Busy hands | Disquiet mind

Continuing down this road of very random stuff I'm trying something new; woodwork. But before we get to anything with tools let's learn how to finish wooden things.

It's not often I get to try something completely new. I know that with the right information, tools, and persistence, anyone can do anything. But being at the beginning of the journey is a good reminder as to how it feels. Not good. Things aren't quite working out the way I want. Yet.

I bought some pre-made unfinished wooden things, including a small display box, with a sliding glass lid. The wood is Empress Tree, also known as Paulownia, which is sometimes considered an invasive species here, but is in the process of becoming naturalised.

I got a water-based wood stain sample pack to see how the colours would show up. I applied Midnight Blue with a foam brush and left it to dry beside a window for at least three days. I only used one coat, but later found a description that said to use at least two. Seriously though, that colour is very deep and intense, I don't think I needed two here.

Now the box is stained, but not actually finished. For that I got a spray Polyurethane finish for interior wood and painted surfaces. In order to not make a bigger mess than I had to I improvised a spray booth. I bought a child's play tent, clamped it to a table in the garden, and put a paper covered Lazy Susan turntable inside.

( Photos )

But even getting this far there was a lot to learn;

• Even water-based stains/paints/finishes have plenty of other nasty chemicals in them and are usually marked as containing Volatile Organic Components, and as being toxic to aquatic life. Never pour down a drain.
  
  So how do you dispose of all of those chemicals?
  
  
  
  1. Only buy what you'll use.
  
  
  2. Give away extra product, or bring to a recycling centre.
  
  
  3. The chemicals are only dangerous in liquid form. If you can dry it all out (from soaking it up with kitchen paper, cloths, even sand or kitty litter), it becomes just regular waste. But be careful of both the fumes, and the flammability of everything involved if you're doing that.
  
  



• Masks. Masks are good, we all know that by now. But they're good for hobbyist aerosol vapours and dust particles too. I hadn't heard much of the rating system in Europe before, but it goes a little like this.
  
  
  
  1. Particle protection is the P rating. P1 is the lowest, P2 is more protection, P3 is more again. P2 is about equivalent to N95, P3 to N99.
  
  
  2. Aerosol protection is the A rating. Similarly A1 is the lowest, A2 is better again, etc. There are different standards for VOCs that boil below and above a certain temperature.
  
  
  The standards a mask is rated to will be written on the packaging, which you can use to look up exactly what protection it offers. I bought a reusable mask with an A2P3 rating. Probably overkill, but there is resin my future. Oops, spoilers.