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Finishes, what do you like & don't like?

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So, I like to make mostly utilitarian pieces, "treenware"
have a couple different oil/wax combinations I use and am more than happy with.

But, there are a few things where vessels will be strictly ornamental,
What kind of finishes have you tried, and what do you like / not like about them?
How do you handle final finishing without polishing with Mequire's or 3M's finesse It? Beall buffing system?
I realize with poly's etc. buffing would have to be slower speed else you'll just melt finish .........

Altho I don't like coloring, and would rather use different woods for contrast/color,
I do use Chestnut and also Trans Tint, both with good success.
I also personally don't care for high gloss pieces, but that's what some people want, so .......

I'm currently working on an Ambrosia Sycamore bowl, used Waterlox for 1st time
like the resulting finish, just not happy how it darkened color of wood
but now I know it'll be good for darker woods (wenge, walnut, ebony, cocobolo, etc)

There's a slew of different finishes out there,
Deft, Minwax, WOP, General Finishes, etc .... list is almost endless,
I don't mind spending money on a good product, just hate buying/trying and finding it doesn't do the job.

So again, what are ya'll happy with, and not happy with ??
In furniture trade, I'm accustomed to commercial finishes and using hvlp
in the turning world, finishing is completely different and there's just too many to choose from as a beginner ..........

TIA
 

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Something that is very easy to apply and looks really nice is Minwax Antique Oil finish. It is actually an oil/varnish blend, but you apply it the same way that you would apply an oil finish. If you do two applications then it will give a slight sheen to the wood. Three applications will give a satin finish. More than that is a waste of time unless you have really porous wood that soaks up the finish. Wait about 24 hours between each application. Do not sand between applications unless there are rough areas that show up, but if sanding is necessary wait until the finish is completely cured (at least two weeks) or else you will create a murky looking mess -- just don't ask how I know and I won't be forced to lie.
 
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Thanks for the reply and I'd never make you lie to me on purpose Bill :rolleyes:

This sounds also like something that would darken the wood, yes/no?
and I've learned from other thread, no more sanding between coats ;)
and only needing fewer coats unless definitely punky woods like the spalted stuff I work with, but they're getting oiled anyway..........
Buff afterwards? White Diamond/Carnuba I presume? (after the 2 week "cure")

Should've also mentioned, also needing info/referrals for "clear" finishes as I have a lot of light colored woods
some really nice Spalted Hackberry, Spalted Maple, Red Gum, Red Elm, Cherry Burl, and Flame Box Elder that I don't want to discolor the woods .......
But, some of them are definitely softer woods.

Also have some Wenge, Ebony, Walnut, and Cocobolo, so something that darkens those a bit wouldn't be a bad thing.

one clear finish I know I don't care for is Minwax WOP, finish is OK, just a PITA to apply "thick enough" preparing for "client's abuse" over time
 

Bill Boehme

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It darkens the wood about the same amount as a varnish finish or as much as walnut oil which is very light colored. Since it is the type of finish that is wiped on and then wiped off a few minutes later, it leaves a very smooth surface and I don't see any reason for polishing or buffing. Because it is a mainly oil finish, it doesn't close the pores of open grain wood, and not even some wood like soft maple. I can imagine that white diamond abrasive would be a total disaster in such cases.
 
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Jerry,
I have wrestled with finishes for a long time, as I like a different finish for different uses and different woods. Of those I've used, lacquer seems to change the color the least. I have heard that acrylic finishes and especially water based acrylics may affect color even less, but there is the possibility of a bluish tint with the water based acrylic. CA finish doesn't affect the color at all, but it produces a shiny plastic finish that isn't what you apparently want, and it's hard to recommend for anything larger than a pen or reel seat blank (though some of the stalwarts on the forum have recently used it for larger pieces with success).
 
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Bill, I use Walnut oil regularly, to me it brings out just the right amount of grain & contrast, so not a bad idea
and OK, scratch needing the White Diamond, liking the sound of the Minwax Antique Oil finish more and more, will definitely give it a try.

Dean, no way I'd try a CA finish on the size of pieces I do (10-18"), and definitely don't want a plastic appearance ;)
and like you, I like different finishes for different woods and/or applications.
I've gotten 3 of Bob Flexner's finishing books (information overload!), and he says same thing about the bluish tint using water based acrylics.
For a clear semi-gloss appearance it seems like I'm restricted to solvent based lacquers or Poly's,
sometimes I might get away with a little yellowing from varnish types depending on the wood.

Have tried Masters Magic, didn't care for it
Happy with Deft, Mahoney's products, and Waterlox

anyone have any opinions on General Finishes products, Mylands Melamine Lacquer, Woodturner's Jelly, or another brand I'm missing ??

TIA
 
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The finish I dislike the most is 5mm of Resin especially on burls, it just looks so false, like a sheet of glass.

I also dislike the high gloss finish as in most cases it hides the true quality of the grain.

I use a lot of oil finishes it really makes the grain pop out. For a hard wearing finish I prefer matt or semi-gloss varnish.

Just my 2 cents

Col
 
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Thanks for the reply Col Smith, and I agree with you 100%
especially about the burls, too much glossy just distracts from the wood itself
I currently mostly use oils/waxes, but have people who want different

and becoming aware of my most recent mistakes (too many coats & too much sanding) prompted me to start this thread ;)
 
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Woodturners finish

I just tried General Finishes Woodturners Finish. It is water based, and can be wiped, brushed or sprayed. I prefer wipe. I did have sags as I put on too heavy. Dried quickly and sanded out easily. Was able to buff with white diamond after one day. I used blonde shellac as a sealer. Do not have a pic yet as just finished a piece of maple and one of sycamore today. Very little to no discoloration on sycamore. Maple be slightly darkened. These are not very porous wood so cannot say about leveling the porous look.
As was stated previously I use differend finished depending on the wood. 100 percent tung oil thinned half and half with turpentine works well on oak and porous woods. needs many coats to build and can get gloss, but this takes a while like 18-30 applications. Easy part is just apply and wipe off excess not too much problem with dust nibs and such.
My fav for easy application id Watco . Wipe on and wipe off. Four to 8 coats (may be overkill just what I use). Also this is easy to renew as is the tung oil.
Like the Lacquer, just have to wait to buff out the finish. Downside is the toxic fumes. Well you gotta die from something.
Captn Eddie has something called shine juice. Only used once and takes some practice to use but it really looks good. It is Shellac - BLO- and alcohol (ok you could just use a lower cut of shellac say 1.5 #)
 

Bill Boehme

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Jerry,

One of the finishes that I like a lot is no finish at all. It requires a lot of work to do it well. I hand sand to a very high grit until I get just the right amount of sheen that I want and sometimes on mesquite I go for a semi gloss. This is labor intensive and completely unforgiving of any errors. It has no protection against moisture so sweaty or greasy hands will trash the finish. In a few instances I have applied Johnson's Paste Wax which darkens the wood only slightly.

My favorite film finish is lacquer. I have tried all sorts of spray finishes such as acrylic enamel in search of one that darkens wood the least and I learned that they are all lacquers.
 
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Jerry,

One of the finishes that I like a lot is no finish at all. It requires a lot of work to do it well. I hand sand to a very high grit until I get just the right amount of sheen that I want and sometimes on mesquite I go for a semi gloss. This is labor intensive and completely unforgiving of any errors. It has no protection against moisture so sweaty or greasy hands will trash the finish. In a few instances I have applied Johnson's Paste Wax which darkens the wood only slightly.

My favorite film finish is lacquer. I have tried all sorts of spray finishes such as acrylic enamel in search of one that darkens wood the least and I learned that they are all lacquers.

Bill I have hold noticed several people using the no finish approach with wax. Not counting the handling how does this hold up over time? Does the wood darken faster since no finish to protect it?
 
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Thanks for the input Gerald, knew you were currently working on a piece with General Finishes
was waiting for you to finish it to see how well it does.
Captn Eddie is quite the character, sure has the personality to do what he does :D will look for an episode with the shine juice
So far most my non oil finishes have been shellac/shellac cut type compound as I am happy with it.

Bill, thought about the "non finish" finish, and would have to do a minimum waxing/buffing just because of handling.
And in this climate that would never work, summer time it's 8 a.m. and 110 degrees, winter time it gets down into the mid-low 30's
Would think with such a climate change thru seasons, wood would gain/lose too much heat & moisture and cause too much warping.
(Even tho house is climate controlled there's always changes as dogs go in and out, doors open/close, etc etc )
And agree about the lacquer's so far, just have to remind myself to keep coats thinner, really liking the Deft (just tried Deft Defthane Poly and it seems OK but dries slowly)
 

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Bill I have hold noticed several people using the no finish approach with wax. Not counting the handling how does this hold up over time? Does the wood darken faster since no finish to protect it?

