Watco, Seal-a-Cell, Beall, compatible?

[Mark Pruitt]

Just put three coats of Watco on a bowl this morning. I was going to Beall buff it tonight but then the instruction label caught my eye, about applying a wipe-on finish after 72 hours if desired. Hmm. That would definitely build a finish on this piece and result in a much happier recipient!

But I need to ask first: If I use Seal-a-Cell on top of the Watco, will I still be able to Beall buff it? My instincts say it's OK but my instincts aren't always right!:rolleyes:

[Steve Schoene]

Seal A Cell is a varnish. It should present no compatibility problem over Watco that has cured for 72 hours. Varnishes do take a long time before they are best rubbed out--which is what Beal does. A month is ideal, several weeks should be OK.

[Howard Acheson]

The Seal-A-Cell is basically an oil/varnish mixture. It is very similar to Watco Danish Oil. If you want a more protective finish than the Watco, use the General Finish Arm-R-Seal. Arm-R-Seal is a thinned wiping varnish which will give a more protective and harder finish.

As Steve said, any oil based finish will polish up best when fully cured. It takes 3-4 weeks for an oil based finish to fully cure.

[Steve Schoene]

Howie,

Flexner puts Seal-A-Cell in the varnish category, along side ArmorSeal not with the oil/varnish mixes. I haven't explored it past that. Is he wrong?

Steve

[Howard Acheson]

Steve,

I haven't used the Seal-A-Cell for maybe 5 or more years. When we tested it using Flexner's method it acted more like an oil/varnish than a varnish. The GF website has this to say: "An unusual combination of oils and urethanes,".

I suspect it is sort of like the Waterlox Original Sealer/Finish (with urethane rather than non-poly varnish). In other words an oil added vanish that can be either brushed on and left of brushed on and wipe off.

To some the Waterlox Original Sealer/Finish is an oil/varnish. Seal-A-Cell is in the same category.

It's getting tougher and tougher to classify finishes these days. What with all the reformulating going on to comply with VOC emission regulations. Some manufacturers are adding oil to their varnish to replace the thinners that they take out. These finishes are generally called "fast dry" but they seem to be softer than the finishes they replace.