Water popping

[rst]

My first job after graduation from high school in 1971 was in a custom kitchen cabinet factory, Wood Mode.  I started in the staining dept.  All hardwoods were sprayed with water using airless guns.  This raised the grain, allowing stain to penetrate deeper.  Pine was never wet as it would cause blotching.  Stained pieces were sprayed with sealer and sanded with 240 grit. First coat of lacquer was sanded with 320.  Finishing coat was wet sanded with 600, then 0000 steel wool before waxed with Johnsons floor wax polished with sheepskin pads.  I still use this process with water borne finish excepting conditioning pads rather than steel wool.

 

[Sheik Maboutie]

[big grin]
l could not agree more  [big grin]

The only thing any of these people have 'influenced' me to do is to turn off the computer.

 

[squall_line]

After reading the comments here I thought it might best to mention that there are two similar phrases being used out there on the inter tubes. - "water popping" and "popping the grain".

Water popping is usually used when talking about using water to "raise the grain" in order to get any wood fibers that were knocked flat during sanding to stand up so that they can get sanded off on the next pass.

Petere

A third context is seen on the sawyer channels (and some maker channels) where they "water pop" by dumping a bucket of water over a freshly-milled (or freshly-purchased) slab to show off the grain for the camera.

Presumably, they still take the slab to a kiln to dry it, or allow it to dry before working it, but kilns aren't nearly as sexy to film as Wood-mizers.

 

[FestitaMakool]

[thumbs up] Thanks Peter!  [wink]

Reason for asking is that we do like a bit of raised grain on teak used on boats.
We have an oil that if coated multiple layers with an interval where it isn’t dried completely, you can build it up layer by layer and end up with a satin like lacquer look.
Best thing is that it does wear slow, and rarely peel. For this reason a very smooth wood makes it grip less to the surface. The downside.. well the saltwater kills it very quickly, but treated with a couple of coats each season it may stay very pretty and undamaged for many years. Lacquer on the other hand.. this oil stays somewhat flexible and is superior to protect and seal the teak.

 

[luvmytoolz]

I think teak's in a special class of it's own as it's such an oily timber. I always worry abut gluing up teak, and machine and sand as close as possible to applying glue to get a good bond. Even then I don't completely trust it! ;-)