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couple more questions

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allen levine

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I know I can search the internet, but then theres 5000 different answers from 5000 different people.

so Ill ask here, save me some time.

2 questions currently.

first, sanding out different species wood, is there a better way to sand out inside and outside of bowls? do most here use small orbital sanders, like 2 inch?

second, I want to purchase one type of finish for bowls and plates, and for anything I turn besides pens that I just want a shiny finish on. What do you recommend?
I want something easy to apply, simple rub on.

My adaptor came this afternoon, so I finished off this shallow bowl. I like the grain in this wood, and Id like it to pop hard when I apply finish.
This is first coat, I used what I had, some Danish oil.
I think this is striped/ribboned sapele?

to my flat worker friends, I see the reason people slide into this deep dark hole they call woodturning.
The instant(compared to flat work) gratification is wonderful when you can turn out a piece in a few hours.
I stopped the cabinet work today so I could turn. Im really running out of space. Im sorry I redid the extra bedroom and gave it to my wife for her "alone room", her quilting room. I wish I had that room now for my lathe. Id be a turning fool.

this bowl I made from the firewood pile, its nothing , but it was oodles of fun. didn't have to break my back lifting and dissecting sheets, wasn't standing over a tablesaw all day, or planing all day.

I glued up a bunch of strips this morning, gonna attempt to make a square bowl Thursday or Friday. 10-11 inchs width.
 

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allen levine said:
this bowl I made from the firewood pile, its nothing , but it was oodles of fun. didn't have to break my back lifting and dissecting sheets, wasn't standing over a tablesaw all day, or planing all day.
Click to expand...

imho its a really nice little bowl! Great shape, nice curves and darn pretty for having come out of the firewood pile.

The closest I've come to a simple wipe on film finish is Genera llWTF (Wood Turners Finish) which is a waterborn poly. I've only used the "water clear" - which really is water clear so if you want grain pop its not going to give it to you. I've put it on some bowls after giving them an oil coat (and letting dry for a week or two, the white english walnut I accidentally suntanned with walnut oil and then topped with wtf turned out really gorgeous). It claims to have an "amber" tone but its really really light so test pieces to decide where it works.

For quick a quick wipe of oil (mostly use walnut; not to much and friction polish it a bit causes it to cure some on the lathe), wet sanded and then wax and buff also does a pretty good job for some simple pieces.
 
Ryan Mooney said:
...For quick a quick wipe of oil (mostly use walnut; not to much and friction polish it a bit causes it to cure some on the lathe), wet sanded and then wax and buff also does a pretty good job for some simple pieces.
Click to expand...

I use walnut oil on all my utility pieces....either Mahoney's Utility Finish from Woodcraft or Doctors Woodshop Walnut Finishing Oil and Wax.

For sanding, consider some sort of right angle drill like this one from HF
http://www.harborfreight.com/3-8-eighth-inch-close-quarters-drill-with-keyless-chuck-95877.html
I use sanding discs and pads from Vince in both 2 and 3"
http://vinceswoodnwonders.com/blue-flex-discs/
 
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I use a 3" ROS with a 1" pad. Grits from 80 to 800
Different finishes create different effects and are for different purposes. You may want to broaden your horizons a bit...the "one size fits all" thing usually doesn't work, unless you want to try aluminum foil or Tupperware...one size is all you need!
If the bowl is that bad...send it over here. I have a home for wayward wood turnings, mainly my own!
 
That is a very comfortable little bowl. It could "belong" in many types of interior design. You would never get tired of it AND the wood is beautiful!!!

Sure wish I had that kind of trash pile.

Enjoy,
JimB

I use Seal Coat a lot. It goes on easy. If you goof it repairs very easily. If it gets scratched or scuffed 20 years from now, it will still repair very easily. You can get it in clear or a light amber. You can color it with many of the dyes or stains (think Transtint) used for other purposes. It can be glossy or "egg shell" or satin and anyplace between. You can second coat it in 45 minutes. There is no need to sand between coats because the next coat chemically blends into the previous coat. It is food safe. It is used to coat many candies (think M&M type) and is used to coat many pills.

Unless a spilled alcoholic drink is wiped up immediately the surface will be changed. The good news is that wiping with DNA will repair the surface instantly plus drying time; that is about 20 minutes. It can be handled in 20 minutes, will take the next coat in 45 minutes.

When I made my last steady rest for the lathe I finished it with Seal Coat. I was using the steady rest on the lathe an hour later---even though the finish would be harder the next day.
 
Allen,
That is a simply beautiful bowl-very well done. As for finish I think you did just fine as it is. All I ever use is Bush Oil-a kind of Danish oil. Pops grain like crazy-just like your bowl. Wipe on, let it soak, wipe more on, wipe it off, let it dry-DONE. You can add more coats to get a little more shine, or you can power buff it too. Food safe when cured. Super easy, fast and beautiful. I use it on bowls, platters, pepper mills, hollow forms, etc. No need for a film coating either.
 
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