Salad Bowl or Walnut????

[AZSalsman]

I am relatively new to turning but I have a question for anyone who can shed some light on finshes. What exactly is Salad Bowl Finish? and how does that compare to Walnut Oil and tung Oil?

Also, any insight on sanding sealers (when to use/when not to use/why use)?

Thanks

 

[MichaelMouse]

Proprietary information, I'm sure, but the nose and the surface tell me that Behlen's was ( is? ) a tung oil varnish. Equivalent to a wipe-on consistency rather than a thinner "Danish" oil.

Oils as finishes are generally softer and more flexible than their resin-mixed versions and build slowly. Tung has great water resistance in a film application, and is less yellowing than walnut, though it has a certain haziness after the second application which doesn't appeal to me.

I use a wipe-on with urethane resin and soy oil - Minwax. If I want more color, linseed.

Sanding sealers are great for use on large flat surfaces to limit absorption of oils into standing grain, and thereby equalize the final color for staining or varnishing. With all that's going on in the way of grain directions in a turning, hardly seems reasonable to use them. the other use of sanding sealers, as a carrier for lubricating stearates, is covered by stearated abrasives.

 

[dkulze]

Hey AZ,

Your Salad Bowl Finish is a polymerizing oil that uses solvents that are supposedly non-toxic. This is kinda a moot point as when you use polymerizing oils (walnut, tung, eurythane(and most tung oils are actually eurythanerather than actual tung)) you end up with a pretty nonreactive solid anyway once the solvent is gone, so pretty much any eurythane, tung, or danish oil is relatively food safe if you let it cure properly. Also, any finish that contaminates your food will be minute in quantity so, unless you're using a lead or arsenic based paint, you're probably ok.

Now for actual salad bowls, using mineral oil is a good way to go. It isn't polymerizing (stays a liquid) and is completely nonreactive and safe to eat (large quantities (a teaspoon or so) are actually used as laxatives). You just reapply it regularly as it washes out. It won't give you a nice, shiny finish or bring out the depth of the wood but will do well for treating wood utensils and bowls for use.

Have fun,
dietrich

 

[AZSalsman]

thanks

Thanks....some new information. So many variables and options and reactions. It sounds like oils and similar finishes are "interchangeable" each with their own slight variation of "personality" but whose functions are the same. Is that true/accurate?

 

[dkulze]

To a fair extent. Michael can probably give you more technical detail but, to my knowledge, it breaks down pretty simply.

Up until fairly recently (40-50 years?) you had a couple of main choices: varnishes, shellacs, and polymerizing oils. Shellac is the product of the Lac beetle and has been around for just about forever (lacquer is a form of shellac). Varnishes are a resin and solvent mix that hardens when the solvent evaporates. Polymerizing oils are oils that harden with exposure to air (linseed, tung, walnut). They've usually been treated (boiled) to create/enhance this quality.

More recently came the eurythane oils. These are artificial polymerizing oils and tend to be much harder and more durable than the natural polymerizing oils, though they tend to yellow with UV exposure. Most tung oils and Danish oils now use eurythane oils rather than actual tung oil and linseed oil. The can should list ingredients that will let you know if this is the case.

Now the eurythane oils come in a variety of styles determined by the solvents involved and the qualities of the oils. You can get fast drying, matte finishes, penetrating, UV resistant, etc. Personally, I use a wipe on (fast drying and high surface build) in several coats. I've been known to burnish it on the lathe or put it in the sun to speed drying (heat and UV speed polymerization) between coats. I just coat and wipe until I'm happy with the finish. Can get anything from natural to plasticized depending on number of coats. I then buff out on a beal type system (google it).

How's that?
Dietrich