After making a simple white oak serving tray, I intend to finish w/ GF Salad Bowl finish. As wood workers, and our wives will attest, we are plagued by making things more complicated. The finish when applied by itself lacks the depth and character that I would like to replicate. I would like to use GF Vandyke Brown waterbased glaze (a partial can of which I have on hand), to accentuate the grain of the white oak. The tray hasbenn handplaned, scraped, and finish sanded w/ 360 grit. The following sample boards have been given the same treatment.
one- salad bowl finish on wood
two-glaze on sanded wood w/ the first of several coats of salad bowl finish
three-glaze over a sealer coat of salad bowl finish
The salad bowl finish recommends a minimum of three coats, but I intend to apply at least 5-7. (again making things more complicated)
Does anyone have any advice, or would anyone like to take bets on my success. Christmas is only ten days away.
Thanks
Dan
Replies
Is this a decorative tray or do you intend to use it as a serving dish? The reason for the question is that waterbased dyes and stains do not last with with frequent washing with household cleaners. Salad Bowl Finish (oil/varnish) is not very protective of underlying finishes.
Also, be careful with using more coats than recommended of the Salad Bowl Finish. It's an oil/varnish mixture and too many coats just builds to a soft, gummy finish.
Yes it is intended to be used as a serving tray for dry foods. I will reccomend to my mother in-law that she only wipe it down with a damp cloth to clean. After more coats on my sample boards, I've decided to stick with the sald bowl finsh alone. After three coats I'll see how the finish has built, and make a judgement call then. In retrospect, it may have been best to seal the piece with shellac, then glaze, then seal, then sand again, then begin with the varnish. I suspect this would leave only glaze in the pours and recessed grain.
my intention from the begginning was to replicate a catologue item, which was a serving tray made from the top of a used wine barrel. The oak had the rich patina one might expect to find on a used wine barrel. This is what I wanted to mimmic with the glaze. The Vandyke brown was too brown anyway, I would have needed something with a redder tone, something that looks like 30 year old burgandy.
On my next attempt I may try the glaze. I'll post a picture of this one when complete.
Thanks for the help guys. Please respond with any final thoughts
Dan
Does anyone have any advice, or would anyone like to take bets on my success. Christmas is only ten days away.
If your project is PERFECT.. Find a local Glass Blower that will make a insert for your wood!.. He/She may want an exact one for a mold!
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