• It's time to cast your vote in the January 2025 Turning Challenge. (click here for details)
  • Conversations are now Direct Messages (click here for details)
  • Congratulations to Alan Weinberg for "Elm Burl Bowl" being selected as Turning of the Week for January 27, 2025 (click here for details)
  • Welcome new registering member. Your username must be your real First and Last name (for example: John Doe). "Screen names" and "handles" are not allowed and your registration will be deleted if you don't use your real name. Also, do not use all caps nor all lower case.

Best finish for Box Elder?

D

Dennis Weiner

Joined
Jan 3, 2012
Messages
460
Likes
387
Location
New City, NY
Copy of vase20180821_110158.jpg This is my first box elder piece. It’s a vase 12” deep.
Anybody who has worked with this wood care to share their thoughts
What kind of finish would enhance its natural beauty?
What if anything can be used to maintain its natural colors over time.
 
The colors will fade.
There are some UV protecting clear finishes.
I prefer a non-glossy or matte finish. Some spray art finishes are almost unnoticeable, but protect from fingerprints and some UV.
Some Urethane spar varnishes are advertised to be non yellowing.
They are usually shiny, which some folks like.
I would avoid oil finish, they tend to yellow.

Keeping the piece out of direct sunlight, and even a bright room will keep the color longer.
Some well known turners have been known to air brush in come red to save the color.
 
The type of bleach needed is a two part bleach that consists of hydrogen peroxide and sodium hydroxide. This bleach can be found at most big box stores. Look for bleach that is labeled 2 Part Wood Bleach ... one brand is Zinsser.

For a finish I would recommend acrylic lacquer because it is water clear. Nitrocellulose lacquer will impart a slight yellow tint.All varnishes contain oil which will create more yellowing. I used a CA finish on a FBE vase several years ago, but it has faded to about half of the original red. It is in a room that has low lighting and no sunlight. While you could use dye, it is very difficult to make it look natural.

When you turn FBE knowing that the red color will fade, don't make the color the main feature.
 
I ran a test on a bunch of UV finishes on Cherry, Padauk, Box Elder and Osage Orange. Non of them worked when the subjects were subjected to direct light. I'm talking just 3 days worth of summer light. Spar Varnish worked for just a little longer but that's such an ugly finish no one would use it. I'm doing a test right now with 2 pieces on my workbench. One has one side down and never sees the light. The piece is flipped every time I walk by. They never get direct sun but only fairly strong light from the windows in the afternoon. This has been going on for a year now and the piece that is uncovered is just barely starting to lose some color. Neither piece has finish. I have used all sorts of finish and all work to slow down the fading. Bleaching does not make the red brighter but it actually appears that way because the wood beside it is whiter and creates more contrast. So use any finish you are comfortable with and just keep the piece out of direct light. The only thing I have found that works is what Binh Pho recommended. color the red with the same color of light fast dyes using an air brush. It's not that hard to do and works incredibly well.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top