Varnish advice

[Matt P]

I'm a novice and make small things, exotic wood jewelry boxes, etc.. After much experimentation, I've decided that I don't like using BLO or any oil as a first coat because of the darkening effect on the wood. I'm just using a couple of light wiped-on coats of shellac, then only a coat or two of thin WIPE-ON varnish to add a very mellow gloss and extra durability. And I want to minimize yellowing (I've read that soya-oil based varnishes are less yellowing than linseed-based ones). I'm throwing out my MinWax Poly and am going to spend my few dollars on a high-quality varnish.

McCloskey Heirloom
Waterlox Original Sealer/Finish
Behlen's Rock Hard
Arm-R-Seal
Pratt & Lambert #38

Which is best for my purposes? I'm getting a little confused - some people like phenolic resin, some like alkyd, etc..??? !!!

Thanks in advance,
Matt

[Jim Becker]

Add Pratt & Lambert #38 to your list. Soya oil based for a very light color and very nice. Sometimes hard to find, however...

That said, for the type of items you cite, I'd do the shellac and be done with it. You're not adding much with a few wiped on coats of varnish outside of extra work.

[glenn bradley]

As usual, Jim beat me to it. For those items I'd just use Zinsser's Seal Coat dewaxed shellac. Very easy to work with. Non-yellowing, wax free if you feel you want to use varnish on top and very fast drying. In my neck of the woods you can sand after about 30 minutes between coats (wait overnight is you're gonna use the varnish on top). This allows a good build to be done a little at a time pretty quickly.

[Howard Acheson]

Of the varnishes on your list only Pratt & Lambert and McCloskey Heirloom are alkyd resin/soya oil varnishes. These are light, minimum yellow varnishes. The Waterlox and the Behlen are phenolic resin/tung oil varnish and the phenolic resin makes them quite yellow and they will yellow over time. Arm R Seal is a urethane resin/linseed oil varnish. It is quite yellow but not as yellow as the phenolic resin varnishes.

So, if you want to minimize the yellow, go with the P&L or the McCloskey.

[Matt P]

That helps - thank you very much guys,
Matt