Replies

1. 
   SteveSchoene | Sep 01, 2009 03:34pm | #1

   Even if not directly involved with food preparation, everything in a kitchen is somewhat subject to acquiring--through the air mostly--a degree a grease and grime.   That leads me to a varnish finish, since spray finishing isn't on your menu.  Generally easiest to apply is a wipe on varnish, preferably one without polyurethane resin. 

   Waterlox Original/Sealer is formulated at a good viscosity to be used directly from the container, but is a little on the dark side, and it's phenolic resin is very tough but is a bit prone to yellowing.  Other choices would involve some "mixing", a complicated job of adding some paint thinner to varnish and stirring.  This opens up the use of several lighter colored varnishes that won't yellow as much over time because they are based around soya (soyean) oil with alkyd resin.  The Pratt & Lambert 38 and Cabot 8000 Varnish are in this category, but come needing some thinner for comfortable wiping.  The proportion isn't at all critical, though lots of people recommend equal parts thinner and varnish. 

   The wipe on varnish I've been describing will apply just like wipe on poly.  I prefer to avoid poly for a couple of reasons.  First, the poly is generally based around linseed oil, which falls into the relatively high yellowing catagory, and the poly resin make the varnish harder to rub out to an even sheen.  The abrasion advantage of poly isn't much needed on furniture or cabinetry applications.  Even without it oil based varnishes are quite tough. 

    

2. 
   Michael503 | Sep 01, 2009 03:35pm | #2

   2 of the biggest problems I've had in finishing involve my lack of experience, lack of finishing tools and a dust free environment. For cherry, I have settled on 1 coat of Minwax antique oil and 1 - 3 coats of Minwax gloss wipe on poly. I have not tried other "oils" since I have several cans of the antique stuff on hand, but they should work, you just need to let it dry longer before topcoating and you might need an additional coat of Poly. The antique oil, which is really a long wipe on varnish, penetrates and brings out the figure in the cherry and adds a warm color to it and seals the pores because it dries firm. The poly seals most of the odors in. For interior, definitely shellac. Zinssers seal coat, available at Lowes is 1 or 2 lb cut ultra blonde dewaxed shellac and it has a date on the can. Because it dries so fast, runs are not uncommon ... well, they are for me. I use a sharp card scraper that has not had the burr turned to cut these runs off and the little nibs that the finish raises before I sand or recoat or just do nothing, such as the inside of a drawer that gets only 1 coat. A card scraper gets all the way into the corners too, just go with the grain.
   The poly can be sanded with 600 grit and a soft block between coats using MS or naphtha as a lubricant and then scuffed to get rid of the gloss before waxing it, which evens out the gloss and makes you say oooooooh when you rub your fingers over it.
   If you want to see what this looks like on cherry, go here.

   https://www.finewoodworking.com/profile/Michael666

   -Michael
3. 
   nboucher | Sep 01, 2009 03:52pm | #3

   To add to Steve's recommendation, I wiped on thinned-down Pratt & Lambert 38 on a bathroom vanity I made last year, and it's a beautiful finish that has held up well to the usual water that's splashed around a bathroom. I used the gloss variety, built up the coats, let it cure, took down the gloss a bit with 0000 steel wool, then finished it off with a coat of wax. I think it would complement your project nicely.

   I didn't find the mix of P&L and mineral spirits very critical, but I tend to thin it more—roughly half and half—for the first few coats to get maximum penetration, then thin it less on the later coats.

   Norman

   
   

   ---

   Edited 9/1/2009 8:53 am ET by nboucher

1. 
   larry101 | Sep 02, 2009 02:44pm | #4

   I am always amazed at the depth and thoughtfulness of the reposnses I receive in this forum.

   I finished a walnut jewlery box with Watco wipe on poly.  I am not thrill with the quality of the finish.  I want a silky surface like a wax.  It is most likely that I did not finish the box correctly but I did follw the directions. 

   Question 1 - Should I lighty sand the box and try again?

   Question 2 (Original post) - Would a Watco danish oil and a paste wax finish do the job for my cherry cabinet? 

    

   As always I remain a Humble Newbie

1. 
   Gretchen | Sep 02, 2009 04:10pm | #5

   I think you just need to "finish the finish". Add some layers of wipe on varnish until it looks the way you want it to. It needs a topcoat. Give some thought to using a NON poly varnish wipeon.Gretchen