Bob,

Received my sample this afternoon and tried it on a previously unfinished handle. This stuff is great! 5 coats in less than 1 hour and could have probably done it in 15 minutes but I was afraid to touch the surface to see if it was wet or dry. THis will become my new go-to finish on the lathe!

 

Thanks for giving them my name.

 

Lew

Thanks Lew. Hope the rest of the folks chime in with their thoughts. bob

 

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Bob Kloes
www.bobkloes.com

I think I've applied at least 7 or 8, but have yet to get a good buildup going. As I said previously, the wood was wayyyy too dry (it's a 30 year old spade handle that's never been treated) So the first 4 applications sucked the finish in much like a sponge. Since it's a rolling pin, I'd like to get it to a nice even layer. 

 

PS, Bob, is this a food safe finish? (If not, that's fine, but the rolling pin will end up being for looks only).

 

 

Justin, for what you are doing, I think you need to seal the handle up first with a filler. Sounds like old open grain and any wood finish will not fill that up. Timbermate is a good filler. You can thin with water and use it to fill the grain. No way finish will fill that. Once the grain is filled and sanded, then use your finish. You are trying to make it do something it is not really designed for.

Any finish is food safe once it is dry. The only stuff that might not be is some old finish from Japan and China that was made form some deadly fish. It was a form of lacquer from long ago.bob

 

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Bob Kloes
www.bobkloes.com

Ok, here is the guy you want to call and talk to or email with any questions about the wood finish. Rob is a guy who can answer or find the answer to any of your questions about anything that General Finishes makes. This is a great opportunity to take advantage of. bob

Rob Swedo

rob@generalfinishes.com

 

800-783-6050

 

 

 

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Bob Kloes
www.bobkloes.com

Bob,

I sent a thank you note to the "contact" email from General Finishes web page. Received a nice note back from Sheryl Monahan.

Lew


Bob Kloes said:

Ok, here is the guy you want to call and talk to or email with any questions about the wood finish. Rob is a guy who can answer or find the answer to any of your questions about anything that General Finishes makes. This is a great opportunity to take advantage of. bob

Rob Swedo

rob@generalfinishes.com

 

800-783-6050

 

 

 

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Bob Kloes
www.bobkloes.com

Thanks Lew, that is nice. bob

 

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Bob Kloes
www.bobkloes.com

Interesting. Thanks for the knowledge there. I'm almost wholly self-taught, so I love learning more.

Bob Kloes said:

Justin, for what you are doing, I think you need to seal the handle up first with a filler. Sounds like old open grain and any wood finish will not fill that up. Timbermate is a good filler. You can thin with water and use it to fill the grain. No way finish will fill that. Once the grain is filled and sanded, then use your finish. You are trying to make it do something it is not really designed for.

Any finish is food safe once it is dry. The only stuff that might not be is some old finish from Japan and China that was made form some deadly fish. It was a form of lacquer from long ago.bob

 

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Bob Kloes
www.bobkloes.com

Let us know how it works Justin. Epoxy will work too.bob

 

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Bob Kloes
www.bobkloes.com

Well I know I am a little late with my review, but I have had too many projects in the shop.

 

Anyway, I got a chance to turn a few seam rippers this weekend and felt it would be a good test for me on the new General Finishes Turners Finish.

 

I applied to finish to the blanks with a paper towel much like I would any other friction finish. It went on very smooth. It seems as though it takes a few minutes for it to dry to apply another coats so I got out my heat gun and on a low setting put just enough on it to help the drying process without heating the wood. It allowed me to apply several coats in a shorter time.

 

I like the finish very much and will keep it in my supply of finishes to use.

 

Thanks for the opportunity to test this fine new product.

 

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John Moody
John Moody Woodworks
http://www.johnmoodywoodworks.com

Just a heads-up on porous woods.

I recently found out to use General Finishes Enduro-Var as a grain filler under the Wood Turners Finish. Apply about 2 heavy coats and sand back, then finish off with the Wood Turners Finish.

 

Looking good John

 

-Ace-

Justin....

 

First, it's all about the piece of wood you choose, the wood does all the work for you. Try to find a piece with tight intense figure.

 

Second, I sand the piece to 220 and began with blue water-based dye applied with a paper towel. After the first coat of blue  dries. Sand off using 320 paper, leaving the blue dye that has soaked in (your goal is to remove only the surface color). I repeat about 2 more times, dye and sand, dye and sand.

 

Third, apply the yellow water-based dye sorta dry (let the dye have some "rest time" to pull into the paper towel) and buff in. Then sand back ever so softly with 320. The trick is not to sand to much. Leave some color on the wood.

 

Fourth, apply the orange water-based dye, sorta dry and buff in. Complete by buffing the piece with a clean  paper towel, removing as much orange as you can.

 

Let the wood do the talking.

 

-Ace-

 

Justin Hughes said:

OK Ace, now you've peaked my curiosity because I've been wondering how to get that holographic stain look for about a decade now. This is probably a conversation for another topic, but I would love it if you would talk more about achieving that type of finish. Grain is in the top three reasons why I love woodworking.

Ace, thanks for the quick tutorial.  

 

Do the dye colors matter in the process or can I go with any dark, light, then slightly darker dye for the transition?

Probably not. Starting light dark and going darker will more that likely "tone it out" and look all one color"ish" Guess it depends what you are trying to achieve. Or paint the dye on certain areas of grain, then blend in for that light to dark?

 

-Ace-

Well my goal is to highlight contrasts in grain and achieve a somewhat holographic/translucent effect where it's like you can peer into the depths of the grain (If I'm describing this aright. Having trouble articulating it).