Favorite finish for bowls

[Derek Voigt]

In general, what type of finish do you typical use on your bowls. I know that people will vary from time to time, but in general....

[Dennis Peacock]

Hard to beat a nice hand rubbed antique oil finish. :D

[Joe Shinall]

Agree with Dennis. Best I've had so far, but trying different techniques now. Spray on, to me, requires too much sanding between coats from what I've dealt with.

[Frank Van Atta]

Shellac, sometimes with a little oil added.

[John Hart]

Bowls are when I don't use lacquer.

'Course then....I don't do a lot of bowls (hic..'cuse me.:o)

Mark up another antique oil.

[Sean Hughto]

My bowls are typically for use, and as such, I finish with walnut oil and beeswax. Makes for a lovely soft easily renewed finish.

[Greg Just]

oil finish on the outside and a beeswax buffed on the inside

[Bernie Weishapl]

My utility bowls are finished with Mahoney's walnut oil.

[Derek Voigt]

Well it is obvious an oil finish is the clear favorite. Some people have said the type of oil they use, what are some of the favorites?

I have not heard of "antique oil"... can someone show me an example?

[John Keeton]

Derek, I suspect most are referring to Minwax Antique Oil.

[Terry Quiram]

I sometimes use oil to change the color but I prefer wipe on Poly for bowl finish.

[Dave Ogren]

Derek,

I had been using mostly Antique Oil But lately I have been using Olive oil on the inside of bowl to be used for food and am about to do both the inside and outside with olive oil.

Good Luck,

Dave

[Michael E. Thompson]

I use a lot of my own homebrews, all of which use some kind of oil. Love to use shellac. Its easy, fast and looks good.

[wes murphy]

Derek,

I had been using mostly Antique Oil But lately I have been using Olive oil on the inside of bowl to be used for food and am about to do both the inside and outside with olive oil.

Good Luck,

Dave

I'd be careful with the olive oil, it can turn rancid. thats why its not recemmended for use on butcher blocks. best to go with a safer food safe oil finish. imho

[Gene Hintze]

This looks like a good thread to get some advice from you pros. I only began turning in February of this year but am actually turning out some nice bowls some of which have been given as gifts and I have even sold a few. I have been finishing with Mahoneys walnut oil followed by his blend of oils and waxes and then a final buffing. I am very pleased with appearance of the finish. It has a nice natual look and feels good to the touch. My sister-in-law reported that a bowl I had given her lost all its luster and felt rough to the touch after she had washed it in soap and water. I tried it on a bowl I had at home and sure enough the bowl looked really dull, felt rough and it appeared that all the wax disappeared when it was washed. Am I doing this wrong? Is this type of finish supposed to hold up to hand washing? I would prefer to use a finish that will hold up when the bowl is used to serve peanuts, chips or whatever and then needs a light hand washing afterwards. How would you recommend I finish bowls that may be used for both display purposes and the occasional utility use?

[Reed Gray]

I guess Mahoney's walnut oil is a rub on oil. I do not like to use solvent based finishes on my utility bowls. I know, everything evaporates off, and you are left with 'inert' materials, I just don't like them. I did run into a person who was sensitive to tolulene, and she said it does not all go away.

There are a lot of stories about olive oil going rancid. I ran into a guy at a show, and that was all he used. I think the rancid problem results from oil left on the surface, and not wiped off. I have eaten countless salads out of my personal bowl, with no problems. Rinse off after use, not the next day, and dry it off, or allow to air/drip dry. One bowl lasted about 7 years before it developed a ring shale crack, and another 3 years before it got a crack off of that. Don't let food or oils build up on your bowl.

robo hippy

[Thom Sturgill]

If its an 'art piece' lacquer, if functional wipe on poly.

[Mark Levitski]

I like oils. Simple to apply, not too much shine (customer preference). Use Mahoney's on a lot of utility bowls. On other bowls, I like more protection (especially from water, like rain drops at outdoor shows). Tried so-called Danish oils. I like oil varnishes better. I like Waterlox the best. Tung oil seems to bring out the figure but not change the hue too much. Waterlox is tung-oil based and one wiped-on coat for most woods gives a nice finish ready for final buffing after curing.

I would change the poll options. How many bowl turners actually apply their finish on the lathe, and if so, lacquer on the lathe? Wipe ons I think are a popular category, but then I didn't write the POO (post of origin).