Wood 1019 Spot Repair II: Past Grad Dave Smith, Guest lecturing at DCTC

If you follow the blog, you've already met Dave Smith in an older blog post from January, but if you are new to the blog, let me introduce Dave again. Dave Smith graduated from NIWF in 1994, and since then has been working in the field. He is part owner of Fresh Air Finishers, a finishing company that specializes in the restoration of historic interior woodwork and wood finishes. They also maintain and repair modern wood furnishings. Fresh Air Finishers uses environmentally and human friendly products with no residual odors. Specializing in green finishing has been a passion and a great avenue for them, as more and more consumers are looking for an eco-friendly alternative to solvents and chemicals . Dave and the whole crew are professionally preserving & restoring wood throughout the United States from their St. Paul, MN headquarters.

Dave came in today to show us some of his techniques for some advanced spot repair. Here we see him replacing a broken piece from a chair with an epoxy fill.






After filling the void, he shaped it to the original shape of the chair.









Next he painted in the background color.







Finally, with some skilled in-painting, it begins to take on it's original look. With a bit more attention and some coating on this chair, this repair would become almost invisible.





Throughout the year, we continue to learn techniques like these, and it's always a pleasure to have past grads come in to show their skills! Thanks Dave!

A Testimonial‏ From a Past Graduate

I’d like to write about my experience at NIWF. I graduated in 2000. This nine month course was demanding. Mitch (the instructor) set high standards and challenged us. The course is designed to enable you to succeed, not just get a job.
After graduation I worked for a refinishing shop that readily employed NIWF graduates because the owner knew the graduates were qualified, professional, and required little training. This employment was valuable in that it taught me the real world of furniture finishing as a business. That is, dealing with customers, how to make a profit, and what it takes to run a finishing business.

I moved to Virginia 4 years later and started my own business. Make no mistake; this was not easy. I now have the largest finishing shop in my town. I have 4 wonderful employees who love the work as I do. We are still struggling but business gets better each year.

Because of NIWF, I have the most rewarding career. I and my employees enjoy coming to work every day.

Dick Patch

Astonish Furniture Restoration
2000 Graduate
Roanoke VA

Wood 1015 Spot Repair I: HOM Furniture visits DCTC to demonstrate spot repair technique

Three past Grads from NIWF who now work for HOM Furniture came in today to share some of their repair techniques with us and talk a bit about life in the field. They demonstrated burn-in techniques to fill and repair scratches, a flocking technique to repair micro-fibre and leather and vinyl repair as well. It was an interesting visit, the students got to see many different techniques for simulating wood grain & matching color, and they were introduced to some new tools as well.



It is always gratifying to see past students become the professionals and to watch them teach the new group of future pros!

Wood 1015 Spot Repair I: French Padding Color

French Padding color onto a wooden object is part of Spot Repair. In these pictures you can see very worn wood, all the finish and much of the color has been worn away from years of use.






We can apply pigment to the wood, then use a French Padding technique to lock in the color.
















The end result, we have replaced color and replaced coating so our color is protected.

Wood 1015 Spot Repair I: Fixing vertical surfaces

Not all of our repairs are convenient to get to all the time. Sometimes you have repairs on walls, floor boards, door frames and other hard to reach areas. We try to simulate that here in the classroom. You can see the students doing whatever it takes to perform professional repairs in the hard to reach spots.
The techniques we use for vertical repairs are the same as any other, but the mechanics of it change as our range of motion can become limited, and gravity takes hold of our materials.

Wood 1015 Spot Repair I: Repairing a scratch

We are back at it in 2009 doing some spot reapirs. In Spot Repair I we learn to clean, fill, and hide scratches in wood. In the following pictures you can see damage to this piece of furniture. It has been filled with a plastic. Once the voids are filled and level and smooth, we begin painting in color and mimicing the grain pattern in the wood. finnally we protect our repair by giving in a coat of finish to seal the color into the repair.

Techniques like these are used everyday by professionals.

