I need some advice on a finsh that can be used for ashtrays. I'm a cigar smoker and want to make an ashtray out of a nice small burl that I have. I know that I have seen wood ones in the stores and magazines but I have no idea what finish is on them. Any help would be appreciated.
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Finish Sugestions Wanted
- Thread starter Bryant
- Start date
Can't think of any normal finish that could resist this sort of treatment for any length of time. This is probably ignored by the folks selling them in stores. I'd suggest getting an ordinary round glass ash tray, and turning your work to mate with it as an insert. You can get a substantially perfect fit by "blueprinting." With the work on the lathe, but stationary, rub the bottom of the insert with a crayon (doesn't have to be blue, actualy), and press it against the wood workpiece to transfer the color to the wood. Cut or sand away the colored part. Repeat as needed.
JG
JG
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I used to know a turner who made ashtrays to go with his high end humidors. I believe he just used spray lacquer. As much as I understand about cigars, they should not be stamped out in an ashtray. The ashes should just be knocked off. So if that is done heat should not be a big problem. If you make these to sell include instructions for its proper use and it should work. For the edges where the cigar would rest he formed fairly thick pieces of brass. So if the cigar burned down, no fire......
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I have heard, that sodium silicate (water glass) protect the wood from catching fire. But I have no personal experience with that stuff. Try wiki to find some more information about it.
Rainer
Rainer
Steve Worcester
Admin Emeritus
(Come on over, we'll have a smoke together).
I don't know of any finish that is going to take the heat. Even when the ask hits, by itself, it is real hot. I have made a few wood holders for crystal ashtrays, but people seem to leave them outside all the time, so they get trashed.
If you know a glass person, they could easily make an insert for a wooden tray you make.
I don't know of any finish that is going to take the heat. Even when the ask hits, by itself, it is real hot. I have made a few wood holders for crystal ashtrays, but people seem to leave them outside all the time, so they get trashed.
If you know a glass person, they could easily make an insert for a wooden tray you make.
Re sodium silicate (water glass): My grandfather was a commercial printer. Died a few years before I came along, so reported by my late Dad. Gramps printed embossed lettering (before era of thermographic ink) by taking an impression of the type in plaster of Paris, then coated the plaster with water glass to harden it. Put that on the platen (?) of the printing press to mate with the type. Not sure how this worked - printing should have been indented instead of raised; maybe Dad had haywire understanding.
I think the water glass just soaked into the plaster, cuz otherwise detail would have been lost. I suspect there's a limit to how deep it could soak in, and likely a different limit for soaking into wood.
Anyway, it occurs to me that this might make an interesting alternate to CA for a final finish, even without need for fire resistance. Been a long long time since I handled water glass (old Gilbert chemistry set), but IIRC drying time was more generous than CA so could avoid boundary problems with CA. I expect it would be brittle. Need to experiment.
JG
I think the water glass just soaked into the plaster, cuz otherwise detail would have been lost. I suspect there's a limit to how deep it could soak in, and likely a different limit for soaking into wood.
Anyway, it occurs to me that this might make an interesting alternate to CA for a final finish, even without need for fire resistance. Been a long long time since I handled water glass (old Gilbert chemistry set), but IIRC drying time was more generous than CA so could avoid boundary problems with CA. I expect it would be brittle. Need to experiment.
JG
Well, Rainer, you've opened a barrel of snakes. (Large version of "can of worms"). And I'm opening it wider. In accordance with NASA motto "Search before research," I poked around for info on wood vs. sodium silicate.
Significant findings so far:
Article on "instant" petrified wood: http://www.answersingenesis.org/creation/v17/i4/wood.asp
cites US Patent Number 4,612,050 (1986). Haven't checked that yet. Suggests >= 5mm penetration feasible.
New pressure treatment, expect to hit widespread market >= 2007. Cites usage on violins 300 years old.
http://www.woodworking.com/article_archive.cfm?section=5&article=1823
Who knows where this will lead? Temporarily suspended, because predicted dry weather in Tallahassee demands working on some outdoor projects. When can I get back to turning?!?!
JG
Significant findings so far:
Article on "instant" petrified wood: http://www.answersingenesis.org/creation/v17/i4/wood.asp
cites US Patent Number 4,612,050 (1986). Haven't checked that yet. Suggests >= 5mm penetration feasible.
New pressure treatment, expect to hit widespread market >= 2007. Cites usage on violins 300 years old.
http://www.woodworking.com/article_archive.cfm?section=5&article=1823
Who knows where this will lead? Temporarily suspended, because predicted dry weather in Tallahassee demands working on some outdoor projects. When can I get back to turning?!?!
JG
I would tend to agree with placing a glass tray inside of a hollowed out area. If you go to all of the work of turning it, and emphasize the beauty of the piece of wood; you don't want to hide it or burn it. I quit smoking 32 years ago, but I do remember that at that time there were soft colored ash trays that would give eome interesting enhancements to your wood. You also want to post the finished project so that we might all be able to admire it.