Oiling the Surface
I always find applying the first coat of finish on any project to be the most satisfying. It is at that moment when you begin to see the true beauty of the wood. This project like all others, was no exception to that rule. My finish of choice is Watco Danish Oil. I use the natural variety, rather than using one of the tinted blends. I first flood the entire surface by using a smaller squirt bottle and a lint free finishing cloth. Really covering every surface well, until it can't take any more oil is the best approach. Then I wipe the surface down with a dry cloth after about an hour. Small beads of oil may begin to appear on the surface, but that is ok, just keep wiping. All woods are different as to the amount of oil they will soak in. This wood was particularly dry, so I repeated this step 3 times over the course of they day.
Wet Sanding
Next, using some waterproof black Gator Grit #320 sandpaper, I'll apply another coat of oil to each surface and "wet-sand" the surface. This sanding technique with the oil produces a nice slurry of wood dust and oil. This fills in small voids, and even some larger ones around the dovetails. Allow to then sit for 45 minutes, and come back to each surface with another dry cloth, wiping down the excess oil and slurry. Again, the surface will begin to "sweat" small beads of oil, but that is a sign that the wood is getting a good coverage of finish. Continue the process every 12-24 hours, with progressive grits of sandpaper, up to either 400 or 600 grit. Going higher in grits is a little boring after a while, but if you are looking for a really nice polished looking surface, especially for a table top you can go a few coats higher. When you've had enough, wipe down and let sit for 24 hours.
Butchers Wax Finish
Finally, I use Boston Butchers Wax (in the orange can) and a #0000 grade steel wool to wipe a thin coat of wax over all of the surfaces. Always wipe with the direction of the woodgrain, otherwise, the surface will appear scratched. Let the wax dry for about 10-15 minutes, and then go over the surface with a buffing cloth, or electric buffing pad. I don't have one of those, so I rely on old-fashioned elbow grease.
Hardware and Installation
I selected some of Rockler's Shelf Pin hardware and insert sleeves to support the weight of the shelves, with a black finish. All of the shelves went in nicely and sit perfectly square on the shelf pins. I finally attached the back of the bookcase with some round head brass screws. With a little help from my wife, we brought the bookcase upstairs and filled the shelves with a variety of my daughters books, toys and personal possessions. Over the next few weeks, I'll be preparing for the Woodworking in America Conference in St. Charles, IL, including doing a few test projects like a cutting board to showcase the set-time strength of the PVA white wood glue.
