Update: I just finished my 500th piece, a walnut sideboard with a French polish, and the number kind of snuck up on me.

It wasn't until I logged it in my ledger yesterday that I realized I'd passed that mark, and it made me think about how much muscle memory and intuition I've built up since I started in my garage ten years ago.

3 comments

3 Comments

grace5653mo ago

That French polish on walnut is a serious achievement. The real milestone is that ledger not feeling like a chore anymore. You've turned the craft into a reflex.

holly_young353mo ago

I used to think French polish was just for show until I tried it on a walnut table last year. The first ten coats felt pointless, just wiping on shellac over and over. But when that final layer dried and the grain just glowed, it clicked for me. Now the process is almost calming, like you said, not a chore at all. It went from being a fussy extra step to my favorite part of finishing.

the_joseph7d ago

I actually read a piece online a while back where a guy said French polish is more about patience than skill, and after messing up my first few tries on some cherry, I totally get that now. Your walnut sideboard sounds like a solid payoff for that repetition.