[branesergen]

Ha! Funny I like the inspection board with the stain inside and wood color outside lol Looking good tho!

[fast93bird]

Since I can't sleep, time for some updates! Finished the inspection/staging board, and finished up a double case.

Inspection board (merged pics, side by side of both sides):


Double that went into the mail today. I got lucky, my measurements I was using were VERY accommodating towards PSA cards as well.


This is how I ship, I leave the plastic on (where's it's not auto peeling at least) so it's extra protected.


Just pulled a three row 21 card case out of the frame clamp on Thursday. It's being finished in gloss black, and I know I said I was going to quit using polyshades, but they were the only ones with a true black. And it goes on SOOOOOOOOO smooth. Pics of that one to come, I'm fixing to sand and prep for stain.

I also have a request that I should start working on tomorrow, a case for one touch holders instead of graded slabs. Trick with that is that I've found the one touch holders have an angled lower surface, so I'm going to have to make an angled cut on the surfaces where the cards sit to combat the natural tendency to tip forward. More to come on that also.

[fast93bird]

Ok, so I just finished the three row case this morning, and got it shipped. I am VERY happy with how this one came out.

First off, the black polyshades stain. I LOVE the first couple of light coats. They give it a greyish black weathered look but it can be perfectly smooth. Really neat looking I think (see two pics below).





But, this is what you're probably more interested in. The finished product:









I wasn't too sure how black on black would look, but it's actually very nice to me.

Haven't started the One Touch case yet. Reason being I ordered a Logan F200-2 Precision Miter Sander to take my miter corners to the next level. More on that to come.

[fast93bird]

I've also been working on some color chips. I know some of you talked about liking lighter colors, and I'm always picking up samples and new colors to try right now (I have 5 others in progress that aren't finished yet).


From the left:
Minwax Polyshades Black (not going to continue using this, will use Ebony instead, chip currently being finished)
Minwax Red Mahogany
Varathane Black Cherry
Varathane Cabernet


From the left:
Varathane Traditional Cherry
Varathane Colonial Maple
Varathane Light Cherry
Varathane Golden Pecan


From the left:
Varathane Natural
Varathane Spring Oak
Varathane Dark Walnut
Varathane Chestnut

I will say that I am in love with the Varathane Natural on the Aspen wood. It gives this AWESOME almost metallic reflectiveness in the right light, something I LOVE in a good wood finish.

The website (gcdcases.fastbirdperf.com) has been fully updated now too.

[Texan1985]

Setting up at the Houston Tri-Star show with your display. We'll see if it gets any love!

[fast93bird]

Setting up at the Houston Tri-Star show with your display. We'll see if it gets any love!

Haha, very cool! Let me know if anyone comments on it or anything. Thanks so much!

[fast93bird]

Few more stain chips I've done.



From the left:
Varathane Early American
Varathane Golden Mahogany
Varathane Provincial
Varathane Ipswich Pine



This one is more of a comparison.

The Center is bare Aspen with several coats of clear poly applied to it. You get a very neat sheen out of the wood.

The left is the same black minwax polyshades as before, same chip. The right however, is Minwax Ebony which is a single stage stain (like most of the chips). It leaves light spots only visible with the right angle light, but is pitch black otherwise. Looks AWESOME and goes on thin and very smooth. It's my go to black now. You can also see how much better it penetrates into the wood as opposed to the combined stain/poly of the polyshades.

[fast93bird]

Quality is taking a big leap upwards. I FINALLY received my Logan F200-2 Miter Sander. Took 8 days after order to make a 2.5 hour trip from Chicago to Fort Wayne, ebay sellers fault. They marked as shipped same day I ordered (Sunday the 19th) even though they didn't have one in stock (yet they showed 5 available on ebay), and a drop ship from Logan was created on the 24th. Methinks they're going to get dinged on feedback for that one. Anyway.....

This thing takes a rough cut 45* miter saw corner, and creates PERFECT 45* miters. I was SHOCKED how wavy my miter saw was cutting corners. This is next level shi........stuff now.

So I've got two frames in progress I'll be posting pics of shortly. One is a 10 card one touch case, two rows, and the other is a 10 card BGS slab case, also two rows. The first is being done in Ebony, but the latter is being done in Red Mahogany and is coming out VERY nicely from what little I've needed to stain so far.

Pics to come tomorrow!

[branesergen]

I think this is my favorite so far Varathane Cabernet

[fast93bird]

I think this is my favorite so far Varathane Cabernet

Same here. That red just speaks to me.