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Norfolk Island Pine Finish

Jason Silva

Jason Silva

Joined
Jul 8, 2008
Messages
28
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2
Location
Virginia Beach
Website
www.etsy.com
I got my hands on a chunk of N.I.P. and turned a couple of large bowls out of it. What an amazing wood.

I'm looking for tips on finishes you all have used in the past to bring out the best in the wood.

Thanks,

Jason
 
Jason I have used Minwax Antique Oil on the 1 bowl and 2 vases I have did. I like it pretty well. On the other bowl I did out of NIP I used Waterlox gloss and I really liked how it turned out.
 
Norfolk Island Pine

Here in South Florida, we get a lot of Norfolk Island Pine to turn. If you turn the piece thin (3/16" to 1/4"), let it dry and then soak it in a mixture of boiled linseed oil and mineral spirits (about 50/50 mix) for a day or two, it will turn translucent. I normally let it dry for a couple of weeks after the soaking and then finish it with MinWax wipe-on poly but lacquer works as well.
Tim Carter
 
craterdog said:
Here in South Florida, we get a lot of Norfolk Island Pine to turn. If you turn the piece thin (3/16" to 1/4"), let it dry and then soak it in a mixture of boiled linseed oil and mineral spirits (about 50/50 mix) for a day or two, it will turn translucent. I normally let it dry for a couple of weeks after the soaking and then finish it with MinWax wipe-on poly but lacquer works as well.
Tim Carter
Click to expand...

The soak is important, because it gives the solvent(s) time to work on the resin in and around the branches. This might bleed through a film finish later on.

Heat will help set the resin in mill lumber, though most people still seal knots and pockets with shellac prior to an oil-based film finish.
 
Michael - Are you sure you aren't thinking about "true" pines? Norfolk Island Pine ("NIP") is not a pine and is not resinous. The sap that oozes out of fresh cut NIP is a little bit like epoxy, but after you strip off the bark (or let it sit for a couple weeks / months to spalt) that's all gone.

I've never had anything leach through a film finish on a NIP piece. Even sitting in the hot sun.

I made the mistake of turning a piece of slash pine once. Now that was a resinous mess and I could see big problems, like you are referring to, if I had tried to put a film finish on it. I couldn't stand the stink and mess and finally threw it in the trash before I got to the point of trying to finish it.

Ed
 
I certainly am extrapolating from domestic SPF. Never turned NIP, but a few tame examples in my experience wept a bit after trimming, a substance I assumed (yep!) was resin.
 
Norfolk Island Pine

I haven't had any problems with anything bleeding through a film finish on NIP. Ed brings up another very good point - NIP, turned end grain, can be dried in the sun. I normally soak the piece in the mineral spirit and BLO mixture and dry it in my shop. When it's time to start finishing with Wipe-On Poly, I put a coat on it and set it in the sun to dry. It will be ready for the next coat of finish in about an hour. I usually take it out of the sun for a while to let it cool down before I put on the next coat of finish. I've never had one crack or split. It really speeds up the finishing process.
Tim Carter
 
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