how to fiinish puzzles (beginner questions)

[Artemisblossom]

Hi  I am starting to make some woodimals and I am not sure how or when to put a finish on them. I am making them out of 3/4" hardwoods (mostly maple) I would like to sand them and put some kind of varnish on them. Should I  just put the finish on after the outside cuts are done before I actually cut out the puzzle pieces or should I put the finish on all areas after the puzzle pieces are cut out? I am using a #2 pegas blade for the inside cuts so they fit very snugly. I am afraid they will not fit if I put a stain and varnish finish on them. Also should I just be sanding the outside edges?

[Norm Fengstad]

I use dressed lumber,a #3 Modified Geometry Blade, sand,oil finish such as Watco Danish clear or tung oil. I pour a small amount of oil into a Ziploc bag and dip the pieces , usually one at a time, and remove, wipe of the excess and let dry checking in 20 minutes or so and wipe  any pooling  especially on the edges. If I need to do a second coat it would be on the sides and probably not the edges.

occasionally I paint them with water thinned acrylic paint and only one coat on the edges then seal only the sided with oil.

[Artemisblossom]

Thank you I will try the tung oil

[tbolt]

I use beeswax and mineral oil definitely child safe cut all my 3/4 puzzles with#5 fd ur

[Artemisblossom]

do you dip it in the mineral oil first let it dry and then rub the beeswax on it?

[eburk]

Here is a youtube clip on making a mineral oil and beeswax finish. Generally I will use one part mineral oil to 3 or 4 parts beeswax. https://www.toymakingplans.com/website/how-to/non-toxic-wood-toy-finish.html

[barb e]

Here is a youtube clip on making a mineral oil and beeswax finish. Generally I will use one part mineral oil to 3 or 4 parts beeswax. https://www.toymakingplans.com/website/how-to/non-toxic-wood-toy-finish.html

Thanks for the link to the video.  I just finished watching it and now am wondering, could you use it in the liquid form to get into some of the small areas that a brush or paper towel don't get into???

[eburk]

Barb, I have found that it will fill those tight areas pretty well, as it does tend to soften as you rub it on, I use my fingers to start, and then use a paper towel to clean up any excess.

[eburk]

Barb, I also use tung oil on some of my puzzles, as mineral oil never cures very well. Scott Seifer had a good youtube on his wordimal puzzles. Here is the link to his channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrcQ1TitDtz-ViCOg1RUN8Q. I tried to find the clip on his shop, Steve Good might have it on his blog still, it was a clip from sometime in 2017 as I remember.

[barb e]

Barb, I also use tung oil on some of my puzzles, as mineral oil never cures very well. Scott Seifer had a good youtube on his wordimal puzzles. Here is the link to his channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrcQ1TitDtz-ViCOg1RUN8Q. I tried to find the clip on his shop, Steve Good might have it on his blog still, it was a clip from sometime in 2017 as I remember.

I have watched the Scott Seifer video before.  He just uses mineral oil and admits in one of the videos that it never fully cures, but has had no complaints.