Finish for Tiger Maple

[Stew Hagerty]

I'm making a mantle clock for my son & daughter-in-law from a gorgeous billet of tiger maple with wenge accents. I'm trying to decide on a finish for it. I'm pretty well set on an oil finish. So I put some of the various oils I have on hand onto a test piece. They are: Watco Danish Oil, Liberon Finishing Oil, Behlen Tung Oil, and good ole BLO. The problem is that, because of the size of the chunk of scrap I had left, the various sections are so small that it's tough to get a good read on the differences.
I figure someone out there must certainly have a lot more experience finishing Tiger Maple than I do. I'm open to any and all recommendations / advice / suggestions / comments. Here is a photo I took today right after I took the clamps off after gluing the front into the frame:


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[Stew Hagerty]

I forgot to add that I did experiment on a couple of small scraps just to see what it would look like with shellac. I use BT&C Tiger Flakes and keep Blonde, Amber, and Garnet on hand all the time. Well I tried all three and right away decided that Amber, and especially the Garnet were just darker than I want. The Blonde color was good, but It doesn't pop the grain the way oil does.
Now, I don't suppose I'd be against applying a clear finish of some kind over oil. Be it the Blonde shellac or maybe nitrocellulose lacquer. It’s just that my original thought was oil and wax for a nice soft finish. I guess that is why I’m looking for some advice from someone that has worked with wood like this before.

[Andrew Pitonyak]

I used waterlox original on some tiger maple and my wife LOVES it.

[Stew Hagerty]

I used waterlox original on some tiger maple and my wife LOVES it.

Hmmm, I hadn't thought of Waterlox. I have some left from another project. I don't have much scrap left, but I'll give it a try.

Thanks Andrew

Anyone else?

[Prashun Patel]

If you find the amber shellac too dark, you might also find the Waterlox too dark. Given your intentions, I'd dye, sand back, oil, then topcoat. Assuming a) you are only wiping on the oil for grain effects - and not soaking, and b) you allow the oil to dry, then you should not have any issues topcoating with shellac, lacquer or most oilbased varnishes.

[Stew Hagerty]

If you find the amber shellac too dark, you might also find the Waterlox too dark. Given your intentions, I'd dye, sand back, oil, then topcoat. Assuming a) you are only wiping on the oil for grain effects - and not soaking, and b) you allow the oil to dry, then you should not have any issues topcoating with shellac, lacquer or most oilbased varnishes.

I don't want to use dye on this project for coloring. If you mean use it like a "trace coat", with all the steps, angles, and grooves I'd be afraid I couldn't get rid of it all.

What about a strictly oil finish? Although I have all four oils an hand, the only one I've actually used was the BLO, and I always applied a film finish over that. Do you have any experience with any of the other three?

[Stew Hagerty]

After applying 3 coats of each of the oil finishes it looks like I'm getting a little more grain pop with the Danish Oil, a little more gloss with the Liberon Finishing Oil, and a softer feel with the Behlen Tung Oil.
Does anyone have any further experience with any of these? Be the results similar or different.

[Scott Holmes]

You are comparing different types/classes of finishes.

1. Pure oils: tung oil, boiled linseed oil, mineral oil
2. Oil/varnish blends: Danish oils (many have stain added to them), Liberon Finishing Oil A blend of high quality oils, resins and dryers. (sounds like an oil/varnish blend to me but the info they give is very vague)

Oils will need to be renewed annually or so.
Oil/varnish blends may not need renewing

[Ron Bontz]

Just a thought. I was working with tiger maple and big leaf saw handles. So it was hard to get the figure to show. I tried a light dye, NGR sienna from Wood finish depot wiping off the excess so the tiger would show more since it soaked in more. There is also the water based dyes they have if you don't mind water based dyes. Then a coat of seal o cell and a couple of coats of Arm r seal from wood craft. It did a pretty good job of jumping out and is well sealed to boot. Any way just a thought. Best of luck. Ron

[Stew Hagerty]

You are comparing different types/classes of finishes.

1. Pure oils: tung oil, boiled linseed oil, mineral oil
2. Oil/varnish blends: Danish oils (many have stain added to them), Liberon Finishing Oil A blend of high quality oils, resins and dryers. (sounds like an oil/varnish blend to me but the info they give is very vague)

Oils will need to be renewed annually or so.
Oil/varnish blends may not need renewing

That is exactly why I found the results to be a little curious. The Watco Danish Oil had the least amount of gloss of any of them (except for the BLO). Even the Behlen Tung Oil has a bit more sheen that the Watco does.

I agree with you about the Liberon oil, I assumed it was a blend but it gave no clues whatsoever. I am kind of liking the look though.

I'm curious about the differences in grain pop too. I would think that any oil should produce similar results from that standpoint as long as they are about the same viscosity. Of course, I am far far far far from being the worlds foremost authority on finishing. In fact, I mostly know what I've learned on here, in Bob Flexner's books, or from one of Charles Neil's DVD's.

[Scott Holmes]

The Liberon could be an oil/varnish blend using tung oil instead of BLO as most o/v blends use. There is not much difference between TO and BLO initally; however, over time the BLO will darken more than the TO.

Watco is not your home mixed 1/3 varnish, 1/3 oil, 1/3 MS. IIRC, it's ~1/4, 1/4, and 50% MS so it will take alot more to fill the grain and get any sheen at all.

[Stew Hagerty]

The Liberon could be an oil/varnish blend using tung oil instead of BLO as most o/v blends use. There is not much difference between TO and BLO initally; however, over time the BLO will darken more than the TO.

Watco is not your home mixed 1/3 varnish, 1/3 oil, 1/3 MS. IIRC, it's ~1/4, 1/4, and 50% MS so it will take alot more to fill the grain and get any sheen at all.


OK, then that explains why the Watco has a lower sheen and, if it has that much MS in it, it may also explain why it popped the grain more. It was just enough thinner that it soaked in more.

Liberon says that it is a blend of high quality oils. That's why it is a bit of an enigma.

I'm kind of liking the Behlen Tung Oil. Maybe if I thin out the first coat a bit it will pop the grain more? Like the Watco did.

[Stew Hagerty]

Just a thought. I was working with tiger maple and big leaf saw handles. So it was hard to get the figure to show. I tried a light dye, NGR sienna from Wood finish depot wiping off the excess so the tiger would show more since it soaked in more. There is also the water based dyes they have if you don't mind water based dyes. Then a coat of seal o cell and a couple of coats of Arm r seal from wood craft. It did a pretty good job of jumping out and is well sealed to boot. Any way just a thought. Best of luck. Ron

I thought about using a dye. I have some pints of General Finishes water based dyes, and a few W.D. Lockwood Metal Complex dye color packets. But, I think it will go better with whatever color scheme my daughter-in-law decides on for the living room of their new house if I keep it natural. And besides, this wood has enough figure that the oil alone seems to be bringing it out pretty good. Although, as I've said in my other posts, some of the oils seem to make it pop more than others.

In general, I do like using dye on figured maple (curly, quilted, and birdseye). Like you said, I think it really brings out the beauty of the grain. I just don't want to get done with it and then wish I hadn't because the color does work in their living room. Natural Maple should go with pretty much anything.

[Peter J Lee]

I can't add any advice. I'm just reading along. That is an interesting looking piece though. I hope you post some pics.

[Stew Hagerty]

I can't add any advice. I'm just reading along. That is an interesting looking piece though. I hope you post some pics.

Thank you Peter. I just finished cutting the bevels on the top and gluing it in place yesterday. It's my first clock and it has been fun building it. I really got lucky with this billet of maple. The grain is incredible.

