Prodigal Ponderings — woodfinishing RSS

I'm no scientist.........but what I’ve learned is that once you open a can of finish and expose your content to air, the oxygen allowed inside the can will react with your finish and begin to harden. It starts as a thin film but in time turns into a gummy gel that basically ruins a portion or perhaps all of your remaining finish. I"ve written before on ways to store your oil-based wood finishes like urethanes or even paint, but admittedly found only limited success …. until now! Without a doubt the best way to store finishes is by using Bloxygen: an inert gas that “eliminates thickening and skin-over.”  Bloxygen provides a layer between the air and the finish that protects your...

After doing plenty of research and trying multiple methods I came up with my own process of finishing hardwoods for products that do not come in direct contact with food. I’ve used this process on chess boards, lathe pieces (such as candle holders and pepper mills) along with coaster sets, etc. The finish is clear, hard and beautiful! Before I begin I’ll tell you what I tried previously: 1. Minwax Paste Finishing Wax: a nice starter product that applies easy and protects the wood, but hardly an “eye popping” finish 2. Boiled Linseed Oil covered with Instant Bond Wood Adhesive: better, but not great 3. A variety of other finishes I saw online but again, none matched the success below:...