Finishing oil

[chippygeoff]

Hi Everyone. I make lots of different things but recently I have been selling well at craft fairs name signs and maple leaf coasters and trivets. I use a variety of hardwoods and with some items I have been giving them two coats of clear sealer and then two or three coats of spray on lacquer with good results. However. With other items i am using finishing oil. I am in the Uk so I don't know if you call it the same thing. It is really nice, penetrates the wood and I am pleased with the results. This week though I have been experimenting. With the name signs I use a brush to get inside the letters etc and then use a cloth for the front and back. I have noticed the more coats I give a piece the shinier it becomes. At the moment I am up to three coats over three days. After applying a coat I leave it for 10-15 minutes and then wipe off any excess. After three coats I get a nice sheen, which is nice but I was wondering how I could enhance the finish even further. I would be grateful for any advice. many thanks in advance.

[Rapid Roger]

Once the oil is completely dry (3 days to a week) you can re-coat wth lacquer, shellac, polyurethane or any other clear finish for more gloss if that is what your are looking for.
For a really smooth, soft looking finish, I usually sand the face with a piece of brown paper bag (4000 grit sand paper) and a coat or two of paste wax and polish it with a cotton rag (old T-shirt).
You just need to experiment with various things on scrap wood. Have you ever seen a wood project with a finish that just MADE you want to touch and feel it? That is what I strive for.

Rog

[tux_linux]

You should try dip coating. That works very good with oil and also great with shellac. It's fast and the result is great.

I'm using big sealed food containers from IKEA Clickedy.
Those seal great and keep the liquid well.
Currently I have one with mineral oil, one with shellac and one with thin white paint. the paint dip coating needs some "development" - I'm using water based color, that might be not the best for this.