I am making wooden animal toys and need advice, please. My intention is to sell them. A company named Brin d' Ours sells a line I am using as inspiration.
I  am using 5x4 basswood for cost purposes and, for safety, a water base stain. When applying the stain, the end grain raises up and ruins my sanded surfaces. I tried a pre-stain, which causes the same effects. I am looking for as smooth a surface as I can get. I have considered a shellac-varnish treatment before the stain but have not tried this yet. Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated. I also applied a beeswax coating for the finish but it just gets absorbed into the wood.

thank you in advance!

Shellac would seal the surface but would also block stain absorption. 

 

Have you considered alcohol based dyes?

You might try dampening the surface to raise the grain, then re sanding before Applying stain. Having never used Basswood, I may be all wet, so to speak.  Worth a try, though.

Edited August 26, 20223 yr by Gene Howe

 

22 hours ago, heyglenhay said:

I am making wooden animal toys and need advice, please. My intention is to sell them

I'm sure you've done your research but make sure beyond any shadow of doubt whatever finish(es) you use to be 100% child safe. Personally, I'd also consider discussing liability clauses with your insurance representative; not trying to be a downer, but we live in a crazy, litigation happy society today. JMO.

 

That said, first and foremost, welcome to The Patriot Woodworker. Glad you found us and jumped in with great questions. Looking forward to seeing your work and especially what becomes a satisfactory solution for you. Keep us updated. Best fortune on your endeavor.

I am a professional toy designer by trade having designed toys for 25 years. I designed wooden toys for Toys R Us, but since they closed I now make and sell them directly. So thank you for the warning on liability and yes, I am covered, and yes, it's scary. Designing is nothing like actually making so I have a lot to learn.

This is why I need food-safe paints and coatings. Beeswax was not enough. I sampled today with a light coating of shellac and it does still take a stain. The grain also did not raise up so I think I'm on the right track. I'm going to try tung oil next since as long as it is cured, it's safe. These are aged 3+ BTW so it's past the teething stage otherwise I would go unfinished. I am using water-based stains and without being diluted it does the trick over a shellac spray but I read the EU is changing guidelines for next year on shellac so I hope tung oil will work as well. There is also very little rub off so I think with a finish light coat it will hold up. Thank you for the recommendations!

best

My opinion only but I think you aught use a hard wood. Isn't bass wood about like balsa. 

 

 

They are big and chunky- once prices come down I will make them smaller and go back to maple.

On 8/25/2022 at 8:15 PM, lew said:

Shellac would seal the surface but would also block stain absorption. 

 

Have you considered alcohol based dyes?

 

 

What I was gonna say. 

I have not. I understand it may be safe after it is fully dry, but I am very leary about it.

Most specialty wood toys I see are very matte in surface and shellac would give it a shiny surface.

Edited September 26, 20223 yr by heyglenhay