The New James Bond | Stain Wood In 4 Easy Steps | Mid-century Historic Teak Landmark | Wild Old Newspaper Ad
Sean Connery was my favorite James Bond followed by Daniel Craig
However, Daniel Craig’s time as 007 is up.
As you’ll discover in the next James Bond film, No Time To Die.
He’s been replaced.
And there’s quite an uproar over who’s taking Craig’s place?
Apparently, gender equality has overtaken Mi6 (England’s CIA).
Because the new James Bond is Lashana Lynch
Hey, I’m willing to be open minded.
I didn’t think anyone could replace Sean Connery, but Craig has done an admirable job.
So, I’ll reserve judgement on Lynch for now.
And if she fails to impress, she will join the likes of Roger Moore and Pierce Brosnan. Both of whom were too smooth, too urbane for my taste.
They lacked the grittiness, the rawness, the animalistic appeal that Connery and Craig possessed.
But I gotta applaud Pierce for his taste in homes.
The virtual 5-star resort he calls home is a license to kill, so to speak.
It’s a beach front compound (can’t call it anything else) that sits on over one acre of beach in storied Malibu Beach, California.
The compound consists of two houses, a saltwater pool (which is kinda odd, because it’s on the beach).
Combined, the two houses have 5 bedrooms and 14 bathrooms (maybe he has a weak bladder).
The main house sports a theater with tiered seating, a recording studio, a library, two saunas, among other amenities, like white crystal countertops in the kitchen.
The estate rents out for only $120,000 a month (c’mon, who in their right mind would ever...?)
And it’s built almost entirely of teak and glass.
Photos courtesy the Los Angeles Times and Mike Helfrich
But I guess Pierce is bored with it all now.
He’s selling it.
Wanna buy it?
All he’s asking is $100 million.
Vodka martinis and the Bond girls not included.
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Ever tried staining a piece of wood furniture, a table, a kitchen cabinet or chair?
Betcha’ it didn’t turn out the way you had hoped.
Well, if you refuse to surrender to blah results—and want a second shot at it…
Below is what I found on the Bailey Line Road website.
Master craftsman Steve Maxwell, the owner of Bailey Line Road, explains…
The proper way to stain wood in 4 easy steps
(Note: Products displayed below are my Amazon affiliate links.)
Follow these instructions and everyone will think you paid a fortune for a professional to do the staining for you.
Step#1: Start By Sanding
If the wood is rough or scarred, has gouges and scratches, start with abrasive 80-grit sandpaper, or 100-grit if the wood isn’t in too bad a shape.
Note: always sand in the direction of the grain.
To finish the sanding work up to 120-grit sandpaper followed by 180-grit.
Afterwards, the wood can be sanded by hand if you’ve got the time and the inclination.
Otherwise, on flat wood surfaces, save yourself the effort and use an electric sander.
A 5” random orbit sander is the power tool of choice for general sanding of wood.
If there’s no end to the woodworking tasks you want to take on…
3 electric sanders no aspiring carpenter should be without
Here are the 3 types of electric sanders in Steve’s workshop
A 4" variable speed belt sander on the far right will handle any big job with speed and ease.
A half-sheet sander (in the middle) is best for intermediate sanding.
And a 1/4-sheet finishing sander (left) is for the “almost” final sanding, followed by hand sanding.
Step#2: Stain for Color
Whatever color stain you choose, the traditional way to apply it is by wiping it on with a piece of cloth.
But, hey, you can also use a brush.
After you apply the stain—wipe off the excess, whatever is not fully absorbed by the wood.
Step#3: Seal for Protection
A urethane sealer is the simplest option for protecting interior wood whether it’s been stained or not.
You have two urethane options.
1. Oil-based urethanes are easier to use because they dry slowly.
2. Water-based urethane sealers clean-up easily with just water.
Step#4: Sand Between Coats
Regardless of how smoothly you sanded your wood before staining and sealing, it’ll feel rough after the first coat of sealer dries.
That’s normal and easily fixed.
After the sealant dries, use 220 or 240-grit “open coat” sandpaper to remove the roughness. Just be careful.
As fine as 240-grit sandpaper is, it can easily wear through the delicate first coat of finish.
Failing to sand between coats, however many coats you apply, is the biggest single reason why wood finishes turn out badly.
2-3, or more, coats are best for interior wood subject to water, dirt or wear.
Complete the job with one final coat that’s un-sanded and you’ll have a finish you can be proud of.
And there you have it!
Professionally stained and sealed wood—that you did yourself!
To watch Steve’s staining and sealing video with detailed instructions click here.
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A mid-century home becomes a historic landmark
In 2005, the city of Pasadena, California, designated the Kelsey House a historic landmark.
Remember the movie The Graduate? Remember the last scene where Dustin Hoffman crashes the wedding and steals the bride?
Well, the church where that scene was filmed, the United Methodist Church in La Verne, California…
And the famed Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena, California…
Plus, numerous other mid-century architectural gems were all designed by the firm of Thornton Ladd and John Kelsey.
The 3,412-square-foot Kelsey House, built in 1962, was designed for John Kelsey and his family.
John Kelsey died in 2012 at age 86.
Thornton Ladd died in 2010 also at the age of 86.
The Kelsey House has four bedrooms, a circular dining room, and oversized teak entry gates.
In fact, teak is everywhere in the house.
Photo by Tim Street-Porter
Photo by Cameron Carothers
Photo by Lance Gerber
Photo by Cameron Carothers
If you’re interested in buying the Kelsey House, it’ll only put you back $4 million.
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Newspaper ad from way back when
Do your remember these fold-out home offices?
You could buy one in teak or walnut for only $395, or in Rosewood, for $445
And shipping to anywhere in the USA was only $25.
Those were the good ol’ days.
Hey, if you found this month’s Teakster post mind-boggling, fascinating, and time well spent… share it with someone you think may enjoy it as well.
And don't forget to leave a comment below, I love hearing from you.
Until the next time… stay teak strong!
Faithfully yours,
Barry
P.S. In these extremely trying times, please do the right thing. The smart thing. Covid-19 ain't no hoax. Take precautions to keep yourself and everyone you care about safe and healthy.