Bottles and Containers for Storing Woodturning Finishes and Glue

Reuse Old Food/Condiment Bottles For All Your Woodturning Finishes

Maybe you have already thought of the ideas I will share regarding using emptied food or utility containers for your woodturning projects. That is, these can help you get organized, they don’t cost anything and you can make them a one time use or they might last for months or even years. One of my favorite is the Catsup bottle, mustard bottles and salad dressing bottles. I particularly like the clean bottles so I know the condition of the finish or glue that is inside the bottle.

Storing woodturning finishes in catsup bottles. The top screws on tight and the flip top snaps tight eliminating evaporation of the finsh.

I was mixing up some special finishing mixes for my woodturning projects when I thought it might help others to know how and where I store these finishes. It might seem like a simple thought and for the most part when we buy a finish it comes in a can or bottle.

When you mix your own finishes you need to store it in something and hopefully it can also be a container that you can use to apply your finish …..I mean like, squirt it out onto a rag or the project or a paint brush.

Although this isn’t game changing information …it is practical information that you can use to help store and apply your finishes.

storing woodturning finishes and glue in old food containers — Ketchup and Mustard Bottles for Storing Woodturning Finishes

And make use of food jars and bottles when emptied. I’m on a low budget so I’m always thinking how I might be able to use this bottle or the next bottle or can. Some work out pretty good, others ….not so good, so in the long run you just need to experiment with different containers.

I can tell you I prefer glass containers. One big downside to glass is that it cracks to pieces when hitting the concrete floor 🙂 I use mason jars of various sizes for a lot of things and I break a lot of mason jars because they were left too close to the edge of the bench and hit the floor.

Use Big Plastic Bottles to
Keep Paint Brushes Clean

Keeping your utility paint brushes ready for use — I keep my cheap paint brushes in a big plastic bottle with some lacquer thinner, the brush hangs in the thinner and is always clean and ready to use when apply different sanding sealers and woodturning finishes.

I found some big pretzel bottles that were perfect for hanging paint brushes in with a little lacquer thinner on the bottom. I drilled a couple holes in the top and hot glued a dowel that I hang paint brushes on. I just use some baling wire to make some S-hooks and hang the brush into the lacquer thinner …..or course you could use whatever thinner you want…..I found lacuqer thinner cleans just about anything,

Capn Eddie’s Thoughts On finish Storage

I remember watching some Captn Eddie Castelin videos on how to mix OB Shine Juice and then apply it. He also was just as interested in how to store the finish you just made up and how to keep it in the right proportions since some of the ingredients will evaporate over a period of time, thru use or just through the plastic storage bottle itself.

Capn Eddie recommended using some squeeze bottles from Harbor Freight for storing and applying his finish but made the distinction that the DA (Denatured Alcohol) will evaporate over a period of time and you will then not have the proper amount of separate ingredients in the OB Shine Juice formula.

The long and short of it is that the alcohol evaporates from the bottle through the bottle and through the snap on top. Over time, you then need to calculate how much alcohol has evaporated and add the necessary Denatured Alcohol to get the formula back to the original recipe.

Capn Eddie recommended some plastic squeeze bottles from Harbor Freight, I purchased some and they didn’t last long. I found a good variety of Plastic Squeeze Bottles to store your finishes and other solutions….pretty cheap, Click Here.

Storing Your Custom Made Woodturning Finishes

So, over the last couple of years I have been using a variety of different food or condiment containers to store and apply woodturning finishes, glue and keep paint brushes on hand.

Reuse Old Plastic Squeeze Mustard Bottles

Mustard bottles make excellent glue storage and applicators. Buy your wood glue by the gallon and fill your old mustard bottles with the glue, the cap stays pretty tight and you can use it over and over. I use several types of wood glue so I ended up with about 3 mustard bottles filled with food safe woodglue …..works great . Mustard bottles are not the greatest for finishes because most do not seal very well. You have a screw down cap and a snap cap. The snap cap often times is loose fitting and will allow finish to evaporate …..but they are excellent for wood glue like the different formulas of titebond and other woodglues you can easily have 4 or 5 bottles of glue laying around the shop for easy use or easy to get to.

Finishes like OB Shine Juice require air tight bottles. First I want a clear bottle so I can see how the individual components of the OB Shine juice seperate. Next I want to find a bottle that has an “air tight” seal at the screw in top and the snap on top. It becomes a trial an error method ….some work, some do not. I found Catsup bottles pretty good, salad dressing bottles are also good.

Remember you are looking for a bottle that is clear, the top is easy to screw on and seals tight (no leaks) and a flip top that seals tightly ….again, no leaks!

Recycled Plastic Food Bottles
for Temporary Storage

Once again, I try to reuse things before they hit the trash!

Using cottage cheese containers with your woodturning projects and work — Cottage cheese containers come in handy when woodturning, whether storing parts and pieces, finishes, or filling up with coffee grounds they help you stay organized.

Large cottage cheese containers are perfect for holding parts while working on a project. They can also be used to clean paint brushes or glue brushes ….I also use them for mixing up special finishes in small batches. We go through at least one container a week ….when you are done using it, just toss it, doesn’t get any easier!

With any of these containers you can use them for long term storage if needed, with or without a lid. For instance I have a lot of 2″ sanding disks, they get used or the backing breaks off. I just keep one container for each grit. I’ll also throw in small square sandpaper sheets that aren’t completely used up.

small food containers for casting resin woodturning projects — You can use yogurt food containers for casting small resin woodturning projects

Yogurt and Cottage Cheese
Containers for Resin Molds

Plastic food containers make excellent resin molds. Anything from the size of a gallon plastic milk or water bottle to small yogurt containers. One serving size yogurt containers are perfect to experiment with casting turning wood and resin projects.

Storing and Using CA
Glue For Woodturning

Since most woodturners use CA glue in some form, whether it be thin or thick CA …you often get it in bigger bottles that the top gets clogged or the cap is lost causing all kinds of problems. Some CA’s come with very thin and long applicator tips ….these get lost, clogged and eventually have nothing left. Once you start using those applications you realize how handy they are.

CA by the way refers to Cyanoacrylate Glue or Superglue.

What to Use CA for When Woodturning

I use CA mostly for gluing purposes when woodturning. I will use it to fill cracks or crevices. You can pack a crack with sawdust, coffee grounds, shavings and then apply some CA to it, usually you will want to use thin CA because it will soak into the material you packed in the crack and it will bond with all material it touches ….there fore helping to keep the bowl or turning project together and not flying apart.

mica colors for mixing with epoxy when woodturning — Use a small amount of mica to fill holes, cracks and crevices in your woodturing projects

You can also mix a little mica color with the CA, in this case you would want to use the medium thick to thick CA to give the crack a color that either blends with the wood or is in start contrast with the wood. I also use a 5 minute epoxy for this, you get more time to work the material and most times it looks better.

CA For A Finish On Your Woodturning Projects

It would be remiss of me if I didn’t mention the fact that CA is a very popular finish for many woodturners. Many wood pen turners use CA for a glossy finish on their pens. Although CA isn’t used on bigger projects much, smaller stuff like handles, eggs, wands, billy bats etc look great with a CA finish…..some turners will use CA on bowls and cups but I’m not so sure that it is food safe even after it cures.

Although I do not use a lot of CA for finishes some turners do and will buy larger bottles of thin CA. This is where you would want to keep most of it in the freezer and split it up into smaller bottles for your use. Like I mentioned, some say you can keep it in the freezer for 2 years or more.

Storing Your CA

Depending on how much woodturning you do, your CA could go bad if not used in a reasonable period of time and kept in the right conditions. Therefore if is advisable to store your CA in a refrigerator/freezer until you use it. I know of some woodturners who use a lot of CA for their projects (CA can be used to give a bright glossy finish) and they purchase larger amounts of CA and by keeping it refrigerated it will last up to three years.

CA Application and Storage Kit — Kit for storing and using your CA glue more efficiently

I mention CA, storage and application because you can purchase kits that contain smaller dispensing bottles, a couple hundred applicator tips and other pieces to help make the most of your CA.

I purchased this CA Accessory Kit and am very happy with it. I did it mostly for the CA applicator tips but ended up using the smaller bottles and refrigerating my thin CA, Medium Thick CA and Thick Ca. Something you should consider if you use any CA at all, the applicator tips are golden. They help direct the CA into cracks and crevices and keep the CA from bleeding into the surrounding wood which cause discoloration.

Final Woodturning Storage Thoughts

Always keep a few coffee cans around when woodturning, store stuff or organize — Coffee cans are good for one time use or storage of parts and pieces ….good to a few at hand!

I hope I might have opened up your eyes to finding new and unthought of methods of storing your glues, finishes and other woodturning related products. Just keep your eye out for empty spray bottles, coffee cans, condiment bottles and other disposable food containers and you just might get a little more organized in your woodturning shop!

I have a couple of garbage bags filled with empty plastic and metal containers. Some I probably will never use but others can really make life easy in the shop….. and coffee cans, whether metal or plastic are always of use and can be easy one time containers that you’ll be glad you had around 🙂

Plastic Bottles for Vase Inserts

As I write I keep thinking I should mention other purposes for used containers. One of the most important ones for me is using a plastic water bottle for a vase insert. It holds water, won’t leak and is easy for a client to replace. Smaller vases can use medicine bottles or other pill bottles.

Using plastic water drinking bottles for vase inserts — Empty drinking water bottles provide excellent inserts for woodturned vases and are easily replaced.

Wood vases are really cool, I enjoy turning them but it becomes expensive to epoxy the inside to make it water proof so you simply have to make it big enough to hold a drinking water bottle that has had the top cut off. When turning a wood vase with a water bottle insert in mind I usually make it at least 1/4″ wider than the plastic bottle ….sometimes even a 1/2″ bigger. You want to make it bigger because the hole will either shrink or get deformed if water is dropped into the untreated vase interior.

Cherry Burl Woodturning Projects Using Epoxy Resins and Lacquer Finishes, Best Lacquer Finish

I watched a video of someone turning a Cherry Burl along with using epoxy resin. It was very interesting and since I am still trying to learn some of the basics of turning wood with epoxy resins I ended up picking up a few tips. However, I think I posted more information for him on how to use Lacquer Finishes with your woodturning projects and basically that’s what this post is. First I will show you the video and then you can read my thoughts on how to apply an finish using Lacquer.

Good video, thank you for your efforts ….and Merry Christmas along with wishing you and yours a fantastic 2020 ….a year full of prosperity, good health and good luck 🙂

I wanted to mention something about lacquer finish while watching one of your videos, not sure if I did so excuse me if this is a duplicate!

I’ve been messing around with lacquer finishes for the last 2 years, its a good fast finish if done right.