Wood 1012 Color Theory - Using New Mediums

Color Theory is the root of much of what we do. We can not repair a wooden object and hide that repair unless we can match the color of the wood and the coating on the wood. In color theory, we will make color wheels, and learn how colors relate to one another. We look at hue, value and chroma; and we learn how different mediums work differently.
In the first picture, you can see we are color matching, that is to say, the students are given a sample of wood and asked to find a mixture of colorants that will match. Currently we are using glazes to find that match, but in the near future, we will use powdered pigments, dyes as well as using different glazing and toning techniques to achieve a match.

In this second picture, we are discovering our powdered pigments. With these powders, we can mix them with a binder and carrier and make a paint. In this picture we are charting out what these colors look like on a white background so we can start to understand how they will behave when we start using them on wood.

2009-2010 School Year Begins

Another year has begun with a fresh group of students. Once again we will be chronicling the year in order to show a prospective student what the NIWF experience is. The Wood Finishing Technology Program is a 36-credit course; all 36 credits are in wood finishing with no other gen-ed requirements. You can follow our curriculum throughout the year by class title. The 9 month program (August 2009-May 2010) is broken up into nine classes:


Wood 1012 Color Theory
Wood 1015 Spot Repair I
Wood 1019 Spot Repair II
Wood 1004 Wood Working
Wood 1007 Methods of Fastening
Wood 1010 Wood and Finishing Technology
Wood 1026 Advanced Finishing
Wood 1032 Furniture Conservation
Wood 1021 Wood Refinishing

Each course is approximately 17 working days and is set up in a way that one could take just one or two courses, please refer to the DCTC catalog for more information on classes that might have a pre-requisite at www.DCTC.edu

Most of the blog posts will be titled with the corresponding class, so if you want to know what goes on in any of these classes, stay tuned and see first hand what and how we learn! And be sure to go back in the blog are read about last year.

On a side note, NIWF offers a Furniture Service Technician certificate program for completing the first three courses (Color Theory, Spot Repair I & Spot Repair II). Furniture Service Technicians repair minor damage (referred to as spot repair) to wood, vinyl, leather and fabric. Spot repair usually involves (but is certainly not limited to) repairs such as minor water damage, scratches, nicks, dents, cigarette burns, or even a fairly large damaged area such as the corner of a table. These repairs are made by filling the void with a solid material and applying color to it, matching the surrounding area. Leather and vinyl repair is done much the same way. Upholstery can be repaired without having to re-upholster the entire piece.Furniture refurbishing means cleaning (instead of stripping) furniture and furniture maintenance (polishing and waxing).Furniture Service Technicians may work at the customer's home site, in furniture stores, or in a workshop. Possible job opportunities include self-employment, furniture stores or outlets, or an existing furniture service business. While total furniture restoration requires a workshop setting, the Furniture Service Technician can work from a small toolbox.

Wood 1026 Advanced Finishing: Don Williams in for summer seminar on Restoration, Chemistry and Technology of Transparent Furniture Coatings

Don Williams, Senior Museum Conservator , was in for a summer seminar on Restoration, Chemistry & technology of transparent furniture coatings. This intensive 5-day course introduced the history, technology, chemistry, properties, deterioration, and treatment of transparent coating materials and colorants, along with color theory, finishing techniques, and treatment and manipulation of existing coatings. The course was organized along three major themes.
*The History of Coatings - What Was It Originally?
*Technology of Materials and Processes - What Is It, and How Do we Know?
*What Will We do About It - Treatment Decisions and Processes

Some of the specifics that were covered were:

*Introduction to Coatings Chemistry and Technology: Formulation and Film Formation
*Historic and Contemporary Wood finishing Materials and Techniques
*Solvent Theory and Solubility Practice
*Evaluation of Appearance
*Characterization of Historic Coatings
*Survey of Coating Resins Used in Conservation
*Natural and Synthetic Dyes for Furniture Finishes
*Strategic Techniques for Coatings Restoration and Preservation

A subsequent coatings course (July 2010, proposed) will emphasize painted finishes, e.g. poly-chrome sculpture, decorated furniture finishes, and consolidating and inpainting painted surfaces. A third course in the series is tentatively scheduled for July 2011, and will emphasize advanced applications in the workshop setting.

