NEWBIE HELP - Finishing eucalyptus didgeridoo

Hi all. This is my first post here and I know next to nothing of woodwork, hopefully that will change now :)

Ok. Ill try keep it short. (see sumary of points below if you dont want to read this junk) I recently bought a poor condition didgeridoo for around $100 as a project. I have chiseled it out with custom chisels I made myself (not too hard - just a sharp bit of bisalloy) and it already sounds heaps better. All that is left to do is finish it off and to do that there a few things to consider.....

It is thin walled in places and since I am breathing in all the time lots of moisture will get in and may cause it too crack. For this reason I want to coat it inside and out.

The coating not only has to look good but be strong enough so that climate/environment changes wont cause it to open up and crack. Im not sure what you guys know about wood but this certainly happens coz it happened to my first didge.

This brings me to my next question. When my first one cracked the guys at the shop where I bought it coated it inside and out with what one of them called a 2 part shellac. I have a feeling the meant 2 part epoxy resin. I looks awesome and I want to repeat it. I looks almost 1mm thick and very clear/glassy and glossy.

I want to use shellac as a cheap and good looking option but Im not sure if it will have the strenth. Oh yeah, ideally I want the natural grain and colours to be enahnced as much as possible.

Summary...coating has to..
1) Be strong enough to stop cracking from heat/moisture changes
2) Bring out natural grain/colour as much as possible
3) Be easy to apply
4) Not be affected by SPIT (isnt water bad for shellac)
5) Preferably non toxic
6) Cheap if possible - if not doesnt matter as final result is what counts

Was thinking of Feast Watsons tung oil / poly mix also.

Any thoughts/help would be greatly appreciated. Hoping to get this done ASAP.

Well mate u have 3 basic choices, oil,wax or some kind of polyutherethane resin coating such as carbothane. http://www.somay.com/distrib/carbo/C...4-PDS-2003.pdf

u cna also try spray on Estapol but it tends to look a bit tacky

U could also try straight furniture wax.

have u sussed out Gilly stephensons stuff >

http://www.gillystephenson.com/

I think u would find the iol and wax pretty labour intensive and the carbothane would do all the things u need it to, in terms of protection and sealing, 3 coats sanded. It's pretty non toxics.

basically take $50 to bunnings and they will ahve a wide choice including the 2 above, get both and try them out mate, see how u go.

I alsways find it best to trya few th9ings out befoire making a callas to whats best, tho the carbothane i think owuld do it for u as didges tend to take a bit of a battering.

Alos checkout an old mate of mine Frankie Lee who makes digeridoos in WA , in Freo he would have some advice on what best to use.

cheeeers
John

Hi Vautex,
I read about a product that you can pour the other day. Used for bench tops etc. I can get the info for you in the next day or so.
You are welcome to emai me directly if you like and I'll give you the info.

cheers conwood

Vautex :D mate I'd trade all I know, which isn't all that much, if you could teach me that suck as your'e blowing trick with the didj.

Hey termite id be happy to help ya out there. have you the basic drone down yet. If you do then we can go on to "circular breathing" if not just remember to use loose lips and not blow to hard. Let me know where your at....Ill write up a full explanation later.

As for my didge Im starting to think shellac will be ok for the outside since many didges only have a varnish anyway, some crack some dont. Therefore if shellac is tougher than varnish at keeping it tight then Im better off already as well as it looking better. Im just wondering weather moisture from my breath and spit will damage a shellac surface inside my didge.

Also what degree of preparation is required before I apply the shellac or whatever I use. The wood is woolybutt. Whats all this stuff about filling pores etc?

This is quickly turing into a much bigger job than anticipated, but Im sure that just makes it more rewarding. I am having a hell of a time removing this bloody PVA coating or whatever it is. Any help here. I am trying to sand it out but it gums up and sticks like glue when it gets hot. Im not sure what it is, its kind of milky. All I know is its looking better the more I take off.

Anyway thanks so far.

Vautex,
I think you'll find that it's been coated inside and out with PVA glue. A mate of mine sells didges, buys them by the ute load. The collectors usually coat them with the PVA to stop them cracking as they dry. They usuall harvest them witha cane knife or a machete so they cop a few blows which promotes cracking. Then as they dry, the ends dry before the middle which also puts a lot of stress on the timber. Once you've had it for a while the timber moisture content will have reached equilibrium so the PVA won't be doing much. The easiest way to remove the PVA is to wet it, however this won't do the timber much good :( . Shellac doesn't like moisture too much (as far as I know) you may be better off using a polyurethane.

Mick

GUys, i have a good digeridoo from the Yalata region of SA, i can play a bit but not enuf..


this links has some instructions

http://aboriginalart.com.au/didgerid...ackground.html

and this

http://www.didges.com.au/play-the-didge.htm

You might better burning the PVA off with a propane torch.
some nice oil such as organiol with help keep it from splitting as will canubra wax.

Then spray yr carbothane or estapol over it.

Some people will say dont use oil or wax and then the polyurethane but i use it on my burl turings and some usable furniture and its great, keeps the wood moist and noursihed and alos gives a strong hard coat.

The shellac is worth a try but i think u may find it a bit finicky and easy to chip and crack..


cheeeeers

...a few years on... Vautex, I put a couple of coats of shellac, sanded in between, on my didge and it's still going strong about 6 or 7 years on. I wonder if you'll ever even see this... :):2tsup: