Oiling carvings

[Bart Sharp]

I would like to try an oil finish for some of my carvings, but I'm concerned about how I would apply the oil evenly and prevent pooling in the deeper recesses. Any application tips?

Thanks,
Bart

[Jim Becker]

Qtips to clean out the nooks and crannies!

[Bart Sharp]

Qtips to clean out the nooks and crannies!

I thought about that, but I'm a little worried about pieces of cotton hanging up on any little bit of roughness down in the carving (I know, there shouldn't be any, but I'm no Wayne Barton). Then I'm stuck trying to pluck little pieces of white lint out of my letters.

This may be one of those experiment and see what works kind of things, but I thought I would see if anyone here had any experience with something like this first.

[Dan Moening]

Why not brush it on?

Artists brushes come in all shapes and sizes and certainly can be had to fit in the "nooks and crannies" of carvings.

You can come back a bit later with a dry brush to pick up any excess oil without fear of hanging up fibers/foam/etc from another applicator.

edit: I suppose I should state that I haven't actually done this before as I'm not a carver.

[Jim Dannels]

looking in placed you would not normally think of, or normally haunt.
I am thinking of those foam make-up applicators I see the wife use? Much like a QTip but made of foam.
Am sure there are many more,things available.
I know I check with floor maintaience people, the 3M pads used on Floor buffers have a nice sized buffing pad in the center that are discarded.
and by punching a hole in center work nicely on my drillpress.

[Bart Sharp]

Why not brush it on?

Artists brushes come in all shapes and sizes and certainly can be had to fit in the "nooks and crannies" of carvings.

You can come back a bit later with a dry brush to pick up any excess oil without fear of hanging up fibers/foam/etc from another applicator.

edit: I suppose I should state that I haven't actually done this before as I'm not a carver.

That might work. I wasn't sure if a dry brush would be "absorbant" enough to wick up excess oil, but worth a try.

Jim, you may have really hit on something there. I think I may have to raid my wife's makeup case, see what she has laying around.

Any other ideas? My first attempt at this will be on walnut. I want some advice on the best oil finish to use, but I'll start a new thread for that.

Thanks!

[Jim Becker]

Jim, you may have really hit on something there. I think I may have to raid my wife's makeup case, see what she has laying around.

Ah...that was my second thought when I just read your concern about lint. Good point. The foam rubber versions from the makeup isle might be a good alternative in addition to the excellent suggestion to look at artist's brushes. For the latter, you can use the really inexpensive ones, too...they are softer and easy to toss without guilt if you feel they are no longer usable.

[Doug Shepard]

In the past I've used finish nails into scrap blocks and rested pieces on the nails/blocks to dry. Normally that's when I've wanted to speed up finishing and do both sides of something at the same time. What if you rested the piece upside down on something similar so that oil couldn't pool in the recesses? Any excess would either just drip off or bead on the surface where you could periodically flip it over and rewipe. Just a thought.

[Bart Sharp]

In the past I've used finish nails into scrap blocks and rested pieces on the nails/blocks to dry. Normally that's when I've wanted to speed up finishing and do both sides of something at the same time. What if you rested the piece upside down on something similar so that oil couldn't pool in the recesses? Any excess would either just drip off or bead on the surface where you could periodically flip it over and rewipe. Just a thought.

That's a good idea Doug, I'll give that a shot.