Knowledge You Can Build On — Est. 1998
Finishing a large utilitarian bowl
David Galloway
>Thanks to many of you, I was able to successfully negotiate the finishing of the foot of a large salad bowl for my sister-in-law's Christmas present.
Now, I have done the due diligence of sanding and turn toward finishing the beast.
It is a beautiful piece of cherry, about 20" diameter with a traditional bowl shape. It will be used. What finishes would you recommend?
Thanks in advance,
David Galloway
Mineral Oil and Beeswax
steve antonucci
>All of my "eaters" get it- looks good, smells good, and is easy to reapply.
P.S. I don't sand them to 10000000 grit- 220 is about the best I'll use.
Re: Finishing a large utilitarian bowl
woodspinner/ Bill Hale
>You can also use walnut oil and beeswax. The mineral is a lot cheaper but the walnut gets a harder surface.
Walnut is my preference.
Good turning and be safe
Bill
Re: Finishing a large utilitarian bowl
Glenn Hodges
>I would vote for walnut oil.
Nashville, GA
Re: Finishing a large utilitarian bowl
Leo Van Der Loo
>Hi David
If it gets used it will get washed, so whatever you wipe on will come off again, for bowls like that I use sunflower seed salad oil, or olive oil, no use trying to put some expencive oil on that gets washed off the moment it gets kleened, the tought that the oil gets ransit does not bear out in my experience, I have a bottle of salad oil in my shop that's been in there for at least 6 years gets topped up when close to emty, I use it for wet sanding etc, it never got ransit, food companies probably make the stuff so that it will not go bad.
Have fun and take care
Leo V
Re: Finishing a large utilitarian bowl
MikeinCapeMay
>I agree. In the past I've used Behlen's salad bowl finish and also tung oil. Now, for salad bowls I use salad oil. It's getting washed after each use and during each use it's often getting a dose of oil from the end user. No complaints thus far.
I know a very well regarded turner/teacher here that has a salad bowl at his home that has no shop applied finish on it's interior, it relies on that applied during the salad making undertaken by his wife and daughters.
It's a salad bowl for daily use probably made in a shop, not a piece from a studio meant strictly for display in a gallery or on a shelf. ;^)
Good for spoons?
Tony - Memphis
>I didn't know that the walnut oil dried harder. I've been making some wooden spoons here and there out of scraps. I've been applying a finish from Lee Valley that is beeswax and mineral oil. Of course it doesn't last long, but initially, it sure is pretty. Especially on cherry - it really glows. So, would the walnut oil last a washing or two?
Thanks,
Tony
