What are Your Finishing Recipes?

[Mark Hulette]

As I was reading some of the posts this morning, I thought how handy it would be to have a composite thread of all the different "recipes" everyone uses for their turnings.

A nice option would be to post a picture of your finish "at work" as an example. Some folks like glossy while some are drawn to a satin finish- depending on the project, of course. Sorry if this has already been addressed...

The birdhouse ornaments are finished w/ Hut Crystal Coat and CA on the one on the right.

C'mon- we need everybody's secret ingredients!

[Jeremiah Jordan]

I will have to do some heavy duty searches for my turning pics. Anyways I use Shellawax, which gives a nice finish, but I would really really like to get away from it. Probably tomarrow or monday i am going to order some of that minwax gel poly. It theoritically should stay on nearly forever, unlike the Shellawax. But I have heard of poeple usuing the Shellawax cream, ten something else on top of it. I am always interested in finding new finishes for my pens. I need soething that can be applied easily and last a long time.

Jeremiah

[Mark Hulette]

I was really surprised that this thread didn't "take off" and have several replies. Finishing is almost like black magic to me and I was hoping that we could have a centralized spot to look to try out different things for our turnings without having to do a search everytime.

I hoped the recipes posted would be for turning specifically so that's why I started it here instead of the Project Finishing forum. Sorry if that was a no-no.

[John Hart]

I didn't see this thread till it got bumped up this morning Mark! I think it's a good idea....although it probably does belong in the Finishing Forum. Maybe the popularity is more related to the fact that you posted on Christmas Eve and everyone was preoccupied. (I was)

I would be thrilled to see the recipes. I posted mine a week or two ago and it's over in the other forum. http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=27757

[Mark Hulette]

I didn't see this thread till it got bumped up this morning Mark! I think it's a good idea....although it probably does belong in the Finishing Forum. Maybe the popularity is more related to the fact that you posted on Christmas Eve and everyone was preoccupied. (I was)

I would be thrilled to see the recipes. I posted mine a week or two ago and it's over in the other forum. http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=27757

If you feel it needs to be moved, please do so. Your secret concoction was the inspiration for the idea.

I thought about the timing but thought more folks might be off work and see it! Oh well!:D :D :D - Thanks for responding!

[John Hart]

If you feel it needs to be moved, please do so.....

This is really up to John Miliunas or Jim Becker...Their call! A thread of recipes would be a great experimental shopping center! :) :)

[Jack Savona]

My current finish of choice for bowls, boxes, etc. is to sand to at least 600 (often MM to 12k), apply three coats of Bush Oil a day apart (Oil gets wiped dry twice after 30 min.), then Beall buff at least a week later. LOML and I like the smooth semi-gloss finish it produces.

The walnut bowl below was a recent turning with this method.

[Mark Cothren]

I've become a recent fan of gel poly... works good for me so far. From the looks of the Bush Oil I think I'd like to give that a try, too!

[Ernie Nyvall]

My current finish of choice for bowls, boxes, etc. is to sand to at least 600 (often MM to 12k), apply three coats of Bush Oil a day apart (Oil gets wiped dry twice after 30 min.), then Beall buff at least a week later. LOML and I like the smooth semi-gloss finish it produces.

The walnut bowl below was a recent turning with this method.

Jack, that is a nice finish on a very nicely done bowl. Where do you get Bush oil?

Ernie

[Carole Valentine]

Depends on the look I am after. Regardless, the prepped surface is the key to a good finish. Tool marks, tearout and sanding scratches will destroy any effort at a good finish and are greatly "enhanced" by gloss finishes. I sand to at least 800 on the lathe and usually hand sand 4000 through 12,000 micromesh between coats of finish. If I get more gloss than I want, I knock it back with 6/0 steel wool cloth. I use a lot of Waterlox which is a true Tung Oil finish. I wipe it dry after each coat and wait a few days between coats. I can build it to a gloss or get a satin sheen. Sometimes I use a sealer coat of thinned lacquer, applied and wiped dry immediately under the Waterlox if I want to minimize the coloring effects on light wood and build a high gloss. Oil finishes can also be easily renewed if necessary. I tried the gel poly but don't like it. It seems to leave a very slight blueish cast under certain light conditions. I sometimes use Danish Oil, but it doesn't give the same build as Waterlox. I have in mind to order some Bush Oil and try it. If you buy Waterlox, buy a can of Bloxygen to go with it.

[Ernie Nyvall]

Sometimes I use a sealer coat of thinned lacquer, applied and wiped dry immediately under the Waterlox if I want to minimize the coloring effects on light wood and build a high gloss.

Carole, I'm glad you posted this. I've read before of shellac or lacquer on first and then oil with no elaboration on the subject. Being stuck with my high school teacher's "Oil then lacquer" I have to wonder about the penetration of the oil. Would you explain about this process... how thin the lacquer, how well the oil penetrates so that it stays on and so forth.:confused: I'd like to branch out from my current paradigm... to at least two digms and a nickel.:p

Ernie

[Carole Valentine]

Ernie,
I use a 50% lacquer. Key is to wipe it dry immediately. It keeps the oil from penetrating as deeply, especially in end grain and soft areas, so you don't get as much darkening in those areas or on light wood. On dark woods that I want to be a rich deep dark color I will skip the lacquer and let the oil go as deep as it will. If it has figure or chatoyance, like the little walnut pot I posted yesterday, I use the lacquer and then build a gloss with the Waterlox.

