Wych elm finish query - possibly wrong oil recommended.

[OldWood]

I'm making two 12" diameter platters to order and raised a query recently about the possible use of sunflower oil as suggested by Mark Baker for an ash platter. This query was whether this was just ordinary off the supemarket shelf oil. The advice given by a number of you was that cooking oils of any type are for cooking and there are plenty of better oils for wood finishing - Finishing Oil being one.

My problem is that these platters have been turned from a very nicely coloured piece of Wych Elm - good patterns and quite a lot of green shading. I have done a trial run using Finishing Oil on some off cuts and am not impressed with the results - the green disappears and the oil just shades everything to brown.

What does the collective advise please.

Rob

 

[Spindle]

Hi

I tend to use Danish oil on my elm work, I can confirm that it will not preserve the green highlights in the figure.

I'd give spray on acrylic a trial if it's suitable for your desired end use.

Regards Mick

 

[CHJ]

Whichever oil you use it will result in a darker apparent shade to the wood, same will happen if you use a sanding sealer, as will just wetting the wood no doubt.

It's a matter of changing the reflection of light from the wood surface, this is more than likely why you don't see the green spectrum after wetting, an example of a typical shade difference due to wetting/sealing can be seen on the Walnut used in this PDF pamphlet.

 

[marcros]

Could you just sand it through the grits and then beyond using micro mesh so you are polishing the timber itself. I don't know if it would be work or would be suitable for the purpose but I know it does work on some of the exotic timbers.

 

[OldWood]

A bit of experimenting - oils don't seem to be the answer as I suspect from what Chas is saying, they soak in and alter the light impact on the grain, and colours.

My instinct was to use oil because of it's ease of application over a large surface, but retention of shades and colours seems far better with surface finishes, so despite the possible headaches of the surface area my thinking at the moment is to go with sanding sealer and melamine. It may not get a high finish but I don't like that anyway, and perhaps some polishing will help.

Thanks guys for all your help. Unless I'm otherwise persuaded I'll see how I get on in the morning, and report back.

Rob

 

[CHJ]

Sanding sealer and melamine lacquer will give you a high gloss finish unless you deliberately cut the melamine back with abrasive.
However In my experience the latter action can only be done with any certainty of controlled results after the melamine has cured and formed a hard shell. (several days)

Don't know what sort of area you are covering but Melamine lacquer application is a bit of an acquired skill as it rapidly skins and is difficult to blend edges without build up streaks so needs to be applied quickly over any given area whilst avoiding the temptation to go back over.
One answer to this for larger areas is the spray-on versions, these are of course subject to the same constraints as any other spray-can lacquers, practice is needed to avoid runs and surface misting of overspray.

Once again it needs to be left to cure for best results with any surface polishing with burnishing creams or buffing compounds.

Very durable once fully cured.

 

[OldWood]

Back again after a bit of looking at getting spray lacquer. This turned up that there is acrylic lacquer also, which I've had no contact with.

I see that this has a longer 'open' time than the cellulose based melamine - would this be advantage when coating this larger item, and if this is an advantage, what is the disadvantage other than melamine will tolerate boiling water (according to Axminster!). The item ( 2 off) is a 12" platter (wedding presents) suitable for fruit and other dry items ?

Rob

 

[Roger C]

The only OIL I use on any thing that comes into contact with food is Liquid Paraffin / mineral oil available at your local pharmacy.
The reason being that the recipient of the piece has to maintain it and that maintenance should be very cost effective as well as it does not go rancid like all your cooking oils do. Regards Roger

 

[CHJ]

Back again after a bit of looking at getting spray lacquer. This turned up that there is acrylic lacquer also, which I've had no contact with.

I see that this has a longer 'open' time than the cellulose based melamine - would this be advantage when coating this larger item, and if this is an advantage, what is the disadvantage other than melamine will tolerate boiling water (according to Axminster!). The item ( 2 off) is a 12" platter (wedding presents) suitable for fruit and other dry items ?

Rob

Although this Pamphlet is referring to finishing coloured items the advise given by Kim regarding the handling of Polymerising Oil, Melamine Lacquer and Acrylic Lacquer and finishing gives a good general indication regarding sequence and time scales involved. Basically if polishing or cutting back you need to let the surface finish cure if you are not to risk breaking through the partially cured skin.

 

[Spindle]

Back again after a bit of looking at getting spray lacquer. This turned up that there is acrylic lacquer also, which I've had no contact with.

Hi

Yes, I referred to it in my response but you seem to have missed it.

I have used spray on acrylic on Sycamore and it had very little effect on the colour of the work, hence the suggestion to give it a go. Usual application guidelines several light coats denibbed between each. Final buff if you want a high gloss finish.

Regards Mick

 

[OldWood]

Back again after a bit of looking at getting spray lacquer. This turned up that there is acrylic lacquer also, which I've had no contact with.

Hi

Yes, I referred to it in my response but you seem to have missed it.

I have used spray on acrylic on Sycamore and it had very little effect on the colour of the work, hence the suggestion to give it a go. Usual application guidelines several light coats denibbed between each. Final buff if you want a high gloss finish.

Regards Mick

Sorry Mick - I'm afraid once I had seen the words "Danish Oil" I just went on the next post. Danish may have its place but not on light coloured woods with grain feature IMO.

Acryllic has been ordered ! Thanks for persisting in your advice !

Rob

 

[OldWood]

Back again after a bit of looking at getting spray lacquer. This turned up that there is acrylic lacquer also, which I've had no contact with.

Hi

Yes, I referred to it in my response but you seem to have missed it.

I have used spray on acrylic on Sycamore and it had very little effect on the colour of the work, hence the suggestion to give it a go. Usual application guidelines several light coats denibbed between each. Final buff if you want a high gloss finish.

Regards Mick

Sorry Mick - I'm afraid once I had seen the words "Danish Oil" I just went on the next post. Danish may have its place but not on light coloured woods with grain feature IMO.

Acryllic has been ordered ! Thanks for persisting in your advice !

Rob

Just a note to say thank you to all who advised. I went with the acrylic spray on sealer and lacquer and the results were very much as I wanted - colours and patterning fully preserved.

I'd created a shallow dovetail on the underside of the platters for turning out the 'inside' which was sanded and then, after doing a lot of dust removal from all around and adding some sheets as further defences, I sprayed with the lathe running at around 150rpm. Entirely successful.

The dovetail and underside were tidied up holding the platter in 300mm jaws made from mdf and some gash ash mounted on Axminster jaw plates. I don't have a swing head and these jaws had about 1mm clearance from the bed, but they worked a treat.

Of course what has happened now is that HID having ordered these platters for wedding presents has now found a 60th birthday coming up, so I've to make a third! I suppose I should take that as a compliment!

Thanks again
Rob