[Stew Hagerty]

Ok, so, after pretty much finishing it up today, here are a few more photos:



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Now I just need to finally decide which finish to apply. Any final advice out there?

[Stew Hagerty]

Ok, I think I've decided on a plan for finishing.

After looking at the degree to which each of the various oils enhanced the tiger striping, I really like the clarity and softness of the Behlen Tung, but it just doesn't pop the grain the way the BLO does. Now, before somebody says something, yes in one of my previous posts I did say that I liked the way the grain looked with Watco Danish Oil. But, the BLO looks just as good without the added varnish.

So, here is my plan:
Two coats of BLO for grain enhancement.
If further coats of oil are desired, I will use Behlen Tung Oil to keep fromm darkening.
Finally, I'm going to apply 3-4 coats of Behlen Smooth Coat (formerly "BuffCoat") lacquer.

I would love to get some responses to my plan. What do you all think?

[Stew Hagerty]

OK, Here's the deal... :o

LOML suggested the Lacquer while I, as stated in my earlier posts, wanted to clean soft feel of straight oil (probably with some wax as well). She said that she thought the oil alone looked like it needed something. So I conceded that, when I was done putting on the oil, if she still wanted me to, I would apply the Smooth Coat. I've done things for her before with the Smooth Coat and she really loves it. So last night I posted that my plan was to spray bomb on several coats of Behlen Smooth Coat. However, I'm still convinced that oil alone will look wonderful on this clock. Plus the soft look & feel should be more versatile with whatever our D-in-L's décor turns out to be.

So, I will continue to update as the coats progress.

Oh... By the way... There isn't any problem putting Tung Oil over BLO is there? The only reason I thought of doing it is because the Behlen Tung Oil is clearer than the BLO. I just want the initial coat or two to be BLO because it seems to bring out the grain more that the Tung Oil.


If anyone knows if it is OK for sure or, even more importantly, if it is NOT OK please jump in and let me know.

Thanks

[Stew Hagerty]

Alright, I just applied the first coat of BLO thinned 50% with mineral spirits.



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[Stew Hagerty]

Alright, here we are after one 1:1 coat of BLO & MS, one coat of straight BLO, and the first of probably 3-4 coats of Behlen Tung oil.



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[Scott Holmes]

Looks GREAT! Very nice job.

BLO will also help it darken and pop a bit more with time.

Next time skip the 1:1 BLO and Mineral Spirits. MS doesn't reduce the size of the BLO molecule, it just puts less BLO into the wood pores. Probably has little to no effect; but may cause a bit more blotching because the MS and BLO could bridge some openings thus preventing the BLO from getting into the wood as well.

[Mark Kay]

I know I'm too late but maybe it will help others. See this thread from 2009:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?111135-POP-Curly-Maple-Best-ideas

Hope this helps somebody!

[Stew Hagerty]

I know I'm too late but maybe it will help others. See this thread from 2009:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?111135-POP-Curly-Maple-Best-ideas

Hope this helps somebody!

Thank you. That is a beautiful piece in the other thread. However, I really wanted this to be an oil only project. I do have two billets of quilted maple like that tucked away waiting for the right project and I will keep this in mind for then.

[Stew Hagerty]

Looks GREAT! Very nice job.

BLO will also help it darken and pop a bit more with time.

Next time skip the 1:1 BLO and Mineral Spirits. MS doesn't reduce the size of the BLO molecule, it just puts less BLO into the wood pores. Probably has little to no effect; but may cause a bit more blotching because the MS and BLO could bridge some openings thus preventing the BLO from getting into the wood as well.

Hmm, on my test pieces I found that I liked the result of an initial thin coat of 50% BLO followed by a full strength coat, better than two full strength coats.

I'm guessing it probably depends on the piece of wood.

[Stew Hagerty]

I've put the third coat of Behlen Tung Oil on today and you can see some depth starting to develop along with a nice soft sheen. Sorry no new photos, I didn't have my phone turned on this morning when I was out there.