# Finished my lazy susan



## Eastjack (Dec 29, 2008)

Hi again.

I just finished my latest lazy susan and placed it on the dining table. It is the first one where I used a spray application of water based varnish. Several lessons learned.
1. I should have sealed the veneer with shellac first. 
2. Water based sand sealer causes the veneer to swell unevenly and thus raise the grain. This required more sanding than otherwise would have been required. 
2. The water based finish is perfectly clear but does not look as vibrant as shellac or oil based varnish. Possibly a couple of coats of shellac first would have helped.
3. The water based finish is very hard and takes a 1500 grit wet sanding extremely well. I waited a week after the final coat to fully cure the finish.
4. Buffing could easily produce a piano like finish if I required it.

Oh well there's always ways to improve I just have to make all the mistakes first.


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## cocobolo1 (Dec 31, 2015)

Mistakes? You'e kidding right?

Good grief man, that is way beyond stunning! :smile:


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## Semipro (Mar 22, 2013)

fantastic absolutely beautiful great work


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## fire65 (Oct 29, 2008)

Excellent work. Any pics of the build that we might see?


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## Gaffboat (Mar 11, 2012)

That is beautiful!


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## TwoSkies57 (Feb 23, 2009)

Now thats my kinda wood-workin!!! Beautiful....

David, have you looked into a random orbital buffer to work your finish schedules?

Does this have a small raised lip around the boarder?


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## Shop guy (Nov 22, 2012)

Wish my mistakes came out looking like that. Man, that is beyond awesome.


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## woodknots (Mar 7, 2012)

Eastjack said:


> Hi again.
> 
> I just have to make all the mistakes first.


You must have made all your mistakes before you made this lazy susan - it's a work of art.


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

cocobolo1 said:


> Mistakes? You'e kidding right?
> 
> Good grief man, that is way beyond stunning! :smile:


you said it well...


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## hawkeye10 (Jul 28, 2015)

There are some great wood workers on this forum and you are one of the top ones. I only wish I could come close to making something like that.

I notice you have been a member for several years with only 10 post. I and I am sure others would like to hear more from you.


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## PhilBa (Sep 25, 2014)

excellent inlay work! 

I've had the same experience with water based finish. Best to pre-wet it and sand before anything else. But, in general, I don't like WB stuff for precisely the reason you cite. I usually use minwax wipe-on poly and it makes for the best possible clarity and vibrance. But that said, your finish looks pretty darn good in the pictures.


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## Multiwood (Feb 24, 2013)

Another Beautiful susan.


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## Murtu01 (Mar 9, 2014)

WOW really great.


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## LazurusLong (Jan 20, 2015)

cocobolo1 said:


> mistakes? You'e kidding right?
> 
> Good grief man, that is way beyond stunning! :smile:


+1


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## Danman1957 (Mar 14, 2009)

Beautiful is the first word that comes to mind. Spectacular workmanship and I believe patience must be in there somewhere. My father did a similar piece on a serving tray before I was born(Dinosaur days) this reminds me of it. One day, maybe I will attempt something with inlays.


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## Roy Drake (Feb 10, 2014)

Susan never looked better!!


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## chessnut2 (Sep 15, 2011)

Wow!!


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## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

Beautiful design and workmanship, great job.

Herb


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## JFPNCM (Dec 13, 2009)

Truly exceptional. Please post more of your work and if possible details on assembly. 

We promise not to steal too many of your ideas. :wink:


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## bcfunburst (Jan 14, 2012)

*Spectacular*

That is totally :surprise: amazing and beautiful work. Unparalleled craftsmanship! Love it! Hope you will continue to share such works of art with the rest of us. I need the inspiration and I definitely need to try harder.


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## old coasty (Aug 15, 2014)

WOW and more


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## firstmuller (Aug 28, 2014)

LazurusLong said:


> +1


+3
Allen


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## Eastjack (Dec 29, 2008)

*My wife suggested a new project*



TwoSkies57 said:


> Now thats my kinda wood-workin!!! Beautiful....
> 
> David, have you looked into a random orbital buffer to work your finish schedules?
> 
> Does this have a small raised lip around the boarder?


Well you people are very over the top with the compliments. My wife said that my next project will have to be widening all the doorways so that I can get get my swollen head through! 

I don't yet have an orbital buffer in fact I only got a palm sander this month on sale. 

