What Finish Do You Use For Bocote?

Dave Sweeney

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109
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WI
Mr wife likes to make scroll saw boxes. We just picked up a very nice piece of Bocote that she intends to turn into a few of these boxes. Neither one of us has ever worked with this wood before so we are looking for some ideas on what type of finish to use. Any suggestions will be appreciated. TIA.
 
Thanks for the tip on the antique oil Chuck. I googled it and all I could come up with was the MinWax stuff. Is that what you're using?

As far as pictures go, sorry but I don't have the equipment or know how to post them. My wife isn't signed up here for a very simple reason. According to her, if she has any kind of questions about these sorts of things she just assigns me the job of doing the research for her.:type:
 
Third we use antique oil on the hair forks KaLea makes out of Bocote

Fibberpants.... I haven't made a Bocote hairfork yet.... although when I do I probably will use the antique oil unless someone has a better idea.
And yes Dave we use the Minwax kind (I had to go out to the shop and look ;) )
 
Thanks Frank, how far up the grit ladder do you go when sanding it?

Truth is, I don't care for turning Bocote and that was a long time ago. Call it my 'pre-Micro Mesh' era. So, I would have gone only to 400 grit. Up to 320 with Klingspore Gold then to 400 with the white stuff that looks like Brillo pad. Might have finished with wool blanket, I like using that, gives a nice buff.
With MM, I would go all the way to 12,000 MM or about 4,000 equivalent. But haven't done that. Works fine with wood like Cocobolo, which I like.
Who doesn't? ;)
 
Antique oil is simply an oil(BLO) varnish(polyurethane,alkd resin) mix thinned with mineral spirits, like most of the oil-varnish mixes its very easy to make and easy to tweak the mixture.

Regards

Jerry
 
Antique oil is simply an oil(BLO) varnish(polyurethane,alkd resin) mix thinned with mineral spirits, like most of the oil-varnish mixes its very easy to make and easy to tweak the mixture.

Regards

Jerry

Good to know as I already have a mixture of that made up.
 
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