I pretty much always use Deft Lacquer Sanding Sealer……if necessary you can apply multiple coats in 15 minutes, but it seals up the wood very good https://amzn.to/34Z1X5h I ususally thin the Deft Lacquer Sanding Sealer with anywhere between 10% and 25% Lacquer Thinner. It gets into the wood while stiffening the fibers and filling the pores ….thats why I put multiple coats on. I lightly sand either between coats or on final coat before the lacuer spray begins.

I use Deft Lacquer Spray with good results also. https://amzn.to/2Q1eQYw

However, I also have used Watco lacquer spray ….all the way from Matte at the bottom to Satin to High Gloss. https://amzn.to/2t2jRXz Buffing out any of these finishes produces outstanding results. All will give good depth of finish, the sheen or shine comes from the gloss factor. Its amazing but you can get a slight and deep gloss finish from a matte spray.

Depending on the wood you can build up multiple layers fast. However I found that you get the best results if you spray a coat, wet sand and then spray another coat….it takes time but the finish will be exquisite!

The real trick is to know how long to let it dry before you can turn it at slow speed on your lathe and use a soft cloth to buff it out. You can buff out a Satin finish to a nice gloss with good depth. The trick is to use a very soft cloth, small piece while trying to buff a spinning project on the lathe. Capn’ Eddie says to never use a rag or cloth on a spinning lathe project for obvious reasons, however, I found that an old sweat shirt inside out provides some very nice buffing surfaces that really brings out that sheen or shine. But please be careful because if you are working with a piece of burl, live edge or other irregular piece of wood the cloth can easily get caught and send you to the hospital!

The problem with buffing too soon is that you will burn through the finish. And…..if you try to buff it out on a buffing wheel you must take great care otherwise you will mar and burn through the lacquer finish. The most important variable for taking a lacquer sprayed piece to the buffing wheel is “how long has the finish dried?” I let it dry a couple of days before I attempt and if I have the time I let it dry for 30 days for I do any heavy duty buffing. I have a buffing motor/station and it might turn too fast …if you want to get into finishing lacquer seriously you might want to get one of those Beal buffing systems for your lathe. https://amzn.to/353wCOO

Hope you find this info useful …..I really enjoy watching your videos ….I haven’t gotten into too much resin/epoxy work so I am learning much from your efforts.

Again….Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 🙂

Turning a Vase From a Choke Cherry Crotch

I like turning vases …so I’m always looking for new techniques and methods for turning a vase.

In this video, you’ll find a cherry crotch piece being turning into a vase, the wood is kind of punky so he uses some CA and looks like he is also using some casting resin. He uses the resin to cast a foot and fill holes, cracks and some weak spots.

This is probably old news for you experienced turners, however, if you are new or learning the tricks of the trade for woodturning watch what tools he uses, pay attention to the type of cut whether scraping or slicing. That’s what I’ve done since I started wood turning…..just watched and payed attention to what an experienced wood-turner did …..how he did it and just tried to duplicate their efforts.

I can tell his tools are nice and sharp……something you need to do!

He has some unique methods of forming a mould for developing a unique bottom to the vase.

He reverse chucks the piece several times. I mean, he turns the piece around on the lathe by forming a tenon on the bottom, then shapes it, then he forms a tenon on the top and further shapes the piece until he decides what he needs to do to stabilize the vase and then hollow.

Some of you might think this is too much work. That’s OK, some turners will spend a ton of time on making a piece they are working on turn into a master piece …..some turners will give up and move on to the next project ……there is no right or wrong, however, you can learn from this video different techniques you can apply to save a piece and turn it into a work of art!

I thought it was a good video, project finished nicely …..imperfect but that is the medium we deal with, so all wood is imperfect.

He was using Watco Lacquer finish and kept commenting on the Satin look when he expected high gloss. First I recommend Watco Butcher Block Finish for your bowls . I use this Watco lacquer finish all the time its cheap and easy to use, pick it up on Amazon or I get it from Menards, there are 2 things you need to do when applying and finishing Watco Lacquer. Sand down to a very fine grit, minimum 1500, preferably wet sand it. Also, allow to dry at least 24 hours between coats ….I know that doesn’t work for those of you that are impatient. But, the finish is outstanding when you wait.

My favorite is Deft. I like all the Deft products ….especially the sanding sealer, if he used Deft sanding sealer he might have been able to eliminate the resin and acetone applications but you can try Deft Spray or buy it by the quart, thin it a little with lacquer thinner and apply while spinning on the lathe ….it does the same thing, it will set the punky wood and allow you to further sand it or cut it with your scraper or gouge. This is the Deft Lacquer spray . And for the Deft Sanding sealer, you can apply 5 coats in 10 minutes if you wanted, if you dilute it a little with lacquer thinner it will soak into the wood and do the same as in the video, that is, soak into the wood ….stiffen it and allow you to sand and further shape with your tools. I remember using this stuff in high-school 50 years ago and when watching a Capn’ Eddie video I was reminded of Deft …..once you smell it you will never forget it 🙂

Finally, after the last coat let it set up ….again 24 hours and buff it out while on the lathe if you can, if not, use a buffer wheel or drill attachment. Be careful go buff lightly otherwise you will burn the finish, that is, you create enough heat to melt the lacquer and create streaks.

I’ve found out that finishing is somewhat of an “art” each lacquer manufacturer will give you different results and it takes time to experiment with finishes. I’m only just beginning when it comes to finishes and how to apply. Capn Eddie preaches on sanding, I hate sanding ….but he is so dead on, you need to progress from the heavy grit down to the smallest, the more effort you put into sanding the better you project will turn out.

In this project there was a combination of resins, epoxy, CA and lacquer. It was interesting to watch and I thought the project turned out beautiful ….he can still buff it out, if he is careful, and is looking for that high gloss finish.

I hope you check out this video on how to turn a Choke Cherry Vase https://youtu.be/Kfg4kkkebfY

What Is Your Personal OB Shine Juice, Friction Polish “Secret Recipe”

What Is Your Personal
Shine Juice “Secret Recipe”

TheGlen OfDoom over at our woodturning facebook group asked the question What is your personal Shine juice “Secret Recipe”

==================
I can say from experience that the amount of shine that comes from OB Shine Juice comes from a couple of different factors.

#1 type of wood
#2 how well you have sanded the project, don’t expect a piece to look like glass if you only sanded to 220grit
#3 How well you apply the finish. You need to develop a technique that works for you. Too much pressure and burn will make it dull, not enough will also make it dull. You need to develop just enough heat to make all the components work together.
==================

I’m always fascinated with the different ways woodturners finish their wood-turning projects. In fact, I go through states, I try one formula for a couple months, then the next, then I’ll modify a formula and then I must might use pure mineral oil.

Your finish all depends on what you are going to use the project for and if it involves food. Theoretically if food is involved you need a food safe sealing and finish project. However, most will tell you that once any finish “cures” it is ‘food safe’. Not hard but cured, that could take 30 days or more.

Captain Eddie and OB Shine Juice

capn eddie shares ob shine juice formula — Capn’ Eddie on making ob shine juice and how to apply it

Joe Duncan
Eddie Castelin has a video on his youtube channel. Eddie’s finish is actually a friction polish of which there have been many variations of over the years. Capn’ Eddie makes it nice and simple.

I started playing around with Capn’ Eddie’s basic formula after I first got started. OB Shine Juice is my go to finish for wood handles and other utilitarian projects. I never seem to get a great shine, but I’m getting better and by altering some of the basics you might discover something best. But watch Capn’t Eddie, please support his channel and website!

This next video is from RickTurns (utube channel) he goes into great specifics for all you geeks that want to know exactly what is in it and how it works.

David Fafford
David Fafford 1/3 boiled linseed oil 1/3 shellac 1/3 denatured alcohol works for me

Allen Grim
Allen Grim OB shine juice isn’t exactly “secret”. See both previous comments.

Trisha Johnston
Trisha Johnston Man….I saw shine and thought it was something else🤦🤦🤣🤣🤣…got a little excited lol

Stephen Vete
Stephen Vete Nothing wrong with that!

William McNabb
William McNabb I know this is unrelated. But when I read ‘SHINE’ I think of this :-)https://youtu.be/j9FcMIYatmI
Manage
LOLO – Shine [OFFICIAL VIDEO]
YOUTUBE.COM
LOLO – Shine [OFFICIAL VIDEO]
LOLO – Shine [OFFICIAL VIDEO]

Nad Arn Have you dry to use mineral oil instead of linseed ?

Matthew Wilson
Matthew Wilson Nad Arn the problem is that mineral oil doesnt dry or cure at all but blo does which is one reason why it could be superior

Roger J Behnke
Roger J Behnke I haven’t tried it yet, but some people prefer tung oil instead of BLO in their Shine Juice. I’m going to give it a try when my current supply of Shine Juice is gone.

bowl finished in ob shine juice — Cedar Bowl Finished using Capn’ Eddies Ob Shine Juice

Andrew Vonderschmitt
Andrew Vonderschmitt Following

Paul L. Grimala
Paul L. Grimala If I give it to you it wont be a secret

Bob Ierien
Bob Ierien Depends on what I’m trying to make shiny. For a small piece that’s going to be handled a lot (like a pen), thin CA, usually with a coat or two of plastic polish on top. For a bigger piece that’s not going to be handled a lot, Myland’s High Build Fricti…See More

Ben Hall
Ben Hall Bob Ierien I make and use a
” wood butter ” 3 parts beeswax to 2 part mineral oil. I love this for my tools ( plane irons ect ) , old wooden hand planes and of course cutting boards. Other then that I like myland friction polish and or BLO and CA.

Bob Ierien
Bob Ierien Ben Hall I found a mineral oil/beeswax blend called Howard’s that I really like.

Bob Ierien
Bob Ierien I use it on spoons, cutting boards, bowls, pretty much anything that needs to be food safe.

Ben Hall
Ben Hall Bob Ierien I do the same. When I restore old plane irons or other tools I’ll rub this on thick and let sit overnight, then wipe clean. I have never had them rust after. This by far is one of my favorite rub on finish for utilitarian projects. I’ll have to check out the Howard’s finish.

Scott Parat
Write a reply…

Donn Lee
Donn Lee 60,30,10. I went to this formula and got better shine.

Al Furtado Uses His Own
Blend of Ob Shine Juice

Al Furtado is a user of ob shine juice — Al Furtado uses his own special blend of ob shine juice

Adam Hodges
Adam Hodges Following

Mark Phillips
Mark Phillips I like to do a full coat of just blo before shine juice applications. Brings out more deep color

Original OB Shinejuice Thread

You can check out the thread over at https://www.facebook.com/groups/woodturningbasics/permalink/752679928478512/

Make Your Own Polishing Wax For Wood Bowls and Other Turning Projects Like Yorkshire Grit

DIY Polishing Paste Like Yourshire Grit for Woodturning Projects

Earlier in my life I purchased everything I needed. I had the money to buy stuff and that’s what I did. Nowadays I have a need to make my own and I enjoy it immensely!

Woodturning provides plenty of opportunites to make your own woodturning stuff, tools, finishes, jigs and so on.

Wanted to Make My Own
Yorkshire Grit Polishing Paste

I’ve been wanting to make my own finishing wax/paste for wooden bowls. I’ve read and watched a handful of videos on how to make the sanding paste. It really didn’t seem to hard and others seem to get some awesome results with using these types of sanding and finishing pastes. Basically it is:

1. Beeswax
2. Mineral oil
3. Diatomaceous earth

Different Methods and Techniques to
Make the Polishing Wax

It seems that each formula has something a little different and in different amounts. Even the way they put the materials together are different. One guy boils, the next uses a microwave and the one I want to show you today uses a blender to heat and mix all materials together for a perfect finishing paste.

The approach that is followed in this video is using the vitamix blender or any blender to generate the heat to melt the wax instead of doing a double boiler. Really makes it fast and simple

I stumbled on a youtube video by Kim Tippin where she explains her method of making her own sanding paste in some detail. After watching her video you will have enough info to make your own sanding/finishing paste that will take your woodturning projects to the next level.

The nice part about using a sanding paste is that you can get a super fine finish that would be ready for a final finish of your choice ….or leave it as it is and just wipe some mineral oil on it when it starts to get dry.

This Sanding/Finishing approach is totally food safe.

At the end of the video I show you some of the better commercial sanding pastes, you might want to buy one just to see how similar yours is to something you buy off the market. In any case, enjoy the free information and make yourself some sanding/polishing paste.

I’ll give you a list of where you can purchase the materials needed to make the paste. Keep in mind, you can add essential oils to the mixture to make it your own special blend.

Kim Tippin Calls it DIY Fast Abrasive Paste

Her Recipe

32 OZ – Mineral Oil

8 OZ – Beeswax

8 OZ – Diatomaceous Earthfew drops of essential oil (optional)

Get all materials needed at the below links

BEEESWAX
https://www.amazon.com/Stakich-Pure-Y…

Diatomaceous Earth Food Grade
https://amzn.to/2YJNjzY

Mineral Oil
https://amzn.to/2GORaBu

And She Thanks:

Thank you, Daniel Vilarino, for sharing your recipe. I too have come across his method of making this sanding paste and can stand for his quality.
His link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zufgDTh3fis

Of course you could go out and get some Yorkshire grit 🙂

You might want to follow Daniel Vilarino ….he has some pretty good techniques and procedures to share when turning wood. Tell him I sent you 🙂

Tips on Applying Epoxy Resin to Your Woodturnings ….the Epoxy Process

Epoxy resin finishes are beautiful. However, it takes some time to learn how to use it. That means you will probably mess up one or more projects depending on what epoxy finish you use.

I stumbled onto a guy by the name of John Williams a while back who was using with good results epoxy resin finishes. He just came out with a video that shows how he applies epoxy finishes to his woodturnings. This is a really good video for anyone looking to get into using epoxy finishes.

I posted the below comments to our facebook group at http://www.facebook.com/groups/woodturningbasics ….if you haven’t joined you should consider it. Lots of good information shared with new woodturners and experienced woodturners alike.

=================================

Have any of you guys/gals worked with epoxy finishes?

If you have, you know how finicky they can be. How hard it is to get an even finish. How difficult it can be to get the bubbles out of it! ….and a variety of other problems when appling epoxy resin finishes.

epoxy drying jig by John Williams — John Williams created a drying jig, epoxy finish drying jig

I stumbled on a video a while back by John Williams. He was making coffee mugs or travel mugs and using epoxy for the interior and exterior finish. He showed how he slowly rotated the mug after it was finished, he promised to do a video showing how he created his turning jig ….but I never saw it and I don’t think he did the video because he moved on the bigger and better turnings!

It turns out….pun intended 🙂 ….that he is doing a lot of hollow forms, sinks and other turnings using epoxy for a finish on both inside and outside. Check out his EPOXY PROCESS video

Some good info in this video, he has a new turning jig …..but no instructions on how to build it ….but you can get a look at it and make one on your own if you are so inclined.

I definitely have this on my list of things to do because you can’t get a more high gloss and protective finish then an epoxy resin….. if you are interested this might be a place to start.

He uses an epoxy resin that I am not sure is food safe, if you need a food safe epoxy resin finish I have used this MAX CLEAR GRADE Epoxy Resin System – 48oz. Kit – Food Safe, FDA Compliant Coating, Crystal Clear, Stain Resistant, Countertop and Tabletop Coatings, Wood Coatings, Fiberglassing Resin https://amzn.to/2FkSz4j from Amazon….without all the fancy turning jigs, just need to apply multiple thin coats to prevent it from pooling. It finishes nicely and looks great on cups and bowls.

#woodturingbasicsEpoxyResins
#EpoxyResinsforwoodturning
#MaxCLR

Food Safe Wood Bowl Salad Bowl Finish by General for Woodturning Projects

Food Safe Wood Bowl
Salad Bowl Finish by General

If I’ve seen this addressed once, I’ve seen it commented on at least a hundred times, that is, “What is a food safe finish for wood bowls?”

I could make this article 10,000 words or more but I just want to comment on one finish I recently ran across called “Salad Bowl Finish” by General and you can get it at Rockler http://shrsl.com/k8bm for the best price ….around $18 for a quart, it’s $28 on Amazon and more at other online stores. If you go to the General website there is a store locator that might help you find the product locally. Click on General Finishes and you’ll find more specs regarding the food safe salad bowl finish.
…………………………….

OVERVIEW OF SALAD BOWL FINISH

Create a beautiful and safe finish on wooden bowls, cups, spoons, and countertops. Easy to apply – just wipe on with a soft clean rag. Achieves the sheen and resistance of a varnish. Dried film is non-toxic for food contact 72 hours after drying. Additional coats can be reapplied at any time if maintenance of item becomes necessary. Right from the label!

…………………………….

When I first started turning I discovered many turners talking about their work being for display only because of the finishes. I thought that was ashame, why couldn’t you use the beautiful wood bowl that you turned to display your evening’s dinner?

I purchased some butcher’s block finishes and they seemed to work out for salad bowls. But in reality I believe they were mostly mineral oil and some also contained beeswax. These finishes did not last too long but were functional and I felt safe using them with food.

If you’re making wood cups, you’ll want to find metal inserts ….wood simply won’t hold liquid very well. I even thought soup bowls would be cool, but finding a finish that won’t kill you eventually has been a challenge!

(Time out….had a couple of fishing lines out, gotta check em)

OK …I’m back.

So….why can’t I use polyurethane, shellac, CA or OB shine juice for a food safe finish?

I’m not sure you can’t!

Now this isn’t legal advice and I think that’s the whole issue with food safe finishes. It’s called cover your butt. No one wants to say use our finish for food vessels because it isn’t FDA approved.

Cap’n Eddie on
Food Safe Wood Turning Finishes

I think it was Cap’n Eddie who gave the best advice. He was commenting on “food safe finishes” and to sum it up basically he said that almost all finishes are food safe once they are cured. That is once the chemical process of the finish has completed and VOL’s are no longer being gassed off the finish is safe to use for food.

Now, I’m not telling you to use these finishes for food vessels but logically it makes sense. I would recommend that you use Salad Bowl Finish by General for all your wood salad bowls.

Cap’n Eddie said to use common sense, you’re not gonna want to use the wood bowl finished in lacquer to eat your spaghetti, think about it, your fork scrapes the bottom of the finish and you get a 1/2 teaspoon of lacquer by the time your done. Wood has its limitations!

Watch the Salad Bowl Finish being applied!

Salad Bowl Finish Comments

Here’s a few comments on Salad Bowl Finish from General

Comments from Rockler.com

Makes Excellent Finish
I have used this on 5 salad bowls and every one loves the finish.
I apply while the bowl is on the lathe spinning at a very low speed and leave is spinning until finish sets.
this avoids runs. I usually use 3 to 5 light coats.

Excellent
I have been overjoyed with this product, not only did I refinish the cutting boards I also refinished all wood type cooking utensils.

salad bowl finish
This finish is great to use. Cures to a hard surface and food safe. Brings out the beautiful grain in the material. Great finish.

Salad bowl finish
I used this product to seal and protect an end grain cutting board I made. I love this product and recommend it to anyone making cutting boards.

Ease to use
I’ve used this and it goes on like pure Tung oil, let it soak in and it hardens. Then you can sand it to smooth urethane like finish. If you read the MSDS sheets for this and their Toy finish they have the exact same things in the exact same proportions so I’m not sure what why they are labeled differently but they should both be “safe” for mouth exposure.

I like this finish.
I like this finish I put it on most of my bowls I turn. I do light coats with soft cloth for me works the best. I lightly sand with 4×0 steel wool and most of the time I buff final coat with a buffing system to a very nice high gloss.

Great finish
I use this for all my cutting boards that I make….a go to finish.

Finesse is success!!
The product is awesome for finishing end grain butcher blocks of all varieties of wood. I tried several different salad bowl finishes this hands down the best for my uncontrolled climate in Fl. The experience with Rockler has been to say Good is soft spoken they are pro’s from on spot packing to immediate shipping –I am a customer for life and have used them for several years now –Hats off to all the employees and staff–Thank you!!!

General Finish Salad Bowl Finish
Great product! Easy to use and exceptional finish. It is all I use now for my bowls.

Great product
I use this on my salad bowl turnings, it dries fast and lasts

Salad bowl finish
I have used this finish for at least 25 yrs. and have always been very satisfied with it. Have discovered that by using a piece of cloth to apply it, have had no problems with runs.

Fantastic
It looks great and came out with a very smooth finish.

Good stuff
I having been using General Finishes Salad bowl finish for a couple years now. Most of my bowls are pine. I wet sand the first coat with 320 grit to cover any lingering blemishes, then fine sand prior to another two or three coats. At least 12 hours between coats, more when its cold in the shop. I get a beautiful smooth final finish with a lot of depth.

SALAD BOWL FINISH
I’ve used this product for several rears with great results! I use a minimum of 3 coats, lightt sand in between on all my bowles, platters and hollow forms.

American Specialty Hardwoods rolling pin
This is a great product. I have been looking for a long time to replace polyurethane and finally found it.
Great high gloss finish.
INSERT PICS saladbowlfinish-Rockler-5.jpg saladbowlfinish-Rockler-6.jpg *******************

I made some bowls out of…
I made some bowls out of maple and walnut and was amazed at how this product brought out the beautiful grain of the wood once applied. I applied according to directions: four applications six hours apart “sanding” with 0000 steel wool in between applications. Then I let it “cure” for 72 hours. I’m very pleased with the result and will use it on all of my bowls and trays that I am making.

Many, many more testimonials at http://shrsl.com/k8bm **************
………………………………

From Amazon.com

Question:
How would this work on carved wooden spoons that are actually intended to be used regularly for serving food? I am concerned it will wear too quickly.

