Replies

1. 
   user-83153 | Apr 07, 2007 11:02pm | #1

   Wink,

    I have heard of this happening with lacquer before, but I didn't know it could happen with Watco. Aromatic cedar has a few chemicals that can cause a finish to plasticize. Limonene and bornyl acetate are two that are present only in freshly cut cedar. So if you can remove the tray or leave the lid open for a week or so these will dissipate.

    If you still have the problem it is most likely caused by 2-hydroxycamphene which is the chemical that gives cedar its smell. You can't and don't want to get rid of that without waiting years. Depending on what finish you are looking for you could use an alkyd-resin varnish, shellac or a waterborne acrylic to finish your tray. If you don't want to strip the existing finish I would try making a sample that is finished the same way as the tray was and seal that finish with shellac. Put your sample piece in the same conditions that caused the tray to plasticize and see what happens. I will bet that good old shellac will rescue another woodworker from a sticky [pun intended ;-)] situation.

                            Rob

1. 
   wink | Apr 12, 2007 03:30am | #3

   Thanks for the info -so well presented.  I'll use it to solve the problem

    

   Wink

2. 
   HowardAcheson | Apr 08, 2007 03:16am | #2

   There are two reasons you should never use an oil based finish on the inside of a cedar chest. One is that the cedar off-gas that produces the aroma also softens oil based finishes. The second is that oil based finishes off-gas themselve and the odor will permeate any cloth or clothing item. Either leave the interior of a cedar chest unfinished or use shellac or a waterborne finish.

   The only thing you can do now is to remove the tray and refinish it using one of the above finishes. Getting rid of the oil based odor is more difficult. You can try overcoating everyting on the inside with a dewaxed shellac. Work the finish along the edges of the cedar or you will lose the cedar smell.

   Howie.........
1. 
   wink | Apr 12, 2007 03:31am | #4

   Thanks for taking the time to reply with a thoughtful response to my quandry. 

   Wink