How do you finish your bowls?
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Charlie_W
Member
Here is your answer.....from minutes to days!
It depends on what type of finish, drying time before recoating, curing time, buffing, doing this on one side and then the other.....
Everybody does things a little differently which will change times too.
Does this answer your question?
Do you have a particular finish in mind? Some folks use an oil finish, a CA finish, poly finishes, lacquers, friction finishes, home brew finishes, buffed natural finishes, etc....
What sheen you want on a bowl and what it's use will be will help dictate what the appropriate finish will be.
It depends on what type of finish, drying time before recoating, curing time, buffing, doing this on one side and then the other.....
Everybody does things a little differently which will change times too.
Does this answer your question?
Do you have a particular finish in mind? Some folks use an oil finish, a CA finish, poly finishes, lacquers, friction finishes, home brew finishes, buffed natural finishes, etc....
What sheen you want on a bowl and what it's use will be will help dictate what the appropriate finish will be.
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I am working with a lot of different wood types. Most of them are less than 10 inches in diameter. The one common thread, I would say is my notorious, unavoidable, and completely incurable lack of patience. I know, and my penturners on this very forum have told me to get over it and learn to wait. But it's in my DNA. Sorry. So anything that works fast would be great.
crashgtr
Member
oils
most bowl finishes are food safe oils.
most bowl finishes are food safe oils.
JimB
Member
I use a wide variety of finishes. Danish oil, tung oil, wipe on poly, spray lacquer, salad bowl finish, friction finish, BLO and even CA. I'm sure I forgot one or two. I experiment with different finishes on different woods and see what I get.
I'm sorry to tell you, but regardless of what is in your DNA, you will not get a fast finish. For me, even the fastest finish, a friction finish, I let it cure for a few days before I let it be handled. Other finishes like wipe on poly I wait 24 hours between coats so it can take a week or more for the finishing.
The other issue is you need to finish the inside, outside and the bottom. This can add significant time to the finishing process. There is also finishing on and/or off the lathe.
I'm sorry to tell you, but regardless of what is in your DNA, you will not get a fast finish. For me, even the fastest finish, a friction finish, I let it cure for a few days before I let it be handled. Other finishes like wipe on poly I wait 24 hours between coats so it can take a week or more for the finishing.
The other issue is you need to finish the inside, outside and the bottom. This can add significant time to the finishing process. There is also finishing on and/or off the lathe.
Thanks, Jim.
As for my impatience, it has largely to do with getting to use my lathe. I use it every day, if I can. The idea of leaving something on it to cure for two, three, four days or more just drives me nuts. If there is a good way to finish off the lathe, I'm all for waiting to get the finish right.
As for my impatience, it has largely to do with getting to use my lathe. I use it every day, if I can. The idea of leaving something on it to cure for two, three, four days or more just drives me nuts. If there is a good way to finish off the lathe, I'm all for waiting to get the finish right.
alankulwicki7
Member
I generally use a beeswax/mineral oil finish on my bowls. I will try to apply a couple of coats of finish during the turning process like this:
Turn the outside of the bowl and make the tenon, then I will apply finish to the outside.
Flip the bowl around and turn the inside. Apply finish to the inside.
Turn off the tenon and then apply finish to the bottom.
Most of the time I will add another coat or two after the bowl is done as well.
One thing I really like about the beeswax/mineral oil finish is that it's easy to blend in and you don't have to worry about blending marks.
Turn the outside of the bowl and make the tenon, then I will apply finish to the outside.
Flip the bowl around and turn the inside. Apply finish to the inside.
Turn off the tenon and then apply finish to the bottom.
Most of the time I will add another coat or two after the bowl is done as well.
One thing I really like about the beeswax/mineral oil finish is that it's easy to blend in and you don't have to worry about blending marks.
jsolie
Member
Back when I could get it, I would apply Deft padding lacquer with 000 steel wool that I'd gotten Johnson's paste wax on. Seemed to work well.
Anymore, it's sometimes tung oil, sometimes a friction polish, sometimes a wipe on polyurethane. I've also used some Craft Coat for small bowls, but that stuff dries really quick and you have to knock it back with some fine sandpaper and apply several coats.
I've seen videos where bowls are left in a large container of walnut oil.
On some bowls, the only finish it needs is a wee bit of paste wax.
Hope this helps!
Anymore, it's sometimes tung oil, sometimes a friction polish, sometimes a wipe on polyurethane. I've also used some Craft Coat for small bowls, but that stuff dries really quick and you have to knock it back with some fine sandpaper and apply several coats.
I've seen videos where bowls are left in a large container of walnut oil.
On some bowls, the only finish it needs is a wee bit of paste wax.
Hope this helps!
JimB
Member
That would drive me nuts also. I do almost all bowl finishing off the lathe. On the occasions I do it on the lathe I apply the finish on the lathe and then remove the bowl from the lathe to let the finish cure. Additional coats may be done on or off the lathe.
I should also mention I do finishing outside my shop in another part of the basement so I don't get any dust settling on the pieces as the finish cures.
MTViper
Member
I finish everything except pens off the lathe. I have an area in a corner of my shop away from the lathe that's my finishing area. I use mostly tung oil, poly, Danish oil, and WOP. Those seem to do all I want/need to do. I do a minimum of 3 coats of tung oil, Danish oil, or poly and usually 5-6 coats of WOP. I let it dry 24 hours between coats.
Usually I've turned something new that needs finishing and go to the finishing bench and put a coat on the new project and another one on the old project(s) so I've always got some finishing going and the lathe is free.
Usually I've turned something new that needs finishing and go to the finishing bench and put a coat on the new project and another one on the old project(s) so I've always got some finishing going and the lathe is free.
robutacion
Member
Well, I also like to finish what I'm turning in the same day if possible.
The drying times depends on more on what type of finish you are after for example, if you like a thin oil finish with a matt or low sheen, you can use one of many timbers oils that you apply while on the lathe as they always require "burnishing", if you want a very gloss finish and your woods are some how a little porous, you require one good soaking coat of thin sanding sealer and then one or 2 costs of the top finish/varnish, this can be done in a couple of days depending on what temperatures you have in your working areas.
You can use one of the satin type quick set/dry spray cans and have the piece coated and ready to put away/stored dry in a couple of yours or less, these I use often when I just want a simple and fast finish. An example of this is a simple 13" platter I turned and finished yesterday afternoon, I gave it 2 light coats and was handling it, in less than 45 minutes, see attached.
These cheap spray cans were purchased at the "reject shop" in a town next door a couple of years ago, I was very impressed with it so I purchased all they had, unfortunately, I used the very last bit I had in my last can on this piece, I want more of it but, they no longer sell it
Hope this info helps you...!
Cheers
George
The drying times depends on more on what type of finish you are after for example, if you like a thin oil finish with a matt or low sheen, you can use one of many timbers oils that you apply while on the lathe as they always require "burnishing", if you want a very gloss finish and your woods are some how a little porous, you require one good soaking coat of thin sanding sealer and then one or 2 costs of the top finish/varnish, this can be done in a couple of days depending on what temperatures you have in your working areas.
You can use one of the satin type quick set/dry spray cans and have the piece coated and ready to put away/stored dry in a couple of yours or less, these I use often when I just want a simple and fast finish. An example of this is a simple 13" platter I turned and finished yesterday afternoon, I gave it 2 light coats and was handling it, in less than 45 minutes, see attached.
These cheap spray cans were purchased at the "reject shop" in a town next door a couple of years ago, I was very impressed with it so I purchased all they had, unfortunately, I used the very last bit I had in my last can on this piece, I want more of it but, they no longer sell it
Hope this info helps you...!
Cheers
George
Attachments
jjjaworski
Member
Mahoney's walnut oil finish. It is a no brainer for food safe bowl finishes.
nativewooder
Member
Charley W tells it like it is. I am retired now, just have a few final bowls to finish (Seagrape) and they will be finished with real polymerized tung oil from Sutherland Welles. It is expensive, but I want people to be able to put food in the bowls, and be able to care for them for generations. If you insist on "instant gratification" then don't call them. If you wish to gain knowledge, they are great people to talk to!
Rick_G
Member
I generally use an oil such as tung oil, BLO or mineral oil. Small bowls around 2 inches I will use CA. The CA gives a nice sheen and makes the bowl suitable for a small salt cellar with a cover.
jsolie
Member
If I'm using a finish that dries quickly, I'm more likely to apply it on-lathe, usually un-powered as the lowest speed on that lathe is 550rpm. If it takes a while to cure, and doesn't really soak into the wood, I'll do it off lathe. I don't want to come out later and find a stalactite of finish growing downwards from the side(s) of the bowl.
TellicoTurning
Member
I finish several pieces at a time... I'll turn 3-6 bowls or pepper mills or combination of, apply a generous coat of sanding sealer, wipe it off with a paper towel to make sure it's nice and smooth, then after it drys, I'll apply several coats of a wipe on polyurethane... over as many days as I do coats... usually 4-6 coats. Once cured in a week to 10 days, the poly is food safe.
Rick_G
Member
Oil finishes I do off the lathe others on the lathe.
Thank you all very much for your comments. This is all very helpful.
I am hoping you can help me understand something that seems to be very basic and fundamental for most turners but that I cannot get my head around... That is the function and the differences of oils (tung, BLO, walnut, etc.) and other products like shellac, polyurethane or wax.
Here is my current understanding:
- The oils are intended to protect and also enhance the wood. These typically go on first so that they can be absorbed in to the wood. They are applied in coats, with any excess being wiped away.
- The other products go on after the oils. They are intended to seal the piece, almost creating a type of shell over the final product.
Is this correct? I know it may seem basic. But I really am having a hard time finding and explanation for all of these products and how they work. There doesn't seem to be a freely available, basic explanation of all of this.
Thanks for your time and your help. I greatly appreciate it.
-Mark
I am hoping you can help me understand something that seems to be very basic and fundamental for most turners but that I cannot get my head around... That is the function and the differences of oils (tung, BLO, walnut, etc.) and other products like shellac, polyurethane or wax.
Here is my current understanding:
- The oils are intended to protect and also enhance the wood. These typically go on first so that they can be absorbed in to the wood. They are applied in coats, with any excess being wiped away.
- The other products go on after the oils. They are intended to seal the piece, almost creating a type of shell over the final product.
Is this correct? I know it may seem basic. But I really am having a hard time finding and explanation for all of these products and how they work. There doesn't seem to be a freely available, basic explanation of all of this.
Thanks for your time and your help. I greatly appreciate it.
-Mark
MTViper
Member
Mark,
You really need to find a club or at least another experienced turner near you. There are many things in turning that are tough for the experienced turner to explain or the explanation is tough for the novice turner to understand if you don't have the background knowledge to follow the explanation. Finishing is one of those topics.
You really need to find a club or at least another experienced turner near you. There are many things in turning that are tough for the experienced turner to explain or the explanation is tough for the novice turner to understand if you don't have the background knowledge to follow the explanation. Finishing is one of those topics.