Monthly Archives: August 2013

A New Use For an Old Card File

One hundred years ago, every business and school had an assortment of oak office accessories, from tall file cabinets and stacking bookcases to letter trays and card files, like this one I picked up full of stuff at a yard sale. Something told me all it needed was a careful cleaning to help preserve it, and I knew I could find a new use for it. Interested? Just keep on reading….
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Using Water Based Wood Conditioner

Despite the old adage, “Water and wood don’t mix,” today we can use water-based stains and finishes on our wood projects. Since water does cause raw wood fibers to swell slightly, we’ll use a few different application techniques, but the results are well worth it. If you’re interested, keep on reading!


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Tips For Aerosol Spraying

Years ago, when I owned a woodworking and refinishing shop, we used professional spray equipment. Now that I’m working in my garage, it’s back to basics: brushes and rags. But sometimes I also enjoy the convenience of aerosol cans. Along the way I picked up several tips for using aerosol finishes, so if you’d like to add them to what you already know, just take a look here.


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Refinishing an Oak Threshold

Several weeks ago I wrote about restoring my oak landing. It looked so nice when it was finished, it made me realize how badly weathered the oak threshold beneath my front door had become – so today I tackled that job. I should have done it sooner, as the combination of sun and rain had permanently changed the color. But it wasn’t too late to save it, and if you’d like to see how it turned out, please read on.
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