Thread: 1st Box - How to finish?

Congratulations on your first box. I still get that sense of excitement you describe when I do something new, and that's after loads of boxes, so I know you have lots to look forward to.

I use a Danish Oil Finish due to the ease of application, and because it is pretty hard to mess up. It also provides a satin finish rather than gloss, so I see the wood rather than reflections on the surface. The specific brand I use, Deft Danish Oil is hard to find even in the US, but I'm sure there are comparable products in Australia. About the only thing you can do wrong with an oil finish is to walk away and forget to rub it out with a dry cloth. It really needs to be rubbed out to get the best effect. You can apply it with a brush or rag, then walk away for 30 minutes or so and then rub it dry. I normally give two or three coats. Be sure to take your rags and spread them on the ground outdoors to dry fully before they go in the trash.

An oil finish of some sort is probably best. I use a sealing coat of shellac first, let it dry then sand lightly. My preference is Kunos oil, but if you're just starting out, Feast Watson Danish oil is probably better. Some people like to thin it with 2 x turps to 1 x oil. I flood the first coat on, wipe off any excess after about 10 minutes, then rub out after about 30 as Doug says. Later coats don't need to be too heavy. I just drop the rags into a bucket of water.

Thanks guys for your advice.

Ok cos I'm in experianced I don't really get the term "Rub Out" does that mean you keep rubbing the project with a cloth until it looks dry and no more oil is rising to the surface???

Other thing, excuse my ignorance but wouldn't a coat of shellac seal the timber and stop the oil going in?

Or have I got this all wrong and the oils are just a surface coat like paint or laquer etc?

Would bunning be the place to get good oils or is there a better place in Melb pref Eastern suburbs.

Originally Posted by DSEL74

Thanks guys for your advice.

Ok cos I'm in experianced I don't really get the term "Rub Out" does that mean you keep rubbing the project with a cloth until it looks dry and no more oil is rising to the surface???

Other thing, excuse my ignorance but wouldn't a coat of shellac seal the timber and stop the oil going in?

Or have I got this all wrong and the oils are just a surface coat like paint or laquer etc?

Would bunning be the place to get good oils or is there a better place in Melb pref Eastern suburbs.

Shellac will keep the oil from penetrating, and I usually want the oil to penetrate to darken the wood. Some woods like American cherry can get blotchy with an oil finish and a very thin, "spit coat" of shellac can even things out, but does limit penetration. And yes, you have the right idea of rubbing out. But it isn't to get all the oil back off to make the surface completely dry. As you wipe, you distribute the solids from the oil and it polishes, and keeps spots from forming. You will learn more by doing than by listening to me talking about it.

Originally Posted by DSEL74

Thanks guys for your advice.
Other thing, excuse my ignorance but wouldn't a coat of shellac seal the timber and stop the oil going in?

Hi Desle74,

Shellac is one of those weird things that dries hard and protects but fortunately of unfortunately absorbs moisture, Hydroscopic is the big word I think. The other one you may consider as Hutt Sticks or as Neil points out UBeaut has a product that does just as good a job But I've never used it so can't comment.

Or keep going with the shellac and depending on what sort of finish you desire Matt, Satin or Gloss. Cut back with 0000 steel wood and buff with a good wax.

Keep up the good work the more Boxers we have the better.


Cheers


Steve

Originally Posted by DSEL74

Other thing, excuse my ignorance but wouldn't a coat of shellac seal the timber and stop the oil going in?

I use a coat of thinned shellac, and sand afterwards. Oil still seems to penetrate.
See Doug's advice re rubbing out.

Originally Posted by DougStowe

Be sure to take your rags and spread them on the ground outdoors to dry fully before they go in the trash.

This is very sound advice but i think Doug forgot to mention why - oils on rags can self combust & catch fire if not throughly dried out. Not sure on this oil that Doug mentioned but better to be safe than very sorry.

I really like a shellaced & waxed finish to my boxes but then i like a low - medium gloss to my boxes.

An oil finish is a very elegant finish. It allows you to still feel the timber, yet pops the grain nicely and can do wonders to figured maple. It is also fairly foolproof. One trick I sometimes use is to sand the oil into the wood with some 600 grit wet/dry paper. It forms a fine slurry and can fill open grain a little if you need it. Then, as has already been pointed out, simply buff the box dry again with a clean cloth. Leaves a silky smooth finish.

Thanks Guys your a wealth of info!

Got Some Feast Watson Danish oil yesterday and will unfotunately have to leave it till next week now to to try applying it.

Will keep you posted.

You can also use Tung oil which does a nice finish too applied same way as Danish oil. Once its dry you can apply a coat of wax to give it a bit more of a sheen. Brings out the grain of the timber and looks great.

I know that 'easy' sounds too much like cheating. Finishes like linseed oil."once an hour for the first day, once a day for the first week, once a week for the first month, once a month for the first year and once a year for the rest of your life." - and all.
Or six to ten coats of nitrocelluose, rubbed out between coats - and all.
But here's a real simple and durable finish.
A swarm of bees deciced to move into the eaves of our house one Spring. With the help of a beekeeper, I became a beekeeper. Anyway, I had all this bee's wax after a while.
Sand the box with finer and finer paper 'til you get to about six hundred grit. The finish comes out even better if you buff the box with a powered buffing wheel.
This is 'rubbing out' a finish -French polish, in this case.
The blocks are highly compressed felt. Under no circumstance should you ever try to cut one in half with a chop saw! - as I once tried.
See pic for the meaning of "rubbing out
For the finish, put your beeswax in a crockpot with a dedicated brush. Simply 'paint' the wax on the box. The wax will 'freeze' instantly. Take a heat gun, or your gal's blowdrier, and melt it deep into the pores while brushing the excess off with 0000 steel wool. Voila' - you're done!
Because the wax seems to get everywhere, I do the inside of the box as well. One could drop the box into an aquarium and it wouldn't hurt the box!

One very nice thing about the beeswax finish is it smells so nice.