Master Finisher, Greg Johnson teaches workshop at DCTC & NIWF

Greg Johnson came in for a five day workshop that focused on excellent looking nitrocellulose lacquer, two part coatings and special effect coatings. Each student got to keep their projects and the formulas to take with them. They covered how and why each step of the process is used to make stunning colors and coatings. Starting with raw wood samples, we proceeded with step by step processes, kept a written record of each step. Finishing techniques used include waterbase dyes, stain on dye, bleaching, clear and opaque coatings. Special effects such as crackle lacquer, satin rub outs and high gloss polishing were also covered.

Greg Johnson has been in the furniture making trade for almost 40 years and has earned the reputation as one of the most innovative wood finishers in America. He began working at his father’s cabinet making and restoration shop in Maryland in the early 1970’s. After completing a two year furniture program in ’81 at the Worcester Center for Crafts, he worked with his brother Tom in Boston. It was during this time Greg found his niche in wood finishing. In 1989, he became the principal finisher for designer Wendell Castle in Scottsville, NY. In 1999 Greg took a management position running the finishing department at a new production company called The Wendell Castle Collection. In April of 2005, Greg went into his own business full time, Johnson Furniture Restoration where he offers of full range of services including restoration, conservation, and custom finishing. You can find out more about Greg, and see his work at his WEBSITE

Past Grad, Sean Harrigan Talks About His Experience at NIWF

Sean Harrigan graduated in 2008 from The National Institute of Wood Finishing, he is currently living and working in Livingston, Montana where he is the owner & operator of Deluxe Lustre Fine Wood Finish & restoration.

"In March of 2008, while researching a wood finish, I came upon the National Institute of Wood Finishing's website. Astounded, I thought "what is this?!?" Being a painting contractor and looking to expand my skill level into other ventures, this program immediately sounded like something designed just for me. As I read through the syllabus and testimonials I knew I must venture from Montana to Minnesota and see for myself what this was really about. When I toured the classroom and work area and saw what the current students were doing & I knew this is where I wanted to be. Fortuitously, I was able to secure the last open spot for 2008-2009. All this, just 3 weeks after learning of the program. Without delay my wife and I began to make plans to move to Minneapolis for 10 months.
Mitch eases everyone into this intense program. He shapes your skills from the ground up, building a sturdy foundation in color theory. Even the most talented students are challenged, and Mitch will not leave you with an uninteresting moment. As you strive further, Mitch pushes your potential as far as you dare to take it, leading you on the path to success. As the student advances through the program, you see how one class develops into the next, finally reaching the crucial goal; an unyielding understanding of color, coatings, wood, conservation, solvents, spot repair, adhesives, methods of application, tools used and modus operandi. Through Wood Finishing Technology, you as the student can find out how many things there really are to know about wood finishing. This is a sound program that Mitch has designed and honed for over 30 years.
Upon re-entering the workforce, I am slowly building my own Wood Finishing business. Now contracting on-site wood finishing work, I feel I have an edge over the local competition. I’ve executed successful spot repairs and attractive interior finishes. I am able to offer many finishing solutions and options on projects old and new from furniture to architectural millwork. My knowledge from N.I.W.F. is used on a daily basis. Everyday I think of new ideas and I am impressed how far this education has already taken me.
Mitch Kohanek is inspiring, passionate and dedicated to teaching you the art and craft of wood finishing. He has instilled in me a level of confidence and a thirst to seek out and learn more about finishing. This program is one of a kind. It has enhanced my quality of life immeasurably. Thanks Mitch. I’ll see you at one of your summer offerings."

Past Grad & Advisory Board member, Tammy Wold visits

Past Grad, Tammy Wold, came to visit and talk about spraying technique. Tammy graduated in 1980, and was hired on as a touch-up and repair tech at a furniture company in St. Paul, MN where she worked for 2 years. In 1982 she worked as a subcontractor doing refinishing of furniture and residential kitchens. In 1983 she went to work for a refinishing company in St. Paul until 1986 when she opened a small business in Maple Grove, MN. Their main work was prefinishing for other businesses in the industry, cabinetmakers, furniture makers, and store fixture manufactures. In 1998 Tammy went to work as a supervisor of the finishing department for Nevers Industries, a company that manufactures conference room furniture to order. We are also honored to have Tammy as a member of the Dakota County Technical College Advisory Committee, which she joined in 1999.