Finishing maple

Hey all. I am new to this forum and am wanting your opinions.

I am a year 12 student and am making (made) a bed for my hsc major work. The bed is made from maple and i am at the stage where i need to decide what type of finish to use. Keep in mind i am only learning but at the same time, i'm not a complete joke when playing around with wood. Could you please explain what precautions i need to take ( eg preparation steps ) and any other relivant facts.

All relivant suggestions are greatly appreciated.

Thankyou
Mike,

Hi Mike.

My fave finish is Shellac, just brushed on.

Al :)

Mike,
my favourite finish is precatylised nitrocellulose lacquer, just sprayed on. ;) This is the general finsh of choice in industry as it's cheap, easy and quick to apply. However it does need some experience to spray and equipment which you may not have access to. No doubt other people will suggest brushed or wiped on polyurethane, oils, waxes etc. There's a whole swag of different finishes available, all with their pros and cons.

Mick

I'm with ozwinner. Shellac's cheap, simple and pleasant to use, looks good and is easily maintained. It's main disadvantage is it is not hardwearing, so it's not ideal for table tops and the like.

Sand the bed with 120, 180 and 240 grit sandpapers and apply three or four thin coats of shellac sanding lightly with worn 400grit paper in-between coats. Finish with a light coat of beeswax available in small tins from hardware stores. In a dry climate the entire above process can be completed in one day.

JB,

There is the Ubeaut Hard Shellac which has an additive that causes cross-linking to occur after drying. Works the same way as regular shellac but only comes pre-mixed.