GF Salad Bowl Finish - application and process help?

[Dmitriy Kumets]

Hi,
I got into turning about a month ago (read: complete newbie) and am now on my fourth bowl. These are functional bowls and while I realize that other finished would be just fine, the fam is a bit skittish so I'm starting to use the general finishes Salad Bowl Finish.
I've searched around the forum and other sites but couldn't find specifics on applying the salad bowl finish besides using a paper towel.
For polycrylic, I have sanded to 400 and applied on the lathe. Is the process the same?
If applying on lathe, what speed should I set during application? Should I even try to buff with a cloth?
Should I try to apply multiple coats on the same day? If so what process would you suggest and how much time between coats?
Thanks,
Dima

[Betty Fox]

Dima,
I'd answer your questions but I'm still having trouble with the streaking myself. The can I use says to sand with steel wool for the first coat and to apply the other two coats with the lathe off. I've done that and I get a good finish except for the streaking. Sorry I can't help.
Betty

[Sean Hughto]

I don't know about General's stuff, but I do lots of utility bowls and finish almost all of them with walnut oil and beeswax while still on the lathe. Works great and looks nice. Here's a recent few:

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6090/6094497773_7e3f23278d_z.jpg

l to r: walnut, cherry and pecan. All in the 11 to 13" diameter and 5-6 inches high range.

[Dmitriy Kumets]

Thank you both for your replies!
With the polycrylic, I could apply at around 600 rpm with a cloth, allow a little dry time and then dry/cure the finish with friction. Not sure if this is right either but...
With the oil finish it seems like it's 3 days of cure time no matter what. Is that right?

[Sean Hughto]

I apologize for offering an alternative instead of the specific advice you seem to be looking for about General's products. I'm sure someone who has actually used the General Salad Bowl stuff will be along shortly to give you some useful first hand advice.

General Finishes can be reached at:

Toll Free: 800-783-6050
Direct: 262-642-4545

Someone there might be able to tell you how to better use their products?

[Jeff Fagen]

I've used the General salad bowl finish and found it too thick and not very workable.For on the lathe I like WOP and shellac.

[Allan Ferguson]

I do use this finish on occasional bowls with mixed results. Apply with a clean cloth, usually on the lathe and turning by hand, from the inside to the rim. Try to apply a thin coat evenly. Going back to try and touch-up is risking causing the streaking and ridging of the surface. After dry lightly buff with steel wool with power on the lathe. Repeat until satisfied with the buildup, can polish on the late with automotive polishing compound it no pores for the compound to to fill in. Dry time is dependent upon humidity and temp. Oil and wax type finishes are easier to apply and are easy to maintain. Good luck.

[Ted Calver]

I've used the General salad bowl finish and found it too thick and not very workable.
Same here. I use Mahoney's utility finish and make my own paste wax using Mahoney's and bee'swax.

[Jerry Wright]

I have used this finish quite a lot. If the directions are followed, it is not subject to streaking and is easily used to get a soft lustre
finish. It is purposely very thick compared to other finishes, and specifically, one is not supposed to thin it. I sand to 400 grit, then with a soft cloth, I wipe it on liberally by turning the piece by hand. Then with the lathe turning, I gently wipe it off with the same cloth. It will dry in 4-6 hours. Coats after the first coat seem to dry more quickly. In between coats I lightly buff with 0000 steel wool. I usually repeat for 3 coats total and finally buff with a cloth and have been successful bringing up the lustre with auto body polish. This finish will not flow on like WOP, or shellac. It gives a beautiful hand rubbed look finish. As it sits around in the can, it will continue to thicken, but still works great.

[Dmitriy Kumets]

Thank you all for the replies!
Jerry - Do you wait for the first application to soak in before wiping off? When you wipe off, are you doing a light wipe pass at low speed (200rpm?) or are you actually doing a buffing? Also, would you suggest doing the steel wool buff off the lathe or on?

Sorry for the newbie questions.

[Curt Fuller]

Dmitriy, I think the General finish is about like any oil finish. Apply a very generous coat (dripping), let it soak in for 10-15 minutes and wipe it off. Let it sit in a fairly warm dry place for a day, lightly sand with 400 or 600 grit, and apply another light coat, wiping that after about 10 minutes. Just keep doing that until you get the luster you're looking for. If you want a real nice shine, let it sit for a few days and then buff using the Beall system of tripoli, white diamond, and then carnuba wax or something similar.

