What do you recomend for a hard finish on wood
Good Wraps Bob

Several coats of TruOil.

I've quit using tru-oil, it doesn't seem to hold up the way I expected. I have been using a marine grade varnish and it seems to hold up much longer. I apply the varnish as it turns on the lathe and sand it between coats on the lathe as well. It seems to take 7-10 thin coats, but I think it gives a better finish.

For outdoor usage, spar varnish is the standard. A relative newcomer, Also, MinWax's ClearShield can be thought of as a modern day formulation of spar, and without the amber color of spar.

What do you mean by hard? Are you looking for a finish that can handle a lot of abuse? If so, then you're generally talking about somewhat softer finishes like Poly or a Marine Spar Varnish. If you want something that is almost impossible to remove then use Milk Paint, followed by BLO (rub that in a few coats), and then top coat if you wish. If you want a hard, film finish that can be buffed out to a high gloss then use shellac or lacquer. If you spray and have the necessary equipment then a cat lacquer or other two part finish will work well (typically used on kitchen cabinets).

Use the same finish you use on your wraps.. epoxy !~

Thanks for the info. I well becoating wooden reelseats
Good wraps Bob

CA?

Chuck Mills Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> CA?

Absolutely. Pour the stuff on and form to the hand! No more losing the rod in the drink when surprised by a hard hit and trying to juggle a beer. :-)
CA is used to glue in hidden areas, but it's not what you'd use for a nice clear finish on wood. Would be a darned expensive finish is you tried tho.

Dave, I was not joking.

[www.rodbuilding.org]

[www.turnwood.net]



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 07/13/2007 02:08PM by Chuck Mills.

Yep, CA will work; it's used a lot by pen turners as a finish. The problem with making wooden pens is that a persons hand tends to wear the finish off quite quickly or the shine quickly wears off. Various finishes have been tried and CA has become one of the prefered finishes as it lasts well and can be finished on the lathe in a fairly short period of time. Just don't go for a high build. A good varnish (i.e. Behlen's Rock Hard table top varnish ) or Marine Spar Varnish (McCloskey's) will work very well too (the marine spar is slightly softer, UV resistant, and doesn't crack but won't buff out to as high a gloss) but you're talking many hours between coats and you'll need to let the finish cure for a few weeks before buffing. One test you should do is try these various finishes on a blank and see how the perform for you. Making a couple of pens is a usefull way to try them out and then see how they perform. Personally I like to use shellac or lacquer and then just repair the finish when I need to.

I concur with Chuck and Steve. If you are turning standard, round reel seats, use the CA finish with boiled linseed oil (BLO) as a curing agent.
The seats I have finished this way are absolutely impervious to water/weather. You want to use the medium viscosity, gap-filling CA glue, and you can purchase large bottles of it at most hobby stores (model airplanes, etc.).

Pen turners use this method extensively, and there is a lot of good information available on the various websites.

The basic method I use is this:

1. Sand the wood down to about 600 grit
2. While the lathe is turning at moderate speed, apply a puddle of gap-filling CA glue to a folded paper towel and apply it in a sweeping motion to the
entire seat.
3. Immediately follow this application with at application of BLO applied in the same way.
This time, however, continue to rub the towel back and forth with some pressure until you can smell the CA glue begin to cure.
4. Wipe with a clean section of folded paper towel until the CA glue is entirely cured.
5. Repeat steps 3 & 4 two more times.
6. Sand the seat down to 2000 grit and when completely smooth, finish with the back (paper side) of the sandpaper.
You should build up some heat using the paper side and this will create a high gloss finish.

The finish will look like the wood is encapsulated in a thin layer of resin, but it is extremely durable.

Hope this helps,



Walt Natzke
Ripon, CA



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/13/2007 02:55PM by Walt Natzke.

I have used the CA and it gives a nice finish, but the dust and fumes are hard on my eyes. That's one down side, I don't know that CA is impervious to UV, it does leave a nice finish though.

Wow,,, learned something new there. Now I ain't going to actually do it, but it is interesting. I'll stick to what's made for outdoor usage I think.

CA is awesome, darn near indestructable and can be buffes/rebuffed to a glass like finish if desired. As mentioned, on larger pieces, fumes can be strong

Mike (Southgate, MI)
If I don't want to, I don't have to and nobody can make me (except my wife) cuz I'm RETIRED!!

I am from Washington State, where can I purchase CA?
Good Wraps Bob

Bob Balcombe Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I am from Washington State, where can I purchase
> CA?
> Good Wraps Bob


They must have Super Glue in WA

Bob,

It's Super Glue Buy it at any good model/hobby shop or any woodworking store like Woodcraft, Penn State, Craftsupplies USA

Mike (Southgate, MI)
If I don't want to, I don't have to and nobody can make me (except my wife) cuz I'm RETIRED!!

Dave and Mike thank you . Any special brand and are we talking about the 5 minute epoxy glue?
Good Wraps Bob

Bob Balcombe Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I am from Washington State, where can I purchase
> CA?
> Good Wraps Bob

Bob
Just type CA Glue into a search engine and have at er'
There are plenty of online possibilities & a lot of info on use.
Just remember to buy the "thick or high build" mixture it fills the little voids better.




Regards
Dave

Fishing is Life the rest is just Details