Quick foodsafe coat for olivewood

[Dan Masshardt]

Quick question.

My friend has some olivewood communion cups he'd like to use tonight without the wood effecting the taste of the wine or juice.

Is there a finish I could wipe on one coat of that would be dry and safe to use in 6 hours?

Appearance is not that important. Dry and sealed.

Thoughts?

[Stephen Musial]

Shellac - you can do multiple coats in 6 hours.

[Brian Kent]

If it is wine, don't use shellac. The alcohol softens it.
If it is grape juice, shellac is great.

I have had olive wood cups from Jerusalem that had no finish. They were fine for the amount of time they have wine or juice for a communion service. After tonight's service, wash, dry immediately, and then use your favorite finish (except wax or shellac).

If you have any wood turners finish, that dries very quickly, even for use today.

[Dan Masshardt]

If it is wine, don't use shellac. The alcohol softens it. If it is grape juice, shellac is great. I have had olive wood cups from Jerusalem that had no finish. They were fine for the amount of time they have wine or juice for a communion service. After tonight's service, wash, dry immediately, and then use your favorite finish (except wax or shellac). If you have any wood turners finish, that dries very quickly, even for use today.

I have the general finishes wood turners finish. You think a thin wiped coat of that would work?

It's just grape juice.

People will be taking them home. Prob not to actually use again.

[Roger Chandler]

+1 on the Wood Turners Finish from General Finishes...........you can put 2 or 3 coats on before tomorrow..........it is a water based polyurethane with driers .........each coat will be ready in 30 minutes or less in room temperature.

[Brian Kent]

Yup, what Roger said.

[Dan Masshardt]

Thanks guys. I appreciate the quick responses.

[Jon McElwain]

If it is wine, don't use shellac. The alcohol softens it.


Yup. What Brian said.

[Stephen Musial]

If it is wine, don't use shellac. The alcohol softens it.
If it is grape juice, shellac is great.

I have had olive wood cups from Jerusalem that had no finish. They were fine for the amount of time they have wine or juice for a communion service. After tonight's service, wash, dry immediately, and then use your favorite finish (except wax or shellac).

If you have any wood turners finish, that dries very quickly, even for use today.


Actually, Vijay Velji has a video where he spills scotch on a shellac finish with no harm. I've spilled the odd drop of Bushmills on tables as well with no problems. A little bit of wine won't hurt anything.

[Brian Ashton]

Actually, Vijay Velji has a video where he spills scotch on a shellac finish with no harm. I've spilled the odd drop of Bushmills on tables as well with no problems. A little bit of wine won't hurt anything.

There has to be more to this than is being said by Vijay. Alcohol is the primary thinner for shellac, so scotch will have an effect no matter what. Unless there is some sort of additive that resists alcohol. The effect will be proportional to how long the alcohol is allowed to stay on it.

[robert baccus]

I would recommend carnuba pastewax.

[Mel Fulks]

Even small amounts of water have a huge effect on alcohols ability to dissolve shellac. That's how Behcol is sold when ordinary DNA is much cheaper. I've poured 86 proof liquor on a shellac surface and left it for hours to test. The statement that shellac is not suitable for tables and bars is often found in finishing books because it seems logical,but it is greatly exaggerated .

[Brian Kent]

In a service last night I had juice in 9 chalices for over an hour and a half. 2 leaked a few drops. Those were not finish problems but fine cracks in the original piece of wood. The other thing I noticed was that in the very center a couple of the chalices were not sanded as well as the walls, so the finish did not seal there. There was a little purple stain in the middle.

[Paul Williams]

Thanks for the report Brian. I have found this topic interesting. I believe that unsealed fine cracks or rough spots would be an issue.

[Dan Masshardt]

I did put a few coats of wood turners finish in each one. It kinda worked / helped. The problem is I don't thing these cups had been sanded at all - makes it tough for finish to do much. I imagine that these cups are whipped off very quickly.

[Stan Smith]

Seems that I read in another recent thread that WOP works well. but I always wait overnight for each coat. I realize that you were looking for a more speedy solution. I'm going to try a chalice and use WOP. I haven't decided on satin or gloss yet.

[Brian Kent]

Meanwhile, a year later… I wonder how the WOP worked for Stan Smith.

[Stan Smith]

Meanwhile, a year later… I wonder how the WOP worked for Stan Smith.

Well, er uh, I'm actually still working on the project. :( I have the chalice done, but I need to add a St Andrew's cross to it. The cross is also done, but now I'm waiting for the epoxy that will work with bloodwood and it won't be here until next week.

The finish will only take a couple of days, but as per your instructions, I will have to let it set for a month or so. As soon as the finish dries, I'll post a pic along with my successes and failures along the way. Since it's not totally done, I'm still keeping my fingers crossed and praying that the Lord is helping me.