Finishing basswood

[Phil Mueller]

Thought I'd ask here first, since I suspect some of you are quite familiar with basswood. From my finishing tests (watco, blo), it appears basswood can be splotchy...similar to cherry or pine...maybe it's just my sample. Anyway, how do carvers go about getting that nice, even color tone on basswood? Same as anything else...sealcoat or thinned shellac first?

Thanks for your input.
Phil

[John K Jordan]

Thought I'd ask here first, since I suspect some of you are quite familiar with basswood. From my finishing tests (watco, blo), it appears basswood can be splotchy...similar to cherry or pine...maybe it's just my sample. Anyway, how do carvers go about getting that nice, even color tone on basswood? Same as anything else...sealcoat or thinned shellac first?

Thanks for your input.
Phil

Phil,

Are you using Northern Basswood? When I started chip carving I found out how important that was. I had some southern basswood which was not good - I understand it grows too fast in the south. I ordered wide 4' long planks from 8/4 to 16/4 from http://www.heineckewood.com/ in Wisconsin, came UPS, extremely good wood. I cut all my carving wood from that.

I thin shellac based sanding sealer 50/50 with denatured alcohol and brush it on and dry before I carve, then again when done. I've then sprayed with lacquer with good results. Sorry, I do figure carving or much carving of animals and birds. Most of my chip carving is on woodturnings and pretty simple:

chip_carved_goblet_c.jpg chip_carved_ornaments3.jpg BOC_A_comp.jpg chip_mess.jpg

JKJ

[Phil Mueller]

Thanks John You do beautiful work. I'm not sure where the wood came from...I purchased it at Woodcraft just to start learning/practicing. Then I decided to use a piece of 8/4 basswood for the legs on a rustic table I'm building (the rest is Michigan white cedar), and started playing with finishing. Kind of figured thinned shellac would be the answer, but in the future will keep in mind you apply it before carving as well.
Good to know.

[Robert Engel]

Spray poly works well too.

Butter nut is also a nice wood to carve. Finishes a bit easier.

[John K Jordan]

...will keep in mind you apply it before carving as well.

To be clear, I don't know if it is typically applied before all carving or just chip carving.

JKJ

[Phil Mueller]

Thanks all. You've given me some good ideas to start testing. And thanks for the clarification, John.