Wood Calling all Woodworkers: best sandless polish option?
- Thread starter VictorViper
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This is interesting. You're not worried about moisture and acids degrading it?
Not really. I am not a wood expert so don't take my word for it. I have quite a few things made from Kamagong, or what we also call Iron Wood. I have a bench that was out in the garden exposed to all the elements of nature and the only part of it that is rotten is one of the legs and I have a teething labrador to blame for that. The bench has been in the garden for a greater part of my childhood and we did everything on that bench. Now the same bench sits in my living room in my apartment because I no longer have a backyard.
Sorry, I don't have a good recipe for this. I generally use caranauba on lathe turnings and don't mix it down because the high speed turning heats it enough that I can just rub it on.
I expected that would have been the case. I've actually found a wax and wick store nearby, I'll probably pop in and see what they have. I may need to concede a little and stick to ready-made options, likely meaning mineral spirits.
I've built a lot of furniture/cabinetry and several dozen guitars, basses, boats, and gun stocks over the years. My screen name here comes from the name of my former business. Philo Custom Shop.
Boats and heavily used/abused furniture get high quality varnish with a paste wax top coat. Guitar bodies and gun stocks get 'true-oil', a polymerized tung oil available from Birchwood-Casey. Fret-boards on the guitar and bass necks get lemon oil or similar.
It's all about what you need the finish to do:
Heavy protection requires a heavy, thick, and durable finish. Fine for canoes and kayaks, and kitchen tables where children are expected (drunken card players fit in here too), but not usually very pretty up close, nor comfortable to the hand.
Guitar bodies and gun stocks are subjected to some abuse by their very purpose, but for the most part they're lovingly cared for after the fact, and in the end they need to feel good in the hand.
Guitar and bass finger-boards have little purpose but to feel good to the hand and to resonate with the rest of the build. That's why only the densest high quality woods are used for fret boards. Ebony, rosewood, and old-growth sugar maple. The finish is there to prevent them from drying out and cracking. This means keeping them oiled with something they will soak up. Certain woods prefer certain oils, to a varying degree, but pure lemon oil is hard to beat.
To answer your question directly VictorViper, I'd keep it oiled and nothing else. A pure lemon oil every couple of days or so. If you want to get fancy there are very pure oils made specifically for guitar fretboards available at most music stores that sell instruments.
It's a beautiful mod, and with the oil it'll end up with some dings, scratches, and finger marks on it over the years. That's patina, and proof that's it's been with you for a while. A hard finish will probably do more harm than good.
Boats and heavily used/abused furniture get high quality varnish with a paste wax top coat. Guitar bodies and gun stocks get 'true-oil', a polymerized tung oil available from Birchwood-Casey. Fret-boards on the guitar and bass necks get lemon oil or similar.
It's all about what you need the finish to do:
Heavy protection requires a heavy, thick, and durable finish. Fine for canoes and kayaks, and kitchen tables where children are expected (drunken card players fit in here too), but not usually very pretty up close, nor comfortable to the hand.
Guitar bodies and gun stocks are subjected to some abuse by their very purpose, but for the most part they're lovingly cared for after the fact, and in the end they need to feel good in the hand.
Guitar and bass finger-boards have little purpose but to feel good to the hand and to resonate with the rest of the build. That's why only the densest high quality woods are used for fret boards. Ebony, rosewood, and old-growth sugar maple. The finish is there to prevent them from drying out and cracking. This means keeping them oiled with something they will soak up. Certain woods prefer certain oils, to a varying degree, but pure lemon oil is hard to beat.
To answer your question directly VictorViper, I'd keep it oiled and nothing else. A pure lemon oil every couple of days or so. If you want to get fancy there are very pure oils made specifically for guitar fretboards available at most music stores that sell instruments.
It's a beautiful mod, and with the oil it'll end up with some dings, scratches, and finger marks on it over the years. That's patina, and proof that's it's been with you for a while. A hard finish will probably do more harm than good.
Thank you, Philo... I used lemon oil on my rosewood fretboard for years without (unwanted) discoloration. It's been so long since I could play, it didn't even come to mind. Bingo.
Cool!
Just keep the wood from drying out is all. Very nice in the hand and the patina tells a story years later.
Just keep the wood from drying out is all. Very nice in the hand and the patina tells a story years later.
I'm going to re-pitch Watco. It is a tung oil based product specifically made for a fine satin durable finish. All in one finish.
Once you have bare wood again you only do it once & your done forever. It will bring out the grain & color of your beautiful MOD.
If you really want to wax it Watco makes a satin wax too. It's on the link I posted.
If you ever happen to deeply scratch the wood, just apply a dab of Watco & the scratch is gone.
I have used it on all types of wood with superior results. It goes in to the wood, not on the surface of the wood like a wax.
I believe the mineral spirits just aids in faster drying & penetration that will just evaporate when applied. Much faster than using straight tung, etc. oil.
Hope whatever you choose works out for you. Super easy & proven is the way to go.
JC
Once you have bare wood again you only do it once & your done forever. It will bring out the grain & color of your beautiful MOD.
If you really want to wax it Watco makes a satin wax too. It's on the link I posted.
If you ever happen to deeply scratch the wood, just apply a dab of Watco & the scratch is gone.
I have used it on all types of wood with superior results. It goes in to the wood, not on the surface of the wood like a wax.
I believe the mineral spirits just aids in faster drying & penetration that will just evaporate when applied. Much faster than using straight tung, etc. oil.
Hope whatever you choose works out for you. Super easy & proven is the way to go.
JC
I see a lot of suggestions for oils and waxes, most of which will not harden and protect the surface as well as a film finish. A film finish such as shellac will only need to be applied once and will be more protective. Shellac is natural, inexpensive, food safe, dries quickly and leaves a beautiful finish. It is tried and true and it can be buffed to any sheen you desire. If you prefer polyurethene you can go that route but I would reccomend any film finish before a wax or oil product.
First and foremost, thank you to everyone who provided input in this thread. I was given a ton of valuable information that lead to easier research on products, techniques and even safety.
Secondly, don't be too sore if I didn't pick your suggestion.
In the end, I went with Clapham's Beeswax Polish, which includes carnauba. I'll be honest when I say a big part of my decision was based on being able to support a Canadian (and roughly local, no less) product, but its beeswax base and inclusion of carnauba and deodorized mineral spirits clinched it.
This has produced a lovely natural finish with a noticeable-to-touch but invisible hard film. The kamagong sucked it up like a sponge. I'm going to let it fully cure overnight before reassembly, but it's already "fully dry" and feels natural and lovely in the hand. I feel like the added carnauba will go a long way to keeping my wood sealed and hydrated while my sweaty mitts abuse it day over day.
Again, thank you all so much for taking the time out of your days to provide me with a wealth of information that will likely serve me well in the future, not just in the scope of my mod.
Cheers!
Secondly, don't be too sore if I didn't pick your suggestion.
In the end, I went with Clapham's Beeswax Polish, which includes carnauba. I'll be honest when I say a big part of my decision was based on being able to support a Canadian (and roughly local, no less) product, but its beeswax base and inclusion of carnauba and deodorized mineral spirits clinched it.
This has produced a lovely natural finish with a noticeable-to-touch but invisible hard film. The kamagong sucked it up like a sponge. I'm going to let it fully cure overnight before reassembly, but it's already "fully dry" and feels natural and lovely in the hand. I feel like the added carnauba will go a long way to keeping my wood sealed and hydrated while my sweaty mitts abuse it day over day.
Again, thank you all so much for taking the time out of your days to provide me with a wealth of information that will likely serve me well in the future, not just in the scope of my mod.
Cheers!
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