Edit... I just saw your last post. I don't think oil finishes work very well on the lathe. I would do it off the lathe. But that's not saying you couldn't do it on the lathe, it just might get a little messy.

[Jerry Wright]

Dmitriy/Curt - GF Salad bowl finish, I believe is a urethane type varnish. I would call it oil based, not an oil finish - it is nothing like blo, tung, or walnut oil finishes - it has the consistency of luke warm real maple syrup. It dries fairly quickly. I always apply on the lathe, never off the lathe. While there may be many ways to use it, here is my appoach for a bowl. I have used it on bowls from 12 in. to 24 in. in diameter. I sand to 400 grit. I then apply using a pad made from an old tee shirt, while the lathe is stopped. I liberally rub it in all over going with and against the grain while I move the bowl around by hand. I then immediately start the lathe at 450 rpm. (If you wait 15 minutes, it will start to dry.) While the lathe is turning, I wipe off the finish with very light pressure starting in the bowl bottom and moving rapidly toward the rim,insside and out. I then use a very light back and forth polishing action with the same cloth pad. This tends to even out any cloth pattern. Then let dry for about 4-6 hours and check it, you'll know if it feels dry. This urethane type varnish tends to stretch as it dries and you will have a very nice dust free smooth surface. After the first coat, sometimes all that is necessary is to use a polishing action with pressure on a dry, clean cloth as the lathe turns. Then apply another coat while the lathe is turning. The second and subsequent coats are lighter and are wiped on at 450 rpm, not as the first coat is applied while stopped. Again I always move toward the rim. If you get any roughness, resort to 0000 steel wool with very light pressure between coats. This is a very nice durable finish and has many advantages, IMHO, vs basic oil finishes.

[Bernie Weishapl]

I started with GF Salad bowl finish when I started turning about 6yrs ago. It hasn't held up real well and I quit using it. I started using Mahoney's walnut oil or Minwax Antique oil. All finishes are food safe after curing for 72 hrs. I just ordered some Sutherland Welles finish that uses no dryers. It is all natural using citrus oil, polymerized tung oil and beewax. I am going to give this a try on my utility items.

[Michelle Rich]

there has been tons of posts about this subject (finishes on utility/salad bowls. You might want to search for that.

[Jon Nuckles]

If you continue to struggle to get the finish you like with Salad Bowl finish, there is no reason to continue to use it. As others have said, all finishes are food safe once they are dry/cured. According to finishing guru Bob Flexner, Salad Bowl finish has the same metallic dryers that most other finishes contain.

[Bill Neddow]

Dmitriy/Curt - GF Salad bowl finish, I believe is a urethane type varnish. I would call it oil based, not an oil finish - it is nothing like blo, tung, or walnut oil finishes - it has the consistency of luke warm real maple syrup. It dries fairly quickly. I always apply on the lathe, never off the lathe. While there may be many ways to use it, here is my appoach for a bowl. I have used it on bowls from 12 in. to 24 in. in diameter. I sand to 400 grit. I then apply using a pad made from an old tee shirt, while the lathe is stopped. I liberally rub it in all over going with and against the grain while I move the bowl around by hand. I then immediately start the lathe at 450 rpm. (If you wait 15 minutes, it will start to dry.) While the lathe is turning, I wipe off the finish with very light pressure starting in the bowl bottom and moving rapidly toward the rim,insside and out. I then use a very light back and forth polishing action with the same cloth pad. This tends to even out any cloth pattern. Then let dry for about 4-6 hours and check it, you'll know if it feels dry. This urethane type varnish tends to stretch as it dries and you will have a very nice dust free smooth surface. After the first coat, sometimes all that is necessary is to use a polishing action with pressure on a dry, clean cloth as the lathe turns. Then apply another coat while the lathe is turning. The second and subsequent coats are lighter and are wiped on at 450 rpm, not as the first coat is applied while stopped. Again I always move toward the rim. If you get any roughness, resort to 0000 steel wool with very light pressure between coats. This is a very nice durable finish and has many advantages, IMHO, vs basic oil finishes.

I agree with Gerry. I have been using this technique for many years with excellent results. If you burnish the finish into the wood on the lathe as he suggests, it stretches and fills the pores in the wood very nicely.

[Dmitriy Kumets]

Thank you!
I also called GF as Sean suggested. The guy on the phone suggested a similar procedure but wet sanding the first coat in. I'll give your way a try first :)

I'm also going to give WTF a shot.