The lazy susan has a 1 x 1 1/2" oak boarder butt joined and keyed. The marquetry is on 1/2" baltic birch and is floating in the frame held by an oak beading on the rear. The keys are from the same antique wood as the diamonds in the decorative banding. That mahogony has a long history having been part of the interior paneling in an 18th century British bank that was demolished in the 70's. My landlord at that time purchased the entire interior of the bank and moved it to Canada where he reinstalled it in his home. It was all carved and very impressive. I managed to grab some small left overs as the deep red mahogony was very beautiful. I am finally finding a use for it for banding and other small parts.

I don't have photos of the build as never thought to keep a full record. Seeing as my fellow woodworkers are interested I'll try to do so on the next project whatever that may be. Remember I'm retired and don't do this for profit. I have no intention of giving myself deadlines to meet and also suffer from the curse of perfectionism and therefore don't make a lot of stuff. 

When I was employed designing packaging machinery I always had to make compromises for the marketing people. We had to keep the build price down and profits up. This often distressed me as I knew the product could have been better, but then no one would have been able to afford it. I would have the same problem now if I tried making stuff to sell.


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

@EastJjack...

what are mitering/seaming methods...

I did a floor inlay and used a Lion miter knife...

.


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## Eastjack (Dec 29, 2008)

Stick486
That's some beautiful floor! Fantastic work. I had to look up a Lion Miter knife to see what it was. Does a fantastic job on moldings in the video I watched. Would it work on .020"veneer? 

I have been using a craft knife and a 50 tpi veneer saw. Tried a circular cutter for the straight sections but hard to make a vertical cut. I do make some templates 1/8" lexan for some sub assemblies as this allows me to reduce errors by trimming a bunch of parts to a fixed size. 

Dave


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

Eastjack said:


> Stick486
> That's some beautiful floor! Fantastic work. I had to look up a Lion Miter knife to see what it was. Does a fantastic job on moldings in the video I watched. *Would it work on .020"veneer? *
> 
> I have been using a craft knife and a 50 tpi veneer saw. Tried a circular cutter for the straight sections but hard to make a vertical cut. I do make some templates 1/8" lexan for some sub assemblies as this allows me to reduce errors by trimming a bunch of parts to a fixed size.
> ...


yes it will...

none of the work was in veneer it was all 13/16'' stock..
the medallion surround is hand hewn black walnut...
the writing desk and china cabinet are mine too....

couple of other angles...

.


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

Eastjack said:


> Stick486
> That's some beautiful floor! Fantastic work. I had to look up a Lion Miter knife to see what it was. Does a fantastic job on moldings in the video I watched. Would it work on .020"veneer?
> 
> I have been using a craft knife and a 50 tpi veneer saw. Tried a circular cutter for the straight sections but hard to make a vertical cut. I do make some templates 1/8" lexan for some sub assemblies as this allows me to reduce errors by trimming a bunch of parts to a fixed size.
> ...


thanks for compliments...

the knife is intended for shaving...
if you want to shave veneer...
load it into the knife and hold it down w/ a plate that has a back bevel on it...
Lion Knives come in three sizes.. regular, large and gorilla...
right now LV has a pretty decent after market knife that works very well...
sharpening the blades is no harder than doing a plane iron....

Miter Trimmer - Lee Valley Tools

for the most part I used a Bosch 5310 miter saw w/ tremendous results......


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## Nickp (Dec 4, 2012)

WOW...both of you guys really change the definition of inlay...and set a new bar...


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## old coasty (Aug 15, 2014)

+ 1


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## schnewj (Nov 18, 2013)

Nickp said:


> WOW...both of you guys really change the definition of inlay...and set a new bar...


I don't think that anyone will dispute that! Both veneer and full size flooring have their own set of challenges. Both of you have excelled in producing a finished product.

We all know how knowledgeable Stick is, but his flooring and especially the furniture only goes to prove that he is just not another pretty face as his avatar suggests.>

What is the furniture made of, by the way? It sure has a rich tone to it. Since we all know how well you "like to finish" I can only guess that you had someone else seal it up...or were these exceptions?

Also, interesting take off on the baseboard. It that your work too?


