Thanks again BH for the info.
I put two coats of walnut stain on the box, you can still somewhat see the grain through it, but it’s dark.
I put two coats of walnut stain on the box, you can still somewhat see the grain through it, but it’s dark.
I'm going to hazard a guess that most mountain men and homesteaders weren't skilled craftsmen, and the stuff they made for themselves looked "rustic" to begin with.
Would stains such a walnut not have been more commonly used?
Stains don’t tend too chip as paints do, however I don’t think
milk painted surfaces are as prone too chipping as modern paints are..
I would have thought maybe they would have applied wax after staining... idk
During the Georgian era, particular wood species were chose for specific purposes. Chair legs were chosen for strength (frequently oak, chestnut or even hickory), seats for how easily they could be carved (pine, poplar and similar softwoods), and if there were bent and steamed backs, woods needing the ability to be steamed and bent, etc.
Except for finer furniture with entire exteriors made from mahogany, or entirely from oak, the items were meant to be painted. Although most people think milk-paints were used for most painting projects, that is a misconception. During the colonial era, flax was grown everywhere in order to make linen cloth. A by product of linen production are the flax seed, sometimes called "flax seed" which could be pressed to produce flax oil/flax seed oil (they are for all intents and purposes, the same). That oil is better known as "linseed oil." Linseed oil is one of the components used to make traditional oil based paints.
Linseed oil rubbed onto a milk painted surface will penetrate the painted layer and begins to produce a hard shell, and resists wear and abrasion better than an untreated surface. BOTH milkpaints and linseed home made enamel paints were used during the 18th century, and they can appear to be similar but are not the same.
Regardless, each would built to the best of their ability - things would not have been left rough and neither should we leave things rough when emulating period craftsmen. Whenever I look at a period piece, whether simple or complex, the craftmanship is obvious (oftentime putting modern craftsmanship to shame) - lumber was planed, joints were tight, miters were cut properly and many other details stand out indicating pride in the finished product.We are both correct. I tend to think in terms of the frontiersman who is carving a home for his family out of the forest. He uses whatever woods are available and fashions his belongings with a minimum of tools. Craftsmen in the towns and cities would be more skilled and have access to a larger selection of both woods and tools. Roy Underhill has written a great deal on this subject.
On the off chance that there's anyone here who hasn't seen his show (it's on PBS, after all), https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLI3AdlB5pDXXtPe_fZAYgn7xj4EaJZcBb...Roy Underhill...
With Roy, what he shows are primarily mid/late 19th-century tools, techniques & technology and occasionally reaches back even further. What he does demonstrate is that very simple/complex and functional items were made with pride and didn't look like they were hacked out of a tree with a butterknife. It doesn't take complex tools to achieve a fine finish - it does however take EFFORT, something that many today are unwilling to put forth. The "crude = period" movement is a modern idea based upon the a lack of knowledge & understanding of history. Frankly, I'd rather have a house full of furnishings made in the 1700 and 1800's instead of the manure available today - not for the value, but for the craftsmanship and durability.On the off chance that there's anyone here who hasn't seen his show (it's on PBS, after all), https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLI3AdlB5pDXXtPe_fZAYgn7xj4EaJZcBb
Does the spinning wheel get used?Here is a box I made from pine from the big box store. I used a scrub plane to give the wood the look I wanted and forged the hardware. Finished it with milk paint and linseed oil. Not fancy but it serves to hide my cooler. I'll do it a bit differently on the next one but am happy with the way it turned out.
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