If you are like me, you have probably had some hardwood lumber stored in your shop or garage for years. It won't be any different than that. In sunlight wood darkens more than indoors out of sunlight. Some wood like redwood goes from pink to brown rapidly while hard maple, ash, and white oak show no change that I can see. I like to leave mesquite bare and it comes in such a wide variety of colors from nearly gray to slightly pink tan to chocolate that it would be hard to detect any color change with age. I have a stack of rough sawn mesquite lumber from my flat woodworking days and I don't think that it has darkened. Finishing mesquite with varnish or lacquer will make it appear much more like a rich chocolate in color.

Just a word about finishes changing the color of wood -- it's more of a perceptual thing sort of like lens flare in photography creating a haze that lowers contrast. A rough unsanded piece of wood will have a light color because of light scattering. As the wood is sanded to higher grits, there is an apparent darkening especially when sanded at grits finer than 1000. Sanding with Micromesh or similar material can bring the wood to a satin sheen that will create an apparent darkening comparable to a satin film finish. Sanding added nothing to the wood -- it only reduced the scattering of light.
 
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Bill Boehme

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.... Bill, thought about the "non finish" finish, and would have to do a minimum waxing/buffing just because of handling.
And in this climate that would never work, summer time it's 8 a.m. and 110 degrees, winter time it gets down into the mid-low 30's
Would think with such a climate change thru seasons, wood would gain/lose too much heat & moisture and cause too much warping.
(Even tho house is climate controlled there's always changes as dogs go in and out, doors open/close, etc etc )
And agree about the lacquer's so far, just have to remind myself to keep coats thinner, really liking the Deft (just tried Deft Defthane Poly and it seems OK but dries slowly)

I can't imagine Nevada being humid. It gets hot here too, but we have high humidity as well. Wood mainly warps when it is losing free water and then a bit more as it loses bound water, but once it has dried, the amount of moisture doesn't change much and there is very little warping. Of course this depends some on the species of wood and orientation of blank WRT growth rings and distance from center of tree. Whether a bowl (or anything else) has a finish or is bare has little effect on long term movement of the wood. If my unfinished turnings are moving, I can't see it. I handle my bare wood turnings a lot and there is no noticeable effect, but maybe in a hundred years they might show a little patina. One thing for certain is that I don't need to be concerned about the finish failing. :rolleyes:
 
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I handle my bare wood turnings a lot and there is no noticeable effect, but maybe in a hundred years they might show a little patina.

Maybe because your hands are always covered in sawdust and not oily ? :)

Thanks for the reply, and info is good to know and I'll definitely give it a try in the future .
Moved here last year, picked this community because it was out in middle of desert and nowhere ........
hardly any rain last year, very hot (127 degrees maximum) but very little humidity, but this year ...... in last 2 weeks we have had 8 days of massive thunder storms and plenty of rain.....
Have "shop" climate controlled and using dehumidifier, but after moving some finished pieces into house I've noticed "some" movement within 5-7 months (all kiln dried woods to begin with)

I did have sags as I put on too heavy
Gerald, I've considered and worried about same thing
am currently assembling a contraption using an old ceiling fan with a dimmer control
will attach it to lathe and once finish is applied will let spin at very slow rate until finish set-up to keep it from sagging ......
have already tried it with a BBQ Rotisserie but couldn't handle rotating the weight, I know the ceiling fan will work tho ;)
 

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.... currently assembling a contraption using an old ceiling fan with a dimmer control
will attach it to lathe and once finish is applied will let spin at very slow rate until finish set-up to keep it from sagging ......
have already tried it with a BBQ Rotisserie but couldn't handle rotating the weight, I know the ceiling fan will work tho ;)

A better way is to not apply heavy coats. If spraying lacquer, start with a very light tack coat. After a couple minutes, apply a second coat of about the same amount. Repeat several times and then let it dry. There is always the temptation to apply until you see a smooth layer of finish on the surface. That is about the same point where you have applied too much and it will run. The problem with a rotisserie is that it doesn't address the root cause of the problem it only tries to mitigate the damage. The runs and sags will still be there, but just spread out over a larger area.

It is difficult to get a perfect finish from rattle cans which means that after the finish has cured, the next step is to finish the finish to get rid of orange peel and over spray and pin holes and trapped air bubbles, etc.
 