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## TwoSkies57 (Feb 23, 2009)

@Stick486



schnewj said:


> but his flooring and especially the furniture only goes to prove that he is just not another pretty face as his avatar suggests.>



game, set, match :nerd:


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## MT Born (Oct 29, 2014)

Shop guy said:


> Wish my mistakes came out looking like that. Man, that is beyond awesome.


Ditto!


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

I don't think that anyone will dispute that! Both veneer and full size flooring have their own set of challenges. Both of you have excelled in producing a finished product.
*thanks Bill...*

We all know how knowledgeable Stick is, but his flooring and especially the furniture only goes to prove that he is just not another pretty face as his avatar suggests.
*you suggesting I clean up w/ some 24 grit...*

What is the furniture made of, 
*Acacia koa for the desk/chair..
green inlay is buloke...
china cabinet is oak flooring*

by the way? It sure has a rich tone to it. 
*finishers fault...*

Since we all know how well you "like to finish" I* can only guess that you had someone else seal it up*...or were these exceptions?
*you betcha...
no exceptions...
for any reason...
ever...*

Also, interesting take off on the baseboard. It that your work too?
*reproduction of some base board as seen in a home magazine...*

*did a lot of work off of torn out pages of home magazines..
here... ''this is what I want only different''...
*


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

TwoSkies57 said:


> @Stick486
> 
> game, set, match :nerd:


this is David ''Eastjack's'' thread...
His work is too outstanding not to get the full billing it deserves....

I'm outta here...


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

Eastjack said:


> Stick486
> 
> Tried a circular cutter for the straight sections but hard to make a vertical cut.
> 
> Dave


 @Eastjack...

experiment...

sandwich the veneer between to extremely straight boards leaving your desired finished edge protruding a fuzz.schosh...
use a jack, LA, smoothing plane, spoke-shave or scraper to clean the edge...

you can use your templates and do all of the sides...

*but...*

a plane will cut your template unless you set the template up yo carry the plane body and allow for the protruding plane iron... 
think shooting board...


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## Eastjack (Dec 29, 2008)

I got a big old Dahle #124 24" paper shear at a school sale last year for $5.00. I'll have to give it a good sharpening and try it on the veneer. I'm sure I can make a hold down clamp to stop the veneer moving. First I want to see how it performs.

Dave

Over and out.


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

Eastjack said:


> I got a big old Dahle #124 24" paper shear at a school sale last year for $5.00. I'll have to give it a good sharpening and try it on the veneer. I'm sure I can make a hold down clamp to stop the veneer moving. First I want to see how it performs.
> 
> Dave
> 
> Over and out.


this one???
Amazon.com : Dahle 124 24" Professional Guillotine Paper Trimmer : Office Products

yes it will work...
w/o a hold down the cutting action ''rolls'' the veneer as it cuts so that cut/finished edge has a slight radius to it...
the sharper you get the blade the more gooder the cuts... 
for sharpening.. this works pretty well...

.









.
a simple top clamping caul a tad to the left of the blade/edge will work well...
spring hinge one end and quick clamp the other end...
if you add non-slip material to the bottom of the caul it'll be like yur downtown...
SoftTouch Self-Stick Non-Slip Surface Grip Pads - (2 pieces), 4" x 5" Sheet - Black - Furniture Pads - Amazon.com


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## Eastjack (Dec 29, 2008)

It's similar to the one on Amazon but is an older version. Very solid built like a tank. 
Well I got it sharpened. Was a lot of work as somebody had beveled the inside edge of the cutting blade so had to grind off about 1/8" . Now it cuts really well. The lower blade is about 1 1/2" wide and screws down into a recess in the base. It is about .020" lower than the deck so I taped on some 220 grit wet and dry using double sided golf grip tape. That made it almost level and really grips the veneer well. Now in the process of making a lexan hold down bar. There are holes for one already in the bottom blade.
I have also made an out feed stop to enable repeat cuts of the same size. Once I have everything set and the fence at 90 deg. I'll scribe lines in the base plate. Should end up as a good rig.


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## schnewj (Nov 18, 2013)

@Eastjack

How did the cutter work out for you? Photo?


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## DesertRatTom (Jul 3, 2012)

I use a Lion-style miter trimmer for both 45 and 90 degree, exact cuts. Not really the tool for cutting really thin stock though. This table top is wonderful.


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## Raewyn (Jun 16, 2012)

Wow, that is gorgeous!


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