with 0000 steel wool or 320 grit sand paper.  If you use steel wool be careful to remove all of the little steel wool crumbs because if you leave them behind it will ruin you finish.
So here is today's video:

 

Completed the Upper Molding and Now to the Finishing

I completed attaching the upper molding around the apron today.  This completes the mechanical woodworking for the table.  So now I have to do the sanding and apply a finish.
My plan is to sand to 220 grit, raise the grain with water, lightly sand with 320 and then apply a dye stain.  I will probably spray the water based dye.  I order some Lockwood Water Based Dye today so I should have them early next week.
After the dye is applied, I will rub it out with 0000 steel wool.  Then if the finish is the right color, I will probably spray a dark shellac, rub it out, and finally apply a paste wax.
So here is today's video:

Glued Up Lower Apron Molding and Searching for the Upper Molding

Well I glued up the lower molding on the apron today after coping all the little pieces.  I am glad that is behind me.  So now I am again addressing the upper apron molding.  The last time I was not excited about how it looked.  So this afternoon I went back to look at all of the pictures I could find of other turret top tea tables.  A couple of the tables do not have molding along the top of the apron.  It looks ok but not finished.   The rest of them have molding which matches the profile of the turrets.  So, I guess I have to do it.   I made some new molding this afternoon, this time a little thicker than the last time.  I am still going to make it in two pieces since not all the turrets are exactly the same.  This allows me to make a better fit.  This is a slow process but I guess I have to do it.
So here is today's video:

Adding Molding to the Table - The return to Woodworking

Well, the disaster is over..  The basement has been cleaned, the plaster and lath are in the trash and the kitchen floor is still drying but it looks to be ok.
So now I can return to woodworking.  I got into the shop today and cleaned up all the shavings on the floor from making molding for the table.
I spent sometime coping one piece of the molding and it was difficult.  So I split it in to two pieces and the fitting was a little easier.  I think I am going to do it that way, I have to think about it a little more.  
I turned my attention to the 1/4 round on the bottom edge of the apron.  This should be much easier.  I made some 3/15 inch stock and rounded over the edge and then ripped it from the edge.
I made a bunch of it. I didn't want to run out, just in case there were a lot of do overs.
I cut some to length and coped the edges and fit it to the edge between the turrets.  It looks ok.
Slow going but I am half done.
Snow storm due tomorrow, good thing my shop is 80 feet from the back of my house.

Here is today's video: