Also, when sanding, I seldom go past 400 grit prior to finishing. Sanding with too fine an abrasive tends to fill the pores which does not help finish adhesion. As soon as it feels smooth and sanding marks are gone, it is finish time.
These pics are probably not everyone's cup of tea, but I did finally get these frames finished. They were professionally mounted with museum glass / acid free paper etc. Artist is J.D. Challenger
For the Wood Chucks ---->
Woods = Quilted Cherry, Darkened Black Walnut and Leopard Wood all with a Tru Oil finish.
Absolutely wood grain.... I am making 3 picture frames for prints I have right now. (quilted cherry, curly maple, and leopard wood).... Here's a couple pics of some quilted and curly cherry (rough cut). Some of the frames are almost 4 ft long so it should be fun...