A few years ago, I was commissioned to build a rack to hold 15 rifles.
Now I don't know much about rifles, but a friend of mine took a look at this photo and was able to identify several of these weapons. They're all pretty special and definitely valuable!
Fast forward - a couple years later, I was asked to build a matching case - this time to hold ten rifles.
Luckily, I still had the template for routing the slots for the barrels,
so the second gun rack matched the first one perfectly.
It's amazing to me how the piece comes to life once it's oiled!
Which reminds me - someone dropped me a line the other day, asking me about my Watco application. With the exception of some Mohawk spray stains, Watco is just about the only finish I use on my work.
It's pretty simple - I usually sand a project with 180 grit paper while I'm building it. Then I apply Watco Danish Oil, flooding the surface for good penetration..
I wet sand the wood with 220 paper for about ten minutes, slightly breaking the edges of the wood. The wet sanding eliminates any imperfections, like saw marks or glue drips that I might have missed along the way.
Wipe completely dry, and repeat the next day, the second time sanding with 320 grit paper.
Wipe COMPLETELY dry - and repeat a third time a day later, with 400 paper.
You can't apply all of these coats in one day - the oil needs time to dry a bit between coats.
Also - it's really important to wipe the piece well, since any oil residue will crust up, making the wood feel rough and unsanded.
That's it - three coats over three days. Make sure you dispose of your oily rags carefully, as they're very flammable.
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