Saved the day

[John K Jordan]

My Lovely Bride bumped the glass lid of her favorite coarse salt container off the counter and it didn't survive. She was distressed since she uses this when cooking. I happen to strongly support her incredible cooking so this quick little project should pay big dividends!

Some years ago I had an Eastern Red Cedar log on the sawmill and uncovered this wonderful marbled figure. (This lid is end grain which best shows off the figure.) I was able to reuse the silicone rubber seal from the glass lid.



Now that I see what it looks like I want to try to find some more and break the glass lids! - should make nice gifts.

I used negative rake scrapers and a hand scraper to eliminate most of the sanding except for some 400 to 800 grit. Finish is beeswax melted into the wood with a small heat gun. If interested, I put some photos in this message.

[daryl moses]

Very nice John!! Looks great.
Eastern Red Cedar is fun to turn and sands so easily.
I was going to turn a cookie jar using ERC but was concerned about the Cedar "smell" contaminating the cookies.

[Reed Gray]

Hmm, I might have to visit my favorite bakery today. Close by, organic old school grains, and the cookie jars all have wood lids similar to yours John. The lids are done by the husband of one of the women who work there. Much better than glass.... Oops, starting to drool....

robo hippy

[John K Jordan]

Very nice John!! Looks great.
Eastern Red Cedar is fun to turn and sands so easily.
I was going to turn a cookie jar using ERC but was concerned about the Cedar "smell" contaminating the cookies.

Not too long after turning the cedar smell goes away. You could put a film finish on the inside. When I use lacquer on the outside of a cedar piece I can't smell the cedar.

BTW, for things where you WANT the cedar smell, you can buy a can of cedar oil and replenish it. Maybe good for cedar chests or something. However, from what I've read the "cedar wood keeps the moths away better than other woods" idea as been largely debunked.

JKJ

[George Troy Hurlburt]

Very good John, I would say you were motivated.

[Bill Jobe]

Nice work, John. Can a simple wax finish be used on anything and look that good. I'm thinking food safe bowls for the daughters.
I have a piece if red cedar around here someplace. Made a small bowl with it and I'm pretty sure I cut it from a larger piece.

[John K Jordan]

Nice work, John. Can a simple wax finish be used on anything and look that good. I'm thinking food safe bowls for the daughters.
I have a piece if red cedar around here someplace. Made a small bowl with it and I'm pretty sure I cut it from a larger piece.

I do beeswax finishes two ways, one soften the wax a little and rub it into the wood with a soft cloth. The other is this way, apply fairly heavily and melt it into the wood with a gentle heat gun. They give different looks. (There are actually some other ways I know, including mixing beeswax with something like oil and/or mineral spirits.)

The upper small platter in this photo is done by rubbing the wax on with a cloth. This doesn't change the color of the wood much. We've been using it for almost 4 years and it has held up fine - we use it for cookies and crackers, wipe with damp cloth.

penta_plates_comp_small.jpg bottom_IMG_4687.jpg

This bowl has beeswax put on the wood while spinning then rubbed with a cloth while spinning to buff a bit. This one is maybe 15 years old and still looks the same, however it's not in daily use. (My third real bowl, I think) I had a lot to learn but I did figure out how to get it smooth inside - that's when I started using curved-edge hand scrapers. Just say NO to power sanding.

cedar_bowl.jpg

This differently-shaped bowl has beeswax melted into the wood. I like the surface:
cedar_bowl_figured.jpg

I like the soft sheen of beeswax on wood compared to a glossy finish. Note that the color of wax on cedar may vary widely depending on the specific piece of wood and application. And I'm never concerned about food safeness of finishes. Unless you eat the bowl itself any reasonable finish will be safe after it cures (based on studies I've read). I think many people worry too much about nothing and some simply have a finishing product they would like to trade for some of your money. I finish based on the intended use and how I want it to look.

You can use any wax on bare wood, it just may not hold up as well and will not protect against moisture. I know people who like to use just Renaissance Wax.

JKJ

[David Delo]

Nice save John and some good info on the use of beeswax. I'm usually a Watco clear or walnut oil finish guy but have a good chunk of beeswax that I've been wanting to use on something. Think I'll try it as a final finish of a couple of my next pieces.

[robert baccus]

I found a copy of a 400?? year old finishing book by one of the Louis the 14th furniture builders. One of their favorite finishes was a beeswax/carnuba mix ( 1/3) thinned with pure gum turpentine to a soft paste wax. I've been using this for 30 years on some things. Can be glossey, spit shined, or semi to soft shine. The antique experts showed me that old furniture that old looks like new whearas finishes with resins and oils looks like 400 years old. Looks good over Watco and lacquer as well.

[Bill Jobe]

I'm going to have to give it a try on something. I did buy a can oh carnauba wax a while back but was only going to use it over a finish, not as a finish. That may change.

[Bill Jobe]

Gorgeous bowls, John.

[Rick Gibson]

Nice save John, I assume you did need at least 1 new tool in order to do that for her, right!

[John K Jordan]

Nice save John, I assume you did need at least 1 new tool in order to do that for her, right!

Thanks, but oh, no, you should see my shop - no room for more tools! I'll be better off with a pot roast, grilled salmon, or ravioli made from scratch. (This girl is a gourmet cook - twice we have traveled to Italy for cooking lessons.)

[Rick Gibson]

Then you definitely want to keep her happy. A great meal trumps a new turning tool any day.