Finish choice?

**jgilfor** · 5th March 2013, 03:52 AM

I've tried every finish out there I think. I'm obsessed with friction finishes though. Il sorta like Shellawax, but find it too easy to end up with swirl marks on larger projects, and don't think it hold up as well as id like. Also find it cost prohibitive for using daily.

I've done quite a bit of experimentation and came up with a personal solution. I love shellac, but want it to be alcohol resistant. I like tung oil, because it doesn't change the wood color like BLO does. I also like carnauba or microcrystalline wax as a protective top coat. What I came up with is this:

1 part tung oil (pure)
2 parts DNA
2 parts hard shellac (either purchased from a luthier supply house or buy the additive and make your own). There are only two places in the world that sell this. Alternatively, you can chemically alter your own shellac if you are an organic chemist. This stuff cross links over a week or two and becomes impervious to handling and alcohol.
Small amount of carnauba wax (one or two tea spoons, depending upon total volume; one teaspoon spoon for a pint, two for a quart or more). I use Mothers or Mcgruires car wax. Obviously, it is not pure carnauba, but it is softened and has no silicon. Mixes easier.

this has been working phenomenally for me. Shake well. Apply at highest safe speed using high quality paper towel. Fold towel, dampen end with small amount of mixture and apply to the piece, using moderate pressure to generate heat (should get quite hot). As mixture lays down a shiny coating, ease up a bit on the pressure and move paper towel back and forth over the area. Apply two or three more coats using the same portion of the paper towel, and only a few drops each coat, and with medium pressure. The drag, caused by the built up finish on the paper towel will provide moremthan enough friction to flow the finish. You should do large pieces a section at a time, making sure to overlap sections.

after done, put a light coat of microcrystalline or finishing wax on to protect the piece while cross linking occurs. Handling is fine during this period, but do not use the piece in a utility fashion until the cross link period has elapsed. Generally, one or two weeks is sufficient. After cross linking occurs, you can use the piece as designed. It will be water and chemical resistant. Oh, it also will be food safe. No hazardous chemicals remain in the finish.

**Mobyturns** · 5th March 2013, 07:17 AM

Originally Posted by brendan stemp

1 Ease of use
2 Time it takes to get desired finish
3 Ultimate hardness/durablity
4 Choice of gloss level

Others: Cleaning up, safety/health factors, Repairability

Originally Posted by

+ to Brendans list: Drying time.

I would add Purpose to the list.

No point having a great finish on a utility piece that is easily marked, or vice versa, a poor finish which is hard to maintain on a heirloom show piece.

**rsser** · 8th April 2013, 07:12 PM

Is anyone here regularly wet-sanding (burnishing) with an 'oil' finish in order to fill the grain/pores ?

Does anyone here think that plakky dip-in or pour-on finishes are an essential part of the turner's finishing kit?

**efgee88** · 8th April 2013, 08:42 PM

What is important for me:
1. Bring out the grain and colour of the timber without excessive gloss interference
2. Tactile - "Silky" feel when handling.

I seal timber, wet/dry sand 1200grit , then layers of danish oil (24hrs drying minimum between coats, dry sanding 1200grit between coats), then finish with carnauba wax & buff. Works well for me on most pieces but is time consuming. Wax seems to add depth - don't know why....

Cheers,

FrankG

**brendan stemp** · 8th April 2013, 08:46 PM

Originally Posted by rsser

Is anyone here regularly wet-sanding (burnishing) with an 'oil' finish in order to fill the grain/pores ?

Does anyone here think that plakky dip-in or pour-on finishes are an essential part of the turner's finishing kit?

I regularly wet sand with a 2 pack poly and lubricate it with linseed oil, specifically in the bore of the recorders. I have in the past wet sanded with danish oil and it is an excellent way to fill the pores and build the finish.

**Skew ChiDAMN!!** · 8th April 2013, 08:54 PM

Originally Posted by rsser

Is anyone here regularly wet-sanding (burnishing) with an 'oil' finish in order to fill the grain/pores ?

That would be me.

And I would think anyone who considers DO to be a 'primary' choice of finish.

Does anyone here think that plakky dip-in or pour-on finishes are an essential part of the turner's finishing kit?

Essential? No. No more than I consider other easy finishes as essential. eg. Shellawax.

Don't get me wrong; I love Shellawax and consider it the "King of the easy finishes." It's very, very convenient, however I don't think it essential.

With such a wide choice of finishes out there, I guess that to my mind the only "essential" part of a turner's finishing kit is a range of good sandpaper! (Am I being overly pedantic?

)

**Mobyturns** · 8th April 2013, 09:43 PM

Originally Posted by rsser

Is anyone here regularly wet-sanding (burnishing) with an 'oil' finish in order to fill the grain/pores ?

Does anyone here think that plakky dip-in or pour-on finishes are an essential part of the turner's finishing kit?

I very much like the wet sanding finishes with DO type products, particularly with Organoil Hard Burnishing Oil.

**hughie** · 9th April 2013, 01:04 AM

Lately I 'm turning some real hard timber so filling pores etc hasn't really come up. But wet sanding is not something I do often. So, much of the need to do so is down to the timber being turned and I tend to shy away from species that require it.

**rsser** · 12th August 2013, 05:19 PM

Thanks all for sharing your experiences.

The next issue of Australian Wood Review will include a review I did of finishes. 18 in all.

I had to limit the variables to make comparative testing work and not confine me to the shed for weeks.

'fraid AWR owns the intellectual property so I can't share the somewhat surprising results here.

Your experience may not match mine in which case can I invite you to replicate my test procedure before you go public.

So this is a shameless promo not of my work but of the high production values of AWR and the commitment of Linda Nathan and her colleagues at AWR to this independent review.

Also thanks to the makers and distributors of finishes, dedicated or adaptable, that contributed samples for the review. They were generous in their donations and in answering questions. I didn't find a bad product among the collection and would be happy to have them remaining on my shelf, but will never use them all up and apart from a few that I'll keep the rest will be donated to my turning club.

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