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If you want the no finish look but want a finish to protect the wood use Krylon Fixatif. It will change the color on some woods but most woods look like you never put anything on it.
I use Minwax wipe on Poly on some projects and I spray my own lacquer on most others. However the lacquer I spray almost always needs some work afterwords because my spray gun and technique suck. However that does allow me to choose the sheen I want since I will often hit it with 4/0 steel wool which leaves a nice soft finish. Then I can buff it up to a satin, semi gloss or gloss depending on how much I want to work.
For very glossy finish without much work I like Birchwood-Casey's true oil. It is a wipe on varnish. For porous woods like Oak or Walnut it takes between 5 and 10 coats but it's fantastic when your done and just about fool proof to apply. I get the same thing with my spray on lacquer but it seems to take more coats.
The wipe on Poly seems to change the color about as little as anything I use. On some woods it will take a while to build up a glossy finish because it soaks in but it's still a pretty easy finish to do, it just takes time.
 
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Thanks for the replies Bill & John

I don't care much for rattle can finish as they're too unpredictable (tip) with spray and fan
have a really nice Binks gun and I too prefer spraying with it (used for over 10 years) with plenty of different tips/needles for the different viscosity of materials.
Have tried the WOP once so far, was an OK finish and application was simple, but as was pointed out to me above, sanded between coats which diminished the end result.
Will have to try again in future without all the sanding and see how it goes.

As for the time it takes for finishing, I find that's the longest time frame with turning, but am in no hurry and would rather have a good looking finished vessel than rush things.
Thanks also John for the referral of the Krylon Fixatif & Birchwood-Casey's true oil .... will also have to try these on a future project.

Am getting some interesting ideas and referrals from this thread, and I appreciate all the input.
Am copying all info and saving into a document for future reference.

Happy Turning :)
 

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John, do you use Krylon Workable Fixatif or Krylon Fine Art Fixatif? I have used the Workable Fixatif because it is available at Hobby Lobby which is nearby. I have not tried the Fine Art Fixatif which would be available at art suppliers. The Fine Art Fixatif sounds interesting because it has UV inhibitors. The fixatif type spray should be applied very lightly and not like the way that a varnish is applied to wood. When using the fixatif, imagine that you are using it on art paper to protect a watercolor or chalk drawing.
 
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Warps / shrinks when losing FREE water?

To Bill Boehme
You wrote:

"Wood mainly warps when it is losing free water and then a bit more as it loses bound water, but once it has dried, the amount of moisture doesn't change much and there is very little warping."

I thought the opposite was true - wood is essentially unchanged until the free water is gone and it starts losing bound water. I boil my vessels after rough turning and then put in a sealed box w computer fan in a room with a dehumidifier - the goal is to go from 50%MC to 20%MC in the box - takes two or three months. According to Gene Wengert the 50 to 20 is when loses occur - after 20% you can be considerably more aggressive.

I'll be going back to Hoadley plus some others - if your statement is correct, I need to rethink some techniques.
Thanks
John
 

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I don't know what Hoadley says, if anything, about warping while drying. I have both of his books and it has been a long time since I last consulted them. Another reference would be the Forest Products Laboratory. My experience is with mainly local woods and weighing them as they dry. When the data is plotted, it is fairly obvious where the free and bound water loss occurs. I could be wrong about warping, but it seems like splitting in white oak occurs rather quickly after it is cut. I'm not certain about warping since you mentioned your experience, but it would stand to reason that loss of bound water is more responsible for warping than the free water would be.
 
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Something that is very easy to apply and looks really nice is Minwax Antique Oil finish. It is actually an oil/varnish blend, but you apply it the same way that you would apply an oil finish. If you do two applications then it will give a slight sheen to the wood. Three applications will give a satin finish. More than that is a waste of time unless you have really porous wood that soaks up the finish. Wait about 24 hours between each application. Do not sand between applications unless there are rough areas that show up, but if sanding is necessary wait until the finish is completely cured (at least two weeks) or else you will create a murky looking mess -- just don't ask how I know and I won't be forced to lie.

Bill....

Would this be better than using Linseed Oil. I'm pretty new to this and I've been using the Linseed Oil. Always looking for something better though.

Rich
 

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Bill....

Would this be better than using Linseed Oil. I'm pretty new to this and I've been using the Linseed Oil. Always looking for something better though.

Rich

Linseed oil is just a pure oil finish so it is somewhat flat looking although several applications can increase the sheen at the expense of darkening the wood more than my personal preference. It is a bit soft and not as durable as the oil/varnish blend in Minwax Antique Oil. I presume that the oil in the Minwax product is linseed oil and the varnish is probably polyurethane. Mostly I have used it on bowls that I have donated to the Empty Bowls Project. It goes on quick and easy and looks good with minimal effort. It wouldn't be appropriate for treenware.
 
