what finish for huon curtain rod finial

[bassmansimon]

Hi everyone
I'm making huon pine curtain rod finials for my baby's nursery. Firstly because I had it lying around, secondly because it nicely matches the 25mm tassie oak dowel in colour and thirdly to give the room a nice subtle smell.

I'm wondering what finish to put on it (if any), that will retain the colour match to the tassie oak and also retain the smell of the huon?

Pic shows the finial before sanding.

In my arsenal I have shellac flakes (never used them though), various boring laquers, orange oil, shellawax, scandanavian oil.

Thanks, Simon

[pommyphil]

I'd go the "Shellawax", but you will lose the smell.

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

Sorry, but almost every finish will kill/seal in the smell.

The only reason I say "almost every" instead of "every" is 'cos I haven't tried them all... so I don't know for sure. But to date I haven't encountered any finish that wouldn't. :(

Blond Shellac would probably be the best for retaining the current colour match.

[bassmansimon]

Thanks. Would it be ok to not put any finish on it? Interior product, not going to be handled all the time etc?

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

Huon's a nice, oily timber.

As long as you sand it finely to minimise dust collection and only dust it with a dry cloth/feather duster/etc it should be fine.

(I've found that wet cloths tend to embed any grime into open pores/grain. Huon's less susceptible to this, being so tightly grained, but still... ;) )

[bassmansimon]

Huon's a nice, oily timber.

As long as you sand it finely to minimise dust collection and only dust it with a dry cloth/feather duster/etc it should be fine.

(I've found that wet cloths tend to embed any grime into open pores/grain. Huon's less susceptible to this, being so tightly grained, but still... ;) )

Thanks. I have sanded it to 400 and it's still on the lathe out the back. I will sand to 600 or 800 and then leave it :U

[smiife]

Hi simon,
Nice job there, well done
How about a light wipe with wop
Cheers smiife:2tsup:

[chuck1]

I think I would put a finish on any way, as its fairly small bits of timber and maybe save the shavings and turn a pot purri bowl and keep the shavings in that. I save all my camphor shavings for the craft ladies to use in the door draught stoppers
nice turning there too!