anchorseal substitute

[dirk martin]

I've cut a bunch of Black Cherry blanks, fresh from the log, that are 2" x 2" x 11".
I did this on my bandsaw.

I've got some folks that will dry them, and then use them for game calls, or even spindles.
I normally dip the ends in Anchorseal, and they dry slowly.

I'm out of Anchorseal (I will be getting more later).

I'm wondering if I could use a substitute.
I've heard of folks using latex paint...and I do have some old paint sitting around.
Can I dip the ends in that to achieve the same results of eliminating end checks, while drying?
Again....I only dip the ends, about 1/4 - 1/2".

[russell lusthaus]

same result - probably not. Decent result - - I think so, as it is what I use when splitting out staves from a log.

Could probably use shellac too, but every one has leftover latex lying around. Use it till you get more anchorseal.

[Dan Hintz]

For thin pieces, like pen blanks, you might get away with latex paint... I wouldn't do it for larger pieces, like bowl blanks (or even pepper mills), as the latex paint does not slow down evap as much as wax.

[John TenEyck]

Aluminum roofing paint works really well.

[Prashun Patel]

Do you have old candles? You can dissolve them into mineral spirits (with heat) to make your own Anchorseal. It has worked well for me.

Alternatively, since yr blanks are small, you can pack them in shavings and brown bag them, or you can brown bag them directly.

[Howard Acheson]

>>>> I've heard of folks using latex paint

That's a popular idea but it's a very poor choice. The idea is to as close to possible to prevent any moisture or water vapor from migrating out of the end of the log. Latex paint is designed to be porous so that interior home moisture can exit the home without causing bubbling of the exterior paint. Other than the products specifically made for end sealing 6-10 coats of an oil based paint or varnish will work for short periods. Of course, if the ends are not sealed within a few hours of cutting you can forget about end sealing. It's too late.