Problems with BLO??

[David Hoefler]

Greetings,

It has been some time since my last post. Too much else going on. Had to rearrange everything in the garage after buying myself a new Miata for my 70th birthday. Anyway, it’s good to be back to Sawmill Creek and doing some turning again.

A recent minor remodel resulted in several well seasoned redwood 6x6 posts from which I’ve cut blanks. I’ve been experimenting with what I am calling “short and fat pots”. Just for fun and decoration.

Now I am trying to figure out how to best finish them. My searches in the wood turners forum resulted in some good info but I still have questions. One post mentioned the problems with using BLO but not what they might be.

On a couple of turnings I’ve applied a couple of coats of a mix of BLO and MS, about 20% MS. The “pots” soaked up the mix and the result was pleasing. It also seemed to cure quickly in the sun. My next step is to try bee’s wax on one and Johnson’s furniture wax on the other.

Any comments, suggestions, cautions, links to methods, etc?

[Paul Engle]

My experience with red wood was it kept suckin up the finish till it fianlly stoped at about 8 coats....and I did no' see any pics of the Miata ..... and congrats on your 70th ...

[David Hoefler]

I'll post pics of the Miata, and the "pots", as soon as I figure out the rules. So far, two applications of thinned BLO and still going.

[Burt Alcantara]

David,
BLO does not dry hard. It will darken wood. However, it will bring out the grain. This is how I use it.

You can also try the blo straight. I usually drip it on with the lathe running in reverse catching it with a paper towel. I rub the paper towel until it gets hot. I follow this with SealCoat, applied the same way. This is frictioned into the piece until the towel gets hot and gets a hard coating on it.

Let this setup for a week then apply any hard film finish if you prefer. I use a water based varnish.

Check out the finishing forum as there are a lot of "recipes" floating around.

Burt

[Jim Becker]

BLO and wax is a classic and timeless finish for decorative items as well as something common on some furniture in the past. (and present if you buy from Thos Moser) I never thin the BLO, however...but have heated it to about 130º F to make it flow and soak in better on some projects.

[lynn smith]

What is BLO?
Thanks

[Ron Jones near Indy]

That's Boiled Linseed Oil.

[David Wilhelm]

I will thin BLO to wet sand, and i have a soak that I use that is 50/50 with 1/8 iol varn. When I'm just applying BLO I use a gray scotch pad that i keep in a zip lock bag for open grain and tight grains I will fold up polly batton and wrap one end with tap the size i want it.

[Ron McKinley]

Any oil finish will darken redwood. Spray lacquer is about the best finish I've found for redwood.......Ron