Answer:
I own 2 sawmills in Texas. We use even the smallest drop-offs making cutting boards ,or “cheese boards” & have found this finish to be extremely tough & durable with 2 coats once cured. Additional coats produces a slightly gloss finish. Stands up to daily rinses in hot soapy water. Hope that helps. Peppercreek Creations
By Capt DK on July 21, 2017

I use it to restore restaurant cutting boards used daily and not well cared for by staff. The finish is highly durable and an occasional re-coat maintains the luster.
By Steven W. Rust on July 21, 2017

It wears well– FDA approved I believe– also I have used it on cutting boards but no as a cutting surface a serving surface and has outstanding gloss –spoons should wear well–several coats making sure dry times– saturating deep in the grain of the wood.

By moemadebb481 on July 20, 2017
Never used on spoons but on cutting boards and after a year the finish is still good. Safe to use and should be great on anything used around food.
By Bjohns on July 20, 2017

More comments from Amazon.com

ByPeteon October 13, 2016
Verified Purchase
I really like the finish on my bowls after at least four coats of salad bowl finish they get a nice gloss to them you can just see the difference on them after each new layer put on. Very good finish and easy to put on

Great finish and easy to apply
ByMC NHon January 23, 2015
Verified Purchase
Great finish and easy to apply. I used multiple thin coats applied with a cloth to a large salad bowel and the results were excellent. It was best to let dry overnight before subsequent coats (also used 400 grit sanding between coats).

It is a good product for applications that come in contact with food …
Bought and used this a few times. It is a good product for applications that come in contact with food or food utensils.

Best I’ve used
Excellent product I have used this varnish many times for utensils to be used in food preparation and serving. It’s durability far exceeds any other I have used.

Easy to use and great results
BySalli & Geneon August 18, 2017
Verified Purchase
This is a great finish. There was a bit of a learning curve for me however. Not that the piece didn’t turn out ok but it required more coats than were necessary. I have learned to spend extra time with the first coat. Keep wiping it on when you see it has absorbed into the wood, primarily end grain. I just keep wiping more on until it stays wet evenly, then do a final wipe to even it out. Leave extra time for the first coat to dry, I do both sides the first time. I sand with 400 between coats and alternate sides, every 3 or 4 hours seems to work of me. If I see a spot that still soaks in I just apply more until all is wet then do a final wipe to even out just like with the first coat. Last coat gets 0000 steel wool instead of sanding. The more you put on the glossier it gets. Last coat is just a thin wipe.

INSERT PICS saladbowlfinish-1.jpg saladbowlfinish-2.jpg ***************

I am experimenting with using this as a sealer coat before using oil or wax. The second picture shows a comparison of 2 ELM bowls with 5 coats of SBQT on one ant the other with one coat SBQT/sanded with 400/and wax. The sanding removes all finish on the surface. Using Mahoney’s wax. Really like this result. I Think this is a great solution for an open grain wood where you do not want a gloss finish but also do not want just Walnut Oil and wax.

This is a very versatile and easy to apply finish that gives great results.

Woodturning Finish Using Stick Fast Thin Cyanoacrylate Adhesive 4-1/2 Ounce Bottle (CA Glue)

Stick Fast Thin Cyanoacrylate Adhesive 4-1/2 Ounce Bottle (CA Glue)

I used to wonder what CA finish was. I watched Cap’n Eddie do some CA finishes and the mystery was gone!

CA finish is basically just using superglue as a finish for your small wood turning products. CA, superglue or Cyanoacrylate Adhesive comes in thin to thick, it can be used for finishes, or fixing cracks or voids …even as a stablizer for soft wood.

You can find CA on Amazon or your local wood working store…. support these guys, I think the Cap’n sells it too….. www.eddiecastelin.com

You can learn a lot from Cap’n Eddie Castelin about wood turning, I sure did. He got me through all the basics, now I would like to pay him back by sending some traffic his way. I pay him back by asking people to visit his site, and to visit his youtube account https://www.youtube.com/user/capneddie for all he has done …. he served our country and taught me how to turn wood…..Making Shavings!

Purchase 4 or 16 ounce CA packages for your woodturning finishes!

I started off buying some CA or superglue from Harbor Freight and Menards. You get little tubes and if you don’t use the whole tube it goes bad fast! Do youself a favor and buy one of the 4 ounce or 16 ounce packages if you plan on using it for finishing some of your woodturning projects.

Testimonial on CA Finishes

I grabbed the below comment from Amazon about CA glue and CA finishes.

CA THIN
By Wayne Edgeworth on Aug 25, 2017

A great product for wood turning. Sets fast and holds strong. I have used this on several lathe projects that had small cracks and it has held strong. It is hard to sand once it sets up, but a light cut with a lathe knife or scraper will take care of that. It does have a strong odor, you may want to use a respirator or a fan. I’d recommend this product.
Safety warning: use in ventilated area, do not breath vapors, wear eye protection, do not get on skin or clothes, if you do get it on your skin just wash off with water. Be very careful because this stuff can get very hot and has a chance to spontaneously combust.

Check out some of the
finishes on these woodturnings!

CA Finishes using superglue or CA Finish using Stick Fast Thin Cyanoacrylate Adhesive

Here’s Cap’n Eddie on CA Finishes

You’ll see the Captain at work using CA for woodturing finishes, if you’re new at this you must be confused and wondering “what the heck is CA?” Well, CA is superglue or Cyanoacrylate Adhesive which turns out that it really is more than just glue, you can use it as a finish on wood that looks just awesome.