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At Bill's recommendation, I have recently tried the Minwax Antique Oil finish on a piece
I've use straight BLO, and didn't like how it darkened the lighter woods, and it was "OK" for the darker woods ......
Am especially happy with the ease of application, and the finish it gives, more coats, the higher the sheen
It doesn't darken the lighter woods, which is priority and my goals, in my desired finishes.
Highly recommend giving it a try, I think you'll also be happy with the results Richard ;)
 

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I haven't looked at the big box stores, but there is a Rockler Hardware very close to me and also Ace Hardware and they both have it. I imagine that any paint store that handles Minwax products would also have it.
 
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As Jerry Bailey is asking in the Newbie forum, I have to assume Jerry want's info relevant to what he is doing.
So Jerry, what are you doing?

If small stuff (under 5" or 6" dia), you don't need to lay awake worried about wood movement - rub-on oils and oil/varnish concoctions are great - there are several quality products that provide the soft sheen appropriate for smaller work. And as smaller work is often detailed, the rub-on lathe finish is hard to beat.

If larger stuff (up to 12" dia) you might consider something more protective. There are several lacquers in spray cans that do a great job. Lacquer offers better protection against water vapor. Better is the operative word - nothing prevents the passage of water vapor - some finishes do a better job slowing it down.

I think most of the contributors to the forums would agree on this: pick something and get good with it. My experience has been that whatever the problem or unacceptable result, it's me, not the material. Buying a can of something else avoids a solution.

A friend that does executive furniture and conference tables made an interesting comments about woodworkers: there are a lot of super talented guys out there - their work shows talent and artistic passion. But rare is an equal passion and zeal for finishing. Applying and sanding coatings requires study and passion just like making.
 

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Back when I did flat woodworking, that assessment described me. I figured that sanding and finishing were just two opportunities to to mess up an otherwise well crafted piece. A few years after turning took over my woodworking, finishing has become almost obsessive.
 
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Woodturners finish

Jerry, I did complete several pieces with General Finishes Woodtiurners Finish. The first 2 pieces did well (maple and Sycamore) . I think I have a learning curve as I got runs and what looks like drips. Sands out well and buff good is not too many coats. Seems to fill in grain well although have not tried on oak or walnut by it self, Which you will see what I mean in the pics. The ringmaster pieces acted differently after 2 coats the first wipe on looked like water on oil and required a second wipe over to even the wet coat out. The finish works well on some woods and buffs well . Directions say can buff on day after application. Oh also did a small elm bowl and it worked well.

IMG_2769.JPGIMG_2780.JPGIMG_2783.JPG
 
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Thanks for all the replies guys, much appreciated !

Gerald, I'm just now doing a piece with General Finishes, easy application, liking the result, have 2 more coats then buffing to determine if I'll use more in future.
especially like the water clean up ....

John, I'm doing a bit of stuff, mostly larger more utilitarian type, bowls and platters
average sizes are 10" - 18" , but main concern is a good food safe finish that will withstand the abuse a customer will inevitably put it through.
Figured/Curly Maples, Walnuts, Heavily Spalted woods (Maple/Hackberry/Pecan), Ambrosia Maple, and some Burls ........
Being a cabinet/furniture maker for 30+ years, I have a reputation for quality, and I want to keep that reputation ;)
I had cabinetry finishing well under control, but I find turning finishes to be much different.
Have been using Oils/Wax combos, even mixed a couple of my own blends, and happy with those
But the time it takes for proper finish......... I'm looking for alternatives to "expand my horizons"

Have tried several different products, some I've liked, some I haven't, and the cost of the ones I haven't, and they're now just sitting on a shelf,
trying to keep costs to a minimum by hearing from more talented people about what works for them, and why ........

Like Minwax Antique Oil, Don't like how Waterlox darkens the lighter woods
Like Mahoneys Oils & Waxes, like Odies Oils/Waxes/Wood Butter
Don't care for rattle can finishes, as spray tips can be finicky and ruin end result
Very competent in spraying with my own gun (Binks), so that would handle Poly's & Lacquers

I also have a tendency to over-kill my finish with excess coats, but again, thinking of future abuse by other people
So would rather have too many coats, than not enough ......
After working cabinets/furniture for so long, and everything being second nature as to process
having some difficulty finding the "happy medium" transforming into turning finishes........

again, thanks to everyone for their interest and time in responding,
am gaining a lot of good info and it is soaking into my "sponge upstairs" ;)



So Jerry, what are you doing?
A friend that does executive furniture and conference tables made an interesting comments about woodworkers: there are a lot of super talented guys out there - their work shows talent and artistic passion. But rare is an equal passion and zeal for finishing. Applying and sanding coatings requires study and passion just like making.
 