[David Fried]

"Oil then lacquer"Ernie

Sounds like I got lucky. Just tried lacquer for the first time. I applied BLO then two coats of sanding sealer figuring it would help keep the oil and lacquer apart. Then several coats of lacquer. Seems to have worked.

Usually I use Mylands friction polish on my spindle turnings. Initially I found that they dulled out after being handled. It seems that while the friction polish may be dry in minutes it is not hard. I now take the finished pieces off the lathe and let them sit for 24 hours before handling them and that seems to have solved that problem. I then apply Renaissance wax.

Next, I'm going to try Mr. Hart's secret recipe.

Carole - Nice to see you smiling again :) - I realize that is what I like so much about your current avatar.


Dave Fried

[Ernie Nyvall]

Ernie,
I use a 50% lacquer. Key is to wipe it dry immediately. It keeps the oil from penetrating as deeply, especially in end grain and soft areas, so you don't get as much darkening in those areas or on light wood. On dark woods that I want to be a rich deep dark color I will skip the lacquer and let the oil go as deep as it will. If it has figure or chatoyance, like the little walnut pot I posted yesterday, I use the lacquer and then build a gloss with the Waterlox.

Thank you.. thankya vermush.

E

[Dennis Peacock]

Ok....If you want economical and easy to apply? Here are mine:

1. Standard Tung Oil - Apply with a rag in a circular motion (liberally), let set for about 5 minutes, wipe off with a clean rag. Turn on the lathe and use a piece of "felt" from the local sewing center (shhhhhh, don't tell the LOML that I've been "borrowing" her stash!!!) and crank up the RPM's to around 1,000 or so and buff with the felt. Apply some bee's wax get it hot with a cotton rag and then wipe it all over the bowl. Slow the lathe down and buff the wax to the sheen you desire. This will be a low luster type finish but....if you wait 24 hours and buff it out on a buffing wheel without any compound? She'll shine like new money.

2. Equal parts of BLO/TO/MS in a single container. Apply liberally at first, let set for about 30 minutes, wipe off and repeat the process. 3rd coat, let set overnight. Buff out the next day.

3. Equal parts of BLO/TO/Poly(oil based)/MS. Don't mix much of this mixture as it will "set" on you pretty quickly. Only mix what you can use in a short period. Baby food jars are perfect for this or use something similar. Apply liberally on the first coat without the lathe spinning. Let set for a minute and wipe dry. Apply each successive coat like a friction type finish. After the last coat, let set for 24 hours and buff out.

4. Equal parts of BLO/MS. Just a standard type oil finish, but I like to apply liberally, let set for about 10 minutes, wipe dry. Let set for 30 minutes, apply a fresh coat and let set overnight. Buff on the lathe with a clean rag the next day.

I've also used Shellac, shellac and Carnuba wax and straight oil based poly. Maybe one day I'll try lacquer on a bowl, but I just don't like the "plastic" feel that lacquer can give to a turned piece of wood.

So there you have it from me and what I've used and like.:D

[Bill Stevener]

If you buy Waterlox, buy a can of Bloxygen to go with it.

Hi Carole, I have yet to try the Waterlox.. But as your photo shows, it looks like I must give it a go. So, my question is, what do you do with the Bloxygen, and where did you get the Waterlox and the Bloxygen.

Thanks, Bill.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>:)

[Carole Valentine]

Hi Carole, I have yet to try the Waterlox.. But as your photo shows, it looks like I must give it a go. So, my question is, what do you do with the Bloxygen, and where did you get the Waterlox and the Bloxygen.

Thanks, Bill.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>:)
Bill,
Most woodworking stores carry it or an equivalent finish preservative. If you don't use it the Waterlox will gel fairly quickly once it is opened. I got both from Woodcraft.

[George Troy Hurlburt]

My finishing is like Carole's. Waterlox is the most expensive oil and the shelf life is low. Urethane oil is also good over lacquer. All is available from Craft Supplies USA. Dale Nish in the eighty's was wetting the item to be finished with lacquer, wiped it off and then went with Minwax Antique Oil. At least 90% of my projects has lacquer for the first finish. I do not use Watco or BLO. Years ago I used Watco on goblets, even after months when ever I use them to drink out of ;the Watco Oil taste was terrible. Yuk

[Mark Hulette]

Thanks for all the replies so far! Can't wait to try some of these brews! :D

[Jim Becker]

Most of my turnings get finished with a varnish oil...Waterlox, Minwax Antique Oil Finish, etc...which is "pushed" on the lathe via friction. After a few coats over a day or so, I let it cure for about a week and then buff with the Beall system. I generally do not do high-gloss finishes...although I've had some turn out that way when the wood is very fine grained.

[Jack Savona]

Ernie, thanks for the kind words on the bowl.

I can pick up Bush Oil from my local Woodcraft - pints to gallons. In this day and age, I'd have thought Bush Oil would have a website for direct orders or to show vendor resale locations.

Their can has the address P.O.Box 769 in Amsterdam, NY 12010.