[OP]
Member
I am carving a bread bowl for my wife out of box elder (some red flame) and it has lots of beetle holes. When finished, she will place a towel in it then place the bread/rolls and cover them.
Should I use shellac to seal the wood and holes before applying the final finish? She wants me to use wipe on poly.
Thanks in advance for suggestions, recommendations and/or advice.
Member
>>>> She wants me to use wipe on poly
Not a good idea. Oil based finishes off-gas as they dry and cure. The odor lasts almost forever and anything you put into the item will pick up and retain the odor.
Use shellac or a waterborne finish to minimize the off-gassing.
The best finish would be no finish at all.
Howie.........
[OP]
Member
Thank you Howie.
Contributor
Why not saturate it with mineral oil like you would a cutting board ?
[OP]
Member
I have heard that mineral oil never dries and you have to reapply later.
Contributor
Ray,
Check out General Finishes "Salad Bowl Finish". Like most GF stuff it is really easy to get right.
Contributor
Personally, I would use a combination of mineral oil and beeswax, like I use on most cutting boards.
Easy to apply, with decent durability and, of course, food safe.
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