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Being a cabinit maker you could teach us all a thing or two.
But here is another two cents:
The oil and oil/varnish coatings really do need to be food-safe due to the fact that many never totally cure - they out-gas over time and can leach into nearby items.
At the other end of the spectrum is the catalyzed high-solids finishes. From what I understand, these cure and become inert. While the ingredients of may of these finishes are extremely hazardous, it's these volatiles that insure complete curing.
 
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That's where I run into my contradictions John .......
To protect a wood from darkening due to exposure from sunlight/environment, the finishes have a UV inhibitor
that inhibitor never fully leaves the wood, else it wouldn't work after a time ..........
People say when the smell is gone, that all finishes are safe, again I see contradictions ......
If I use a Varnish, Pre-Cat Lacquer, or a Poly, even if it is dry & "cured" and people use utensils, small pieces breaks off, they ingest it
I'm liable if they get sick from the ingestion of the finish .....
Hence me sticking with the oils & waxes, which are all natural and definitely food safe
takes longer (my finishes usually take up to 2 weeks to fully apply) but I'm completely confident it'll withstand any abuse by persons using the pieces I create.
And I purposely make larger pieces to be used, not just displayed on a buffet or shelf ;)

as for cabinets ........... a box is a box is a box , just some more pretty than others ;)
I never worked production shops, all extremely high end cabinets/furniture,
and to this day, I cannot fathom the prices the shops were getting for our work :eek:

Being a cabinit maker you could teach us all a thing or two.
But here is another two cents:
The oil and oil/varnish coatings really do need to be food-safe due to the fact that many never totally cure - they out-gas over time and can leach into nearby items.
At the other end of the spectrum is the catalyzed high-solids finishes. From what I understand, these cure and become inert. While the ingredients of may of these finishes are extremely hazardous, it's these volatiles that insure complete curing.
 
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Your comment brings some questions to mind: If you make a bowl, are you liable to future, unknown owners? If a person buys your 15" bowl at a craft fair and uses it to hold potato salad at next week-ends church picnic, are you liable if folks get sick? If I buy your bowl and eat my Wheaties from it then put it in the dishwasher, are you responsible if I get a splinter? Would a few hundred word disclaimer on the bottom of your bowl make me responsible for my own stupidity? Or maybe simply: Not for food products.

Again, from what I understand, non-curing finishes may out-gas and affect surrounding items. Totally cured finishes are by definition inert and will not affect surrounding items. Then again, that's my understanding and I could be wrong. If there are some chemical engineer woodturners out there, would be nice to get a comment.

The above being said, I think I'll stick to the totally non-functional.
John

Andy Warhol: "I'm a deeply superficial person"
 
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LOL John, it could get a bit out of hand couldn't it? ;)
As far as I'm concerned, I'm only liable for the disclaimer it being completely food safe and non toxic substances used ....
when I sell a bowl/platter I include a card stock note,
front side describes the piece and wood used, back side describes how to care for it in future
I do state I'm not liable if they don't follow "my parameters" of proper handling/cleaning.
And, I include a small bottle of oil/emulsified wax mixture for customer to refinish in time, and how to apply.
and I also explain that bottle should last almost a life time ..........

IMHO, I've done everything to cover my 6 ;)
 

odie

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My philosophy is for the wood to make the finish look good, and not the other way around. That may not connect with everyone's idea of how things should work.....but, it ultimately requires me to be a better tuner in order to live up to this standard. Think about it!

My favorite is a simple Danish oil natural with a hard carnauba wax. It isn't too shiny, but just enough sheen to give a sense of integrity. It has become part of my style.

ooc
 
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I'm actually in your same mind set Odie,
The wood should speak for the piece, the finish should just compliment the wood, and bring out it's details/coloring/grain
Either way, they must both work together .........
a nice vessel with a crappy finish ...... is crappy
a crappy vessel, with an outstanding finish ........ is still crappy.

Altho from what I've read in my travels, most people are of the mind set the finish is what makes the piece :confused:
 
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