Looking for finishing suggestions

[cornbread]

I've been working on a live edge ell shaped walnut desk with metal legs for a while now. I learned some hard lessons on epoxy filling some large holes. At first, thought I ruined the project, but I think it's going to turn out okay. I'd like to, solicit your advice on a finish, or rather "clear coat". I'm going for no stain over the beautiful natural walnut, and I like the satin no to low gloss look. I've used a basic minwax satin rub on poly before, but I think this project requires something with a higher quality. I like wipe on, instead of brush or spray. Thanks in advance.

 

[Guy in Paradise]

I would recommend a couple coats of shellac sealer, then the poly, although for a desk I like rub varnish. As the coats build give them lots of time to dry hard before the next coat. Folks tend to get impatient on the drying time.

 

[cornbread]

Some unpainted legs and the 4ft half of the ell. I will butt the ell with 2 3/8" plates and match the contour.

 

[Bill Clemmons]

On a slab like that I would use an oil/varnish mix and rub in 3-5 coats. For the oil, use Boiled Linseed Oil (BLO). For the 'varnish' you could use a satin varnish or a satin polyurethane. Mix BLO/varnish/mineral spirits in equal parts, apply a wet coat w/ either a brush or rag, let sit until it starts to get tacky, then wipe off. Wait until it dries completely, then repeat the process.

 

[cornbread]

Thanks guys. Bill, I'm going to experiment with the BLO/varnish/ms and tung/varnish/ms... hopefully this week. Here is it pre-finished. Note the bullets in the slab. Also shows where I filled with west systems epoxy and learned a hard lesson about going too fast. I have since put more epoxy on to fill in the remaining voids. The void in the picture went all the way through.

 

[cyclopentadiene]

Look at the recent post by Tarheelz. He has an excellent description for the use of Waterlox. I use a similar approach to what he describes. However I use the satin as opposed to the gloss finish. This finish is very hard, difficult to mess up and can be sanded and repaired easily. If you want a rock hard finish on top, an oil based acrylic spray works well.

 

[redknife]

Another vote for Waterlox in this application. Looks wonderful on Walnut, durable, repairable, easy application.

 

[Chilihead]

Your desk looks great! Nice work.
I've found that an initial coat of boiled linseed oil does remarkable things for the color of walnut. Here is a metal base and semi-live edge walnut top sewing table I made for my wife. It has a initial coat of BLO and then 3 or 4 coats of satin Waterlox wiped on top. It really brings out the colors in the wood. I like doing the oil and wiping varnish separately as opposed to making a Danish Oil blend (oil/varnish/thinner) and applying all at once. The danish oil certainly does a good job, so you'll be fine if you go that route too. If you're patient though, doing the oil first lets it soak into the wood. Then the wiping varnish goes on top. Some say that the extra oil in Danish Oil mixes makes the topcoat a bit softer. Since a table top gets lots of use/abuse, I wanted the varnish to be as effective as possible so I did it in stages. It takes a bit longer, but worth it in MHO.
Oh I also highly recommend Waterlox too

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[golfdad]

I like the 3-2-1 finish as Bill describes but when applied you wet sand the first coat in. Makes a glass smooth surface.