My buddy Chuck called me the other day and asked me to help out with a project. His wife, Kate, had lost her mother earlier in the year. When her mom’s estate was divided up, Kate got her mom’s Singer ...

Dear James: I recently bought an older house. It has beautiful cherry woodwork that needs to be refinished. I have heard about a French-polish finish. Is this a good finish to use and how do I do it? ...

I discuss high-tech wood coatings. But from time to time, I will discuss something that is tried and true and, perhaps, not so high tech. Shellac is definitely a low-tech product. It is the secretion ...

Shellac could be making a comeback. It was shoved aside more than 50 years ago in favor of more durable and synthetic wood finishes. But as more consumers are demanding natural products, they’re ...