need suggestions to finish bottle stoppers

[Emery]

The same group of men, add a few and take away a few, have been camping under the same tree since 1967 and the tree died last year. As gifts at this years trip I plan to make bottle stoppers from some of the old tree's wood. The wood is cured pecan. I'm considering spray laquer and I don't want to take the time and have the headache of a CA finish on all of them. I would like a finish with a high luster. Does anyone have a suggestion? Thanks.

 

[Dale Allen]

OJ's shine juice.
search it and maybe that will work.

 

[monophoto]

Gloss WOP. Its tough enough to withstand knocking around in a kitchen drawer, very glossy (and can be buffed after it is thoroughly dry), and totally impervious to alcohol. And unlike CA, it's extremely easy to apply.

 

[longbeard]

I like this stuff pretty well WTF
Wood Turners Finish - 2 oz

 

[Justturnin]

I do the same ca finish on my stoppers as my pens.

 

[Glenn McCullough]

Defft brush on lacquer, my only alternative to CA.

 

[Dale Allen]

OJ's shine juice.
search it and maybe that will work.

My bad...this should have been OB's shine juice.:redface:

 

[Emery]

OJ's shine juice.
search it and maybe that will work.

My bad...this should have been OB's shine juice.:redface:

Thought it was an April Fool's joke after I searched "OJ's shine juice" on Google.

 

[TellicoTurning]

I've used the rattle can lacquer to finish a few of my bottle stoppers, but my preference is to work with the gloss wipe on poly... I get a better finish... does take a little longer though... I usually do 5 or 6 coats and let it sit a day between... so it takes me 5 or 6 days to finish a rack of bottle stoppers.

 

[monophoto]

I've used the rattle can lacquer to finish a few of my bottle stoppers, but my preference is to work with the gloss wipe on poly... I get a better finish... does take a little longer though... I usually do 5 or 6 coats and let it sit a day between... so it takes me 5 or 6 days to finish a rack of bottle stoppers.

Chuck raised an important point about WOP - the timing of applications.

Drying time for WOP is dependent on temperature/humidity conditions in your shop. In my case, I can usually do a second application after a couple of hours, but if I want to buff between applications, then I really need to let it cure overnight. And I agree that 5-6 applications is about right.

I usually only make one at a time, so leaving it on the mandrel is not a problem for me. And I can take the mandrel off the lathe so that I can do other things while a stopper is drying (put an inverted bucket over the mandrel/stopper to keep the dust off).

But if you are into volume, then you may want to have a few additional mandrels. All it takes is a scrap of wood and a suitable bolt to make a mandrel - either tap the block to screw onto your spindle, or else cut a tenon so that it can be mounted in a chuck.

 

[Rob73]

I've done quite a few stoppers and tried many different finish types. I originally started with CA finish. CA looked nice, however I had a hard time applying it to anything that had any detail grooves, beads or v cuts. I tried spray lacquer which worked pretty well. With that I would do multiple thin coats, let sit for about 5 days and then buff it out on my beal setup. I tried the wipe on poly as well. It worked OK was a little thicker. I'd let that dry a week before I'd buff it out. I have just started with wood turners finish on some projects but have not done any stoppers with it. I would image it would be similar to the lacquer and take multiple small applications and a buff out.

 

[monophoto]

Let me throw out one other idea - - -

Occasionally, for novelty, I will put a captive ring on a stopper. The problem with captive rings is that they are a PITA to finish. You have to sand and finish the outer portion of the ring before cutting it free, and then you are left with the challenge of sanding and finishing the inner portion without inadvertently gluing it to the body of the stopper and while sanding and finishing the body itself.

When I've done this, I've tended to use woods that are 'more interesting' - stronger grain, etc. And in those instances, I have concluded that the wood can speak for itself without an elaborate finish. My solution has been to apply a couple of coats of Tung Oil - the first coat thinned with turpentine, and the second full strength. Tung Oil is moisture resistant the resulting finish has been very nice.

 

[opfoto]

I usually just use 5-6 coats of the WOP. As was said earlier I also wait a day or 2 in between....I also dip on occasion but then I have to wait at least a week...Can't beat the ease...but in no hurry.