Neil Duncanson

Charles Neil takes you through grain matching, ripping, gluing, surfacing and creating large panels for case sides, table tops and more. A lot of information about panel making packed into a 92 minute visit with Charles Neil at his workshop.

Chip Carver, Jeff Fleisher stopped in to visit Charles at his workshop and the two decided it would be a good time to introduce you to chip carving if you've never had the opportunity to see what it's about.

“How you prepare the surface to accept your chosen finish can make or break your project” - Charles Neil

“If you can’t finish, you can’t build. Knowing how you are going to finish your project before you start is one of the best finishing tips I can give you” - Charles Neil

Should you dye your piece or stain it? Choosing a color to stain or dye your project is the easy part of the process. It is just as important to know what type of product will be best to use. Oil? Solvent? Dye? Water? …..and what’s the difference between them? How do you tell the difference? Once that is decided, what is the best application technique? Charles takes you through this process and, in his simplistic style, answers these questions.

Charles Neil loves to finish, and this is apparent as he shares the techniques he has used over the many years of his furniture making career. Layering. glazing, and “popping the grain” are just a few techniques in this video, which is packed with ideas and examples.

Ready to start spraying finishes? Wondering what equipment is right for you? Charles Neil shows you what to look for in spray guns and other spray equipment, such as turbines.

“An exception to every rule”. So says professional woodworker Charles Neil. In this video Charles goes over some special finishing techniques, such as grain filling, pour on finishes, and other tips for those special situations where an ordinary finsih won’t do.

In this video, professional woodworker Charles Neil reviews the different types of final finish to use on your project. Different top coats give different results. For example, does the finish need to be tough? Does it need to be gloss or satin? How do you determine which is right for your project? The video also shows different techniques in spraying the top coat for final protection.

Wipe or brush? In this video, professional woodworker Charles Neil goes in depth with wiping finishes, such as oils and gels. He also gives the ins and outs of using shellac, how to mix and how to apply. Included as well are brushed on finishes and what to look for when choosing a hand applied finish