Please remember to use proper saftey practices when using this finish, use protection on your hands (gloves) and use a proper mask while adequately ventilating your workspace!

Epoxy Finish for Wood Turned Bowls

I always wondered about using an expoxy finish on my wood turning projects. Epoxy creates a hard glossy finish that is almost impervious to just about anything.

Check out the video that Simon made about using expoxy finish, he purchased a gallon of each ingredient for the epoxy ….he shoots video of his progress on a bowl he made.

Finishing A Wood Turned Bowl with CA Glue the Cap’n Eddie Way

Finishing A Wood Turned Bowl with CA glue the Cap’n Eddie Way

Before I start, I’m sure you know there are probably 100’s of ways to finish a bowl. Eddie talks about one method using CA glue, seems to be very popular and used by a lot of wood turners. However, the think to do is start a notebook with various finishing methods, experiment with differnet finishes for wood turners and then use the ones you like best. Sometimes a turned piece is just for show, then there are turned pieces that are funcional and you want them to be food safe.

Food Safe Finishes for
Wood Turning Projects

You can find all kinds of arguments and different thoughts on food safe finishes. One that makes the most sense to me is that after a certain period of time almost all finishes are food safe since they have cured or hardened and the food can no longer react to the finish.

I’ve used mineral oil since it is inert and any type of finish can be applied on top of it. Here is a list of finishes you can put on a cutting board, if it can be put on a cutting board then I’m sure it would be safe for anything you turn that comes in contact with food.

food safe finishes for wood turning projects — Mineral oil or wax for your wood turning projects are both safe for food contact

If You Can Put it On a Cutting Board ….Then Surely it Can Be Applied to a Wood Bowl

What finish to put on a cutting board?

Pure tung oil. Extracted from the nut of the china wood tree. …
Raw linseed oil. Pressed from flax seeds. …
Mineral oil. Although derived from petroleum, it is colorless, odorless, tasteless and entirely inert. …
Walnut oil. Pressed from the nuts of the walnut tree. …
Beeswax. The work of the honey bee. …
Carnauba wax. …
Shellac.

Food safe Finishes from Rockler.com

I suppose you can use just about anything to finish your woodturning projects, however, I prefer to find out what the old timers are using and have been using. Usually these guys try new things but they fail, every once in a while they find something that adds to their repertoire finishing solutions.

My Mentor and CA Glue Finishes
For Wood Turning Projects

As usual I turn to my mentor Cap’n Eddie Castelin from Big Guy Productions and you can find him at www.eddiecastelin.com.

I must be behind times. Most of my carpentry work came from home building and the standard finishes that apply to a new home. I never heard of someone apply CA glue (superglue) to their projects. But after seeing a few wood turners doing it, I became hooked! It’s easy to apply, might not be the cheapest but it is very forgiving and the finish product looks absolutely beautiful.

In this video I think Cap’n Eddie spends around a half an hour doing some sanding, applying the CA, buffing and a little more sanding and final coat of CA.

You should try his technique, make sure you do it on a spare piece you have laying around ….nothing ever comes out perfect the first time 🙂

If you watch his video you’ll find some of the below hints and highlights

first he applies 2 coats of sealer
next he cleans the spinning project with an CA accelerator first using paper towel
Eddie is very persistent in some things ….he just doesn’t want us to waste money, get hurt or ruin your project so he tells us to apply one coat of CA per application, even showing how to use a small piece of paper towl properly

Safety First…Ventilate Your
Work Area When Using the CA Finish

The cap’n advises us to make sure you have proper ventilation, I guess the CA vapors are not too good for you so keep your air system running, open some windows and doors ….keep that air moving….that is moving outside!

Finishing Points for Your
Wood Turning Project

Toward the end he shows his bowl with a beautiful fins and Eddie calculates it took 16 coats and then buff, then clean again (remember a coat is only a couple of drops of thin CA on a piece of paper towel)

At this point you need to consider the following:
-do you have some places you need more sanding on, decide if you can polish it out
He recommends sandpaper from:
-sandpaper from www.vinceswoodwonders.com
-to polish Eddie uses Meguiars PlastX
-doesn’t use a wax finish
-and please listen and watch his video because his throw out golden nuggets of information throughout his video ….I know I missed some so watch the video a couple of times until it soaks in and don’t forget to visit his website at www.eddiecastelin.com

Comments From
Other WoodTurner’s

Here are some comments I thought you might find interesting:

Hi Capt. There is another really good reason for using nitrile rather than latex gloves: I’ve worked for a long time in science laboratories where ‘latex sensitivity’ was a real problem for some staff, and latex gloves were banned. Nitrile is not so allergenic. Stick with the nitrile ever time, rather than promoting an allergic response to latex.

That is food safe, got to try this finish.

I will be doing a series of posts on finishing. I find it very interesting to see what other wood turners use to finish their projects, both those that come into contact with food and those that are merely for decoration.

Personally, I like to see my pieces used to store apples, used in the cooking process, maybe to stir soup or to roll out some pizza dough. So, I’ll keep looking and let you know what I find. But I really thought Cap’n Eddie has some of the best stuff with his OB Shine Juice and CA glue finishing.

Let me know if you have any secrets for finishing your wood turning projects! And remember, you can check out a variety of food safe finishes just click here!

Reuse Old Food/Condiment Bottles For All Your Woodturning Finishes

Use Big Plastic Bottles to Keep Paint Brushes Clean