Shot glass finish

[Stevan Hopkins]

I am thinking that epoxy would be the only suitable finish for a turned wood shot glass. Thoughts anyone?

[Perry Hilbert Jr]

I am learning more and more about metal spinning. There is a way to press a pewter or thin sliver liner into wooden chalices, cups etc. and then crimp the liner over the rim. I saw only one video so far on doing it. and with the right prep it did not appear to require a rocket science degree.

[JohnC Lucas]

With metal spinning you usually spin the metal onto the outside of a form. You could shape the form like the inside of the shot glass. I haven't seen it done the other way where you push the metal into a form. Not sure that's possible because you would have to stretch the metal too much. A friend who's name escapes me this morning did a series of tests trying to find a finish for wine goblets and shot glasses that would not only be alcohol resisitant but would also not show a stain from the wine and not impart any taste to the wine. The finish he found was to wipe down the inside with several coats of thin CA glue. Then pour melted Carnauba wax into the goblet, let is sit for a few second and then pour it out. let it sit for a few seconds and then wipe out any excess. He tried lots of finishes like epoxy and straight CA and others and this was by far the most superior.

[Prashun Patel]

I made a whisky glass for myself from walnut. Unfinished. Works for me. I burnished the outside, but am treating it like a cooking spoon - no finish.

[Stevan Hopkins]

Thank you John, I will try your friend’s CA & wax method

[mike falconer]

When makeing shot glasses do you calculate the volume to hold an ounce, or just wing it and make it look/ feel right?

[John K Jordan]

When makeing shot glasses do you calculate the volume to hold an ounce, or just wing it and make it look/ feel right?

Hey Mike, I haven't made a shot glass but your question reminded me of the method I used to get the volume right when carving some coffee scoops: I filled the scoop that came with the coffee maker with silly putty then hollowed the bowl until the silly putty just fit. This method should work nicely for a turned or carved wooden shot glass, scoop, teaspoon, measuring cup, etc.

(We've used one of these every morning since 2007.)

399306 399307

JKJ

[Stevan Hopkins]

Mike, in this case, my brother likes to sip his whiskey in a small shot type glass, so I just wung it. (Wung it is past tense for wing it...right?) :)

[John K Jordan]

... so I just wung it. (Wung it is past tense for wing it...right?) :)

Well you got my curiosity up so I looked around a bit.

The answer I liked the best:

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Is it wung it or winged it? What is the past tense of the phrase "wing it"? What is the rule here?

Winged it. You are analogizing "to wing" with various strong verbs like "to sing" or "to ring." But "to wing" is not one of those verbs.
Also, if it were one of those verbs, it wouldn't be "wung it"--it would be "wang it" or "had wung it." (But it still isn't.)
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I kinda thinked that might be it. Or maybe I thunked it.

JKJ

[Frederick Skelly]

I wouldnt use anything on a shot glass and risk the potential contamination if the finish were to slowly dissolve over time. But that's just me and my amateur thinking. I'm very conservative with items that contact food.

Fred

[Bryan Lisowski]

Epoxy isn't a food safe finish. I don't know what else to recommend.

[Harold Balzonia]

Epoxy isn't a food safe finish. I don't know what else to recommend.

Why would you say that?

Epoxy resins are used to coat the inside of metal food containers – like canned food and metal bottle caps.

i wouldn’t recommend drinking epoxy from the bottle, but once cured it is completely inert.

[Bryan Lisowski]

Why would you say that?

Epoxy resins are used to coat the inside of metal food containers – like canned food and metal bottle caps.

i wouldn’t recommend drinking epoxy from the bottle, but once cured it is completely inert.




I have heard this from several people, it is more the chemical reaction and off gassing. Let's say you turn a platter and use epoxy as the finish, could you place fruit or cookies for a short time with no issues, yes, but drinking out of a glass over and over could cause issues.

[John K Jordan]

I have heard this from several people, it is more the chemical reaction and off gassing. Let's say you turn a platter and use epoxy as the finish, could you place fruit or cookies for a short time with no issues, yes, but drinking out of a glass over and over could cause issues.

What kind of resin might cause what kind of problem? "Resins" are widely used in the food industry, some in and on things that are consumed, some are specifically certified as food grade. Try a search for resins in food industry.

What about epoxy? I read lots of speculation, high on opinion but short on information.

Ask King Google about food safe epoxy and is epoxy food safe. It turns out there is even an FDA specification for food safe epoxy.

Some are certified and are advertised as food safe, for example: https://theepoxyexperts.com/shop/adhesives/max-clr-24-oz-epoxy-resin-food-safe-fda-compliant-clear-high-impact-coating/

Also, this has been asked and discussed on SMC and other forums more than just once or twice. Here is one somewhat recent thread:
https://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?248630-Advice-Is-epoxy-glue-food-safe

BTW, possibly of interest: The System 3 people tell how to make turned wooden things waterproof and even dishwasher safe. The note by John Lucas about carnauba wax is interesting since it is widely used to coat food products like M&Ms. https://www.thrillist.com/cars/everywhere-carnauba-car-wax-is-used
If concerned about the epoxy resin, perhaps consider the carnauba wax coating.

JKJ

[Bryan Lisowski]

Read through the links. Provided you mix the right ratio and allow to fully cure you should be fine. So obviously my previous opinions were wrong.

[Prashun Patel]

Say what you will, I made a coffee mug that I epoxied. Over time the finish disappeared. I don’t know if that was from cleaning or erosion from the liquid.

Where did it go? Down the drain? Down my throat? Regardless, I concluded that wood vessels for liquid would be unfinished inside, and periodically Re burnished if someone else besides me was going to be looking inside it.

[Harold Balzonia]

Say what you will, I made a coffee mug that I epoxied. Over time the finish disappeared. I don’t know if that was from cleaning or erosion from the liquid.

Where did it go? Down the drain? Down my throat? Regardless, I concluded that wood vessels for liquid would be unfinished inside, and periodically Re burnished if someone else besides me was going to be looking inside it.

Cured epoxy softens with heat. It’s a terrible choice for a coffee cup or chili bowl or hot oatmeal dish etc.... room temperature drinks or cold drinks or cold cereal have no effect on the epoxy. It’s also a mistake to put epoxied items in the dishwasher....

as the epoxy softened, you probably drank it little by little and washed it down the drain. No big deal....

[John K Jordan]

Read through the links. Provided you mix the right ratio and allow to fully cure you should be fine. So obviously my previous opinions were wrong.

Mine were too. Until I started digging around I wouldn't have thought that epoxy would be good for a drinking glass. I knew that resins in general were in wide use but I had no idea there were so many types of resin.

[Bert Delisle]

I am thinking that epoxy would be the only suitable finish for a turned wood shot glass. Thoughts anyone?
There is a product called OSMO top oil clear, it is tested food safe, and even displays that on the label Canada). The product is impervious to water and alcohol and is very hard satin finish when cured.
OSMO also has a PolyX product which has been certified safe for children's toys.
Application methods are different than conventional finishes, very easy and a LITTLE goes a long long way.
Not cheap but performs excellent. My "go to" product for anything going near food or kids.

[David DeCristoforo]

If you go over on WoW, Jim Rinde has several posts on finishing wooden vessels with beeswax and CA. Seems to be working for him.

[Steve Doerr]

Check out the Dec 2018 issue of Woodturning. There is an article in there about making espresso cups. He has two finishes that he uses--two to three coats of Danish oil or three coats of two-part food safe cold cure lacquer. I would think if it can handle a hot drink, then it should work for a shot glass.