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  1. #1
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    Jun 2003
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    Brisbane, Qld
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    Default Finish to keep jarrah burl light?

    Hi folks,

    Working on a fairly big jarrah burl bowl with some bright epoxy filling the voids.

    I've noticed that when the surface is wet, it's so dark it's almost black. Any suggestions for a finish that will keep it looking as light as possible?

    At the moment I'm thinking of just straight wax - any other ideas? Maybe a lightweight oil like organ oil danish?

    Cheers,

    Danny

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  3. #2
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    Jan 2009
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    Perth
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    Hello Danny
    I believe I have a lot of experience here when it comes to finishing Jarrah burl
    Firstly, DO NOT use wax, it fills all the little voids which means you need to pick it out.

    My personal choice is;
    Finish sanding, then blast with HP air to remove all dust
    Seal with a Cellulose sealer / Sanding sealer
    Apply Danish oil

    Sincerely
    Willy
    Jarrahland

  4. #3
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
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    Port Sorell, Tasmania
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    G'day Willy
    I also have a couple of burl bowls that will need finishing when they have dried. Understand why you would not use wax but what is you reason for applying sealer prior to Danish Oil.
    Tony
    You can't use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have. ~Oscar Wilde

  5. #4
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    Apr 2005
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    You do realise Jarrah is a dark timber It also gets darker with age no matter what you use.

    The latest finish would be probably the Nitro Lacquer that is a clear finish. All oil finishes will all darken it to some extent.
    Neil
    ____________________________________________
    Every day presents an opportunity to learn something new

  6. #5
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    Sep 2008
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    North Carolina, USA
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    Quote Originally Posted by tony_A View Post
    G'day Willy
    I also have a couple of burl bowls that will need finishing when they have dried. Understand why you would not use wax but what is you reason for applying sealer prior to Danish Oil.
    Tony
    I think the sanding sealer stops the oil from soaking in and darkening the timber. Especially on the end grain. I turn a fair amount of black walnut. If it is not sealed the end grain will be almost black with the side grain a nice rich brown.
    So much timber, so little time.

    Paul

  7. #6
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    Jun 2003
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    Default

    Thanks folks (especially Willy, having seen your jarrah burl work your input is much appreciated!).

    Anyone with other suggestions, keep them coming! I know it'll come out dark, I'm just hoping to keep it as light as I can - I'm filling the gaps with epoxy resin with a mix of copper and gold perlex, so I worry the timber is just going to look black next to the bright resin.

    Cheers,

    Danny

  8. #7
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Perth
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    Quote Originally Posted by tony_A View Post
    G'day Willy
    I also have a couple of burl bowls that will need finishing when they have dried. Understand why you would not use wax but what is you reason for applying sealer prior to Danish Oil.
    Tony
    The sanding sealer, or Cellulose sealer forms a base for the Danish oil. If no sealer is used, the Danish oil soaks in and makes the timber very dark and dull, I mean, really dark.
    Jarrah can be a dark timber, (almost deep purple (No, not the band!!!)) or can almost be light pink. I haven't found it to get darker with age though, unless in full sunlight.
    Hope this helps
    Sincerely
    Willy

    Jarrahland

  9. #8
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    Nov 2012
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    Brisbane
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    I have never finished Jarrah and it isn't the easiest to come by here in Brisbane, so I probably won't get much opportunity. However, when finishing other timbers that you want to keep as light as possible the UBeaut white shellac is usually a good choice. Their Hard Shellac is based on white shellac too (I think - have to read the bottle again) as is their sanding sealer (a very dilute form). If you have filled in all the voids in the burl you could use their Shellawax friction polish SHELLAWAX friction polish. I have used the darker version, Shellawax Glow and find the friction finish comes up superbly and shows off the figure really well.

  10. #9
    Join Date
    Mar 2019
    Location
    Perth, Australia
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    3

    Default Jarrah burl re-finishing

    I have a large jarrah burl that was previously beautiful but has faded over the years and now needs work to bring it back to life. It appears to have previously been finished with wax (~10 yrs ago) but I’m not 100% sure as only just got it. Can I sand it back with a few few very fine layers and then treat it from now on with Danish Oil, which I use on other jarrah and eucalyptus burl I have been making? Or do I need to continue to use wax on it - hope I can avoid this!
    Attached Images Attached Images
    Last edited by JarrahGeoff; 25th March 2019 at 05:33 PM. Reason: Added photos

  11. #10
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    Aug 2017
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    I'd be surprised if you can get it light at all. Not a big fan of it, just too dark for me. Does have nice grain in there, I just dont have the skill to bring it out!

  12. #11
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    Jan 2009
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    Perth
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    Quote Originally Posted by JarrahGeoff View Post
    I have a large jarrah burl that was previously beautiful but has faded over the years and now needs work to bring it back to life. It appears to have previously been finished with wax (~10 yrs ago) but I’m not 100% sure as only just got it. Can I sand it back with a few few very fine layers and then treat it from now on with Danish Oil, which I use on other jarrah and eucalyptus burl I have been making? Or do I need to continue to use wax on it - hope I can avoid this!
    Hello Geoff
    I would consider sanding it back starting with 80 git and work through the grits to 400, then the cellulose sealer and subsequent Danish Oil. Of course, with photos
    Willy

  13. #12
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    Mar 2019
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    Perth, Australia
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    Quote Originally Posted by Willy Nelson View Post
    Hello Geoff
    I would consider sanding it back starting with 80 git and work through the grits to 400, then the cellulose sealer and subsequent Danish Oil. Of course, with photos
    Willy
    Thanks Willy, I’ll give that a go and post a photo of the end result.

  14. #13
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    Canberra
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    Quote Originally Posted by JarrahGeoff View Post
    Thanks Willy, I’ll give that a go and post a photo of the end result.
    I'd go max to 400 grit, have a look at it at 240 even and see what you think. Either way send pics!!!

  15. #14
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    Mar 2019
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    Perth, Australia
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    Default Re-finishing a jarrah burl

    I sanded all the way back and through the grit levels up to 600. It’s come up well though the dark nature of the jarrah timber makes it hard to get a good photo. Didn’t use a sealer first so will try that next time.
    Attached Images Attached Images

  16. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by Willy Nelson View Post
    . . . . I haven't found it to get darker with age though, unless in full sunlight.
    Hummm . . . not my experience - I've only ever seen it get lighter and lighter in sunlight.

    My inlaws bought a large 8 seater jarrah dining setting which started out as mid brown. 20 years in their Applecross home out of the sun lost no colours but almost 40 years in their Rockingham sun room turned it into a pale beige colour. We have a set of bookshelves that copped about 1/2 an hour of late afternoon sun through a window when the sun shines - these too have lost colour. Likewise an upstairs bedroom with jarrah floors - not much direct sun but lots of windows that let in light over 20 years and these have faded considerably. The jarrah floors downstairs that were installed at the same time have also lightened up but nowhere near as much.

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