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Expensive finishing materials.....substitutes ???

D

Doug Rasmussen

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Woodcraft has all sorts of finishing materials. Most seem to me as overly expensive considering the quantities.

A Woodcraft clerk recommended Renaissance wax as the special magic for the look I want. 30 bucks for a small container which the clerk said would go a long way. It smelled like plain old Johnsons Paste wax, but white in color instead of yellowish.

A visit to Rockler yielded similar results. They recommend another wax type product supposedly having its own magical properties at an even greater cost to volume ratio.

I understand these are relatively low volume products with the usual costs related to distribution, packaging, etc, etc without the benefits of high sales volume like major brand products you find at Home Depot and Lowes.

Anyway, have you folks found common substitutes that work well for a buffed wax finish?
 
Doug,

I use the Renaissance wax on my turnings that have a semi gloss or gloss finish. It does a great job keeping fingerprints off. That little jar goes a long way, I've had mine for over a year and have used less than 20%. You need very little on your rag. It works well over danish oil and wax finished. I do not use it on anything that would be considered a utilitarian piece though.
 
I've used Johnson's paste wax for 30 years. I tried some of the expensive brands. Either didn't like them or thought they didn't improve anything over the Johnson's paste wax and they were expensive. I actually don't use wax on most of my products anymore. As a last step I often buff with the Bealle buffing system and skip the Carnauba wax. I do use Mike Mahoney's wax as a finial finish over his Walnut oil. If I use wax on a product it's purely to make it feel diffferent for the customer. The look isn't any different and the protection difference is probably minimal depending on what finish I use.
 
Like Damon I use renaissance and the can I have is down about half in maybe 5 years. I tried other waxes before getting this and like you balked at the price, but the results and cost per piece are offset. You will not regret it when you try, and yes it does prevent fingerprints.
 
I'm ambivalent about wax, but echo the small amount of Ren Wax needed per piece. It's like a dab half the size of a dime, and not as thick, for a small bowl or a whole box.
 
You might want to look at Chestnut Microcrystalline Wax which costs about $20 for an 8 ounce can. While Johnson's Paste Wax is what I usually use, I use Chestnut wax on pieces that are meant to be handled. The main difference is that the Chestnut wax seems harder and doesn't show fingerprints as readily.
 
I've been using Kiwi neutral shoe polish in place of the renaissance wax. Performs just the same and much cheaper and readily available at your local store.
 
Do you turn production items? As mentioned, a can of Renaissance wax could last a decade. It would last me a lifetime, (wait I'm 66, that could be a decade) I hardly ever put wax on anything.
 
Renn wax is nice because it does not yellow over time like some of the other floor waxes.
Butchers Bowling Alley wax is also a paste that hardens nicely and does not cost too much.
 
I don't use wax on my pieces and have never had fingerprint problems that I know of. You would think on screw lid boxes especially that fingerprints would show up but they don't. Most of my boxes have been finished with either lacquer or miniwax wipe on poly.
 
When I started turning, Oh 60 years ago, yes it is that long ago :eek:, anyway I got myself the bottom ends of Bees wax candles, a hunting friend of my Dad that looked after the stuff of the church, they normally shipped those back to the candle makers where it was used again, the price was right for me :)

I would rub the wax against the turning at high speed and hold a rag against it at the same time, pressing the rag hard it would get pretty hot and the wax would melt and go right into the wood, I then take away the wax and keep rubbing the turning till all the excess was in the rag, it brought out the color and smells good, best I could do in those days.

I still have a few of the turnings I made in that time, there never was a problem with stickiness or fingerprints showing on them.

Teak platter from the sixties.jpg
 
Leo, that is good information. Wonder how wood was finished before we had all these newfangled finishes?
So, Leo, you started turning when you were three years old?
 
John Torchick said:
Leo, that is good information. Wonder how wood was finished before we had all these newfangled finishes?
So, Leo, you started turning when you were three years old?
Click to expand...

Hé Thanks John, as I say the older I get the better I used to be, but sorry not that good that I was turning when 3 years old :D, just 15 or 16 years old, being 76 now that makes for a long time of having fun turning wood, and I still do :)

Honey was used a long time ago already, I’d bet they had uses for the wax it came packed in o_O
 
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