XL

[SteveA]

Thanks for the encouragement all !  I was going to give the finishing schedule but wasn't sure if photobucket would work and I also see I lost the preview button -
Anyway the photo did post - here is the finish.  - the wood was sanded to 180 with garnet orange paper. Washed down with acetone.   The new legs and finial were bleached with a two part bleach mixed together than neutralized with vinegar and water.   I sprayed the whole chair with shellac to seal the natural oil of the rosewood and also see how the overall color of the wood was.  The wood is rich - I didn't use any stain just the shellac.  The legs and finial that were bleached (stock indian rosewood too dark) was toned using a tea spoon of aniline van dyke in a cup of shellac and two drops of cordovan mahogany trans tint.  This matched the color of the wood well.  A second coat of shellac and waited 5 days to dry.  Scuff sand with 400 stearate  paper and two full coats un-thinned with Mohawk's finishers choice gloss nitrocellulose lacquer.  A little retarder added so it won't be necessary to rub the finish.  My Mrs. said the maroon mohair is OK - way glad about that. 
Only fabric left - I decided against adding the casters - just won't look right.  Hoping to finish the upholstery within the next 30 days time allowing.
SA

[sofadoc]

Actually, the preview button is still there. It's the little unmarked one between post and spell check

[65Buick]

I love shellac. You can buy different hues and then mix it for your purpose with alcohol. Shellac is great stuff.

[SteveA]

Things were going good for so long but cant say that today.  Two problems I'm mad about -  First my choice to use shellac as a sealer was fine but I sprayed too much in places thinking I needed to really seal the oil of the rosewood.  A few horizontal places pooled and being too thick I got some crack lines.  Shellac doesn't dry as fast as lacquer and I over coated shellac coats without enough dry time.   It's been about two - three weeks since the finishing was completed - I have three areas with cracks hopefully there won't be more.  The other issue was the leftover piece of red mohair I'm using.  When I unrolled the fabric there was a line I couldn't get out so I had to measure up 10 inches before cutting out the seat plate.  I only have about two yards to work with.  After putting the seat on I still have enough fabric but not enough to run it in the same direction as the shading on the seat.   

[65Buick]

Steve,

That is strange. Are you using bullseye?
I don't know if this helps but if you mix your own shellac, you can then spray it through a preval sprayer. A lot of the time I find a scrap of foam and dip it in the shellac and apply it that way. My exp. Is that it always dries nearly instantly. If you're interested I have some blonde shellac already ground up ready to be mixed with alcohol. I could send you a little to try.

[Darren Henry]

Sorry to hear about the little "set backs". You have worked so long and so diligently on this master's piece that you deserve a better break. Hang in there Steve---You'll get  'er dun! Are you still ahead of the DIL's schedule??? [cheesy/wink]

[SteveA]

Buick I may take you up on that offer.  My previous experience with mixing my own shellac was an inability to get everything to dissolve. I buy the Zinsser Bulls Eye in HD which replaces their stock  more quickly than the local hardware store.  I know the dates are good without even checking. 

Darren - thank you Sir for the encouragement !  My Son gave her a ring two weeks ago - I'm way ahead of schedule - he's 32 - she's 26 - I hope she likes red mohair

SA

[65Buick]

Steve, no problem. I was really satisfied once I discovered how to mix shellac. The main thing is: Allow it to dissolve overnight. Don't try to add heat. What I send you has been powdered in a coffee grinder, which helps a bunch.
You'll need to look up what ratios to use based on what you're trying to accomplish.
A sanding sealer coat of shellac is a lot different than a finish.
I buy my rubbing alcohol at cvs, it's like $2 for the 93% stuff. The 70% stuff works too.
Another advantage to mixing your own is it's fresh. Shellac will go bad, and when you mix your own you're always sure of what you've got.
Send my a direct message and I'll send you some. I think the blonde will work fine. If you're curious, go on ebay. There are a bunch of different shades, and the ruby colored one may work nicely for this project too. It's very cheap.

There's a lot to learn about shellac, but it's so forgiving. The saying goes "shellac sticks to anything, and anything sticks to shellac."
A lot of this you may know but just for other people who are maybe considering using it.

This chair, I stained the legs with a chestnut brown and then finished with a couple 'regular' coats of shellac. Looks good, eh?
http://gdurl.com/dbi1

[kodydog]

Mr Buick that does look good

Steve I showed your chair to Rose. She approves the Mohair. She says paisley would have overpowered the carvings on the chair. But shes a sucker for small dogs. Nice job.

[gene]

Steve, in looking at the first picture: I usually get any bugs off the furniture before I start working on it. :-)

Just joking to ease the loss of my yellow lab of 12 years who died two days ago. They do grab your heart, no matter what size they come in. This was our 3rd and final lab. Our next dog will be ceramic. (I know. I've been told that I'm saying that now but just wait awhile.)

I've enjoyed your pictures and comments on this project. I said before I hope it has been a labor of love.

I can feel your pain on getting so close to the end of a project and running into problems. Been there, done that. As I'm sure we all have.

Looking forward to the final pictures.

gene

[SteveA]

Thanks Gene -
It's heart wrenching when the time we have with these little guys ends.  Very Sorry to hear you have lost a best friend. 
That applehead chihuahua we adopted a year ago - she's now 13.  Fits in perfect with another little one we have who is also 13.  Only wish I had her from the beginning because she's a lover 10 fold.  So far both are still real healthy - thanks be !   
At least the Mohair is not as bad as velvet when it comes to the shading issues.   The cracks I'll dye to conceal for now but maybe in a few months after all the curing I'll wash down the finish in those areas - reseal and recoat with a lot less finish.  Buick will send me some of his shellac brew to try - I'm sure the shellac build was one of the problems.  On the positive side a 125 year old chair with a few distressing cracks isn't going to get me down too much -
I hope you run into another 4 legged friend that needs a home and you can't resist -
SA

[Mojo]

Gene:

I am very sorry for your loss. Losing a beloved pet is heartbreaking.

I have lost my share and each one left an imprint on my heart. I am a huge animal lover and the one thing I always tell people is that our pets become our family. It is hard for non pet lovers to understand.

I have always felt that the more I know about people, the more I love my dogs.

Mojo

[65Buick]

'The average dog is better than free average person.'

-unknown

[SteveA]

The arms are done - I won't outline the arms with gimp.  I made a cardboard template for the inside backrest to draw center lines for laying out the buttons.  I was going to try to tuft the buttons - never did it before - but when I was doing a test with a scrap piece of mohair I found that when you fold the mohair over you see deep into the fabric substrate and it doesn't look nice.  Deep buttons will be fine - learning tufting will have to wait.  The final height of the seat came a little high.  I'm 5-10 and when I sat back my feet were off the floor but i guess this chair is really meant for someone 6-5 or more.  Big chair for a big person.  Nearing the end and it will be nice to have the other half of my shop back from this giant chair and the space it takes up.  The next one definitely goes in the reclaimed lumber pile

[kodydog]

Nice job Steve and I know you are joking about the lumber pile. A chair like that needs to be saved. Just wondering why not make the back tight with no buttons? Will you be selling this chair?