Favourite Finishes for small boxes

**Pauls321** · 12th March 2012, 10:57 AM

Hi all, I've been doing a lot of searching around, basically looking for a better (if possilbe) finish to my small boxes that I am building. I was pretty happy with my finish until I put it onto some tasmanian blackwood which seemed to suck in a lot of my danish oil and didn't give it that really lustrous oil type look I was achieving on other timbers.

I am just wondering what are your favourite finishes for your small boxes. I'll outline what I currently use and see if others have ideas on how it can be improved.

* I rub in danish oil, give it several minutes then wipe off again, leaving a day to dry

* I then cut in danish oil again, this time using a 400 grit wet and dry paper, once again wiping off after several minutes.

* The next day give it a light sand with the same used piece of 400 grit w&d just to make it that tad smoother and then wipe wax into it. The wax I use I buy from Coffs Paint Barn, its their own made blend of wax, very soft, very easy to apply.

* I then buff this wax with a lambswool pad on my drill press, do this maybe a couple of times at least over the next day or so.

Any thoughts,......suggestions,..!! (by the way, I can't use tung oil, my wife has allergies and can't stand the smell of it)

Regards, Paul

**Billyboydes** · 13th March 2012, 11:18 AM

Hi Paul,
I use a similar process to you, but have also had success with;
1. U Beaut - White Shellac followed by EEE Ultra Shine and Traditional Wax.
2. Feast Watson Scandanavian Oil (more gloss than Danish Oil)
3. Organoil Hard Burnishing Oil. (use as you do Danish but gets more sheen.)

The problem with boxes is the internal finish. I normally finish all internals before glue up.
regards

**seriph1** · 13th March 2012, 01:20 PM

I am definitely a heretic when it comes to finishes.

On the last box I made, I sanded it down to 1200 then applied a Cabot's fruitwood stain, rubbing it back after only around 30 seconds (this adds depth but doesn't disguise the material in my experience) then ..... wait for it .......

I sprayed some cheap clear lacquer on it - waited 2 hours (or however long lunch was) and rubbed it back with 1200 grit and reapplied ... repeated 4 times

This is a very easy way to get a mirror finish result, if that's what your looking for.

I was not, so after it was all well dried, I knocked it down to what could be described as shiny satin, using 0000 steel wool - then I applied black wax to the whole thing. Timber is Blackwood by the way.

Turned out OK but it was done as a one-off - If I go into production of boxes I will be looking for a far more efficient method.

Here is a picture of the item:

BEFORE 0000 Steel wool attack

There is a thread of the entire story about this somewhere - will look for the link so anyone interested can have a look.

**Dan** · 13th March 2012, 01:23 PM

Penetrol Wood Oil usually. Keep coating to get the level of gloss you want. Usually 2 coats is enough for me (wet sanded). Maybe some Ubeaut traditional wax to finish.

**seriph1** · 13th March 2012, 01:42 PM

here is the link if anyone is interested to know the story of the box

The Story Of A Pen And Pen Box - The Fountain Pen Network

**Pauls321** · 13th March 2012, 08:53 PM

Thanks Gentlemen, some interesting ideas to toss around in my head, I'll do a search on a couple of those oils that you mentioned.

Regards, Paul

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