Mesquite Vessel Finishing Question

[Dan Mosley]

I finished a large vessel that was turned out of mesquite. I used a few coats of Danish oil, let it sit for a couple weeks and buffed with 3 buff method. However, I didnt like the way the finish turned out so i wiped it down with MS, let dry and hand rubbed it down with 00 and 0000 steel wool.
The picture below is the bowl now its its rework state and im wondering what would be a better way to finish this vessel. Notice the white in the fnish which im sure will go away with whatever i put on it.. .....Thoughts ????

In the future im thinking that a better way may be to use 50/50 laquer/laquer thinner for several coats to fill in the grain then top finish with Satin/Semi/Gloss laquer, let sit for week or so then try the buffing ....Any thoughts on the best way to finish Mesquite....????

 

[Bob Edwards]

Mesquite finish

Dan a lot depends on just what sort of finish you want. A soft, flat oil or a high gloss lacqure. The white will be effected by the finish but only slightly. It's difficult from the photo but the black coloring in the white appears to be the result of using the steel wool. That won't go away with a finish, only sanding. I like gloss lacqure and use the procedure you suggest, and I never use wax on top of lacqure.
To get a better answer let us know what you are shooting for.

BTW it's a nice looking form!!

 

[fgvanatta]

I turn a lot of Mesquite and I use one of three methods:

1) Three or more coats of shellac sanding w/600 grit in between;

2) Same as above with an initial coat of oil wiped on and then off to pop the grain (amazingly, this can even be done between coats of shellac);

3) One coat of mineral oil, wiped off, then one coat of shellac, then on to buffing w/Tripoli, White Diamond, Carnuba wax.

All methods produce about the same finish, although the oil treatment seems to bring down the gloss and deepen the finish a little.

I use Zinsser's Seal Coat for shellac, usually cut 50/50 with alcohol.

 

[Gary Chapman]

Dan,
I use many coats of 50% thinned semi-gloss poly rubbing down each coat with 400 grit. You can put on 2 coats a day by thinning it. After many and I say many coats I go through the buffing system and I love the glow you get. It makes a hard finish so it is tough and will take a lot of wear.
I have used lacquer many times but if you brush it it drys to fast leaving marks and spraying really smells up the place.
Anothere finish I use is loading it down with boiled linseed oil and then coating it with beeswax while its on the lathe. A really soft finish asbut not as tough.
I have never turned mesquite so I don't know if sealing it is important or not.Gary

 

[Bill Boehme]

I have used many different types of finishes on mesquite, but have settled on using either pure tung oil (Old Masters -- rather expensive) or pure walnut oil (found in grocery stores near salad oils -- not expensive).

Next down on my list for mesquite finishes is lacquer, but only if I want some gloss.

Danish oil is nothing more than thinned linseed oil with a bit of varnish. I sometimes use the various colored Danish Oil finishes as a stain in flat woodworking. It is very useful in matching existing stains in interior woodwork. However, I have never used it as a final finish because it just looks like a stained, but unfinished piece of wood.

BTW, mineral spirits is not going to remove any oil finish that has already dried. It is not readily soluble in MS. You could try some of the nasty stuff like MEK, but do it outdoors and with plenty of protective gear.

As Bob mentioned, the white haze will not go away by applying a film finish. You could remount it on the lathe and turn or sand down to clean wood.

 

[fgvanatta]

I think the white he is referring to is the portion of the cambium layer left on the piece. He wants it to stay white; that's more or less its natural color (some of the mesquite I get has a slight green tint on this layer when wet and a slight yellow tint when dry, and some is almost pure white - well, beige).

 

[Bill Boehme]

I think the white he is referring to is the portion of the cambium layer left on the piece. He wants it to stay white; that's more or less its natural color (some of the mesquite I get has a slight green tint on this layer when wet and a slight yellow tint when dry, and some is almost pure white - well, beige).

I took the white to mean the sanding dust in the pores of the wood. If that is the case, a wash with MS and compressed air (not at the same time) could help. The sapwood in mesquite is normally very bright yellow when green, but can gradually turn to a very pale yellow. It would not be the cambium which is the very thin living part of the tree where growth takes place (typically 1/16 inch or less) and is right under the bark. It is usually a medium tan after the wood is thoroughly dry -- when the wood is still green, the cambium will be yellow and soft.

 

[Dan Mosley]

the type of finish im after is keeping the wood looking natural but whether its satin-semi or gloss i really have no preference. I have used all three laquers and it depends on the project really.
With the mesquite i think that some initial coats are a good way to go because of filling the grain but i could be wrong thats why i was asking how others finish mesquite..............by the way thanks for all the great tips - im going to try them

 

[Bill Boehme]

the type of finish im after is keeping the wood looking natural but whether its satin-semi or gloss i really have no preference. I have used all three laquers and it depends on the project really.
With the mesquite i think that some initial coats are a good way to go because of filling the grain but i could be wrong thats why i was asking how others finish mesquite..............by the way thanks for all the great tips - im going to try them

Shellac is always good as a base coat and it is probably as good as or better than anything when it comes to bringing the grain to life and showing the chatoyance. A good method of applying shellac is by rubbing it in while on the lathe. The friction and heat will fill any grain pores and give a nice smooth surface for any other topcoat. I would not bother with any kind of initial oil finish if using shellac, but if there is already an oil finish, make sure that it has had a sufficiently long drying period before applying any other type of finish. An initial oil finish is not really needed if using shellac IMO. If a finish will be used over the shellac, make sure that dewaxed shellac is used or there might be problems with "fish eye". I use super blonde shellac flakes which is very low in wax content and then filter it through a couple layers of coffee filter. It is a slow process, but you would be surprised to see how much wax is filtered out even with the supposedly dewaxed stuff. The shellac should be mixed to a one-pound cut or thinner for this purpose.

One type of oil that I would not consider using is mineral oil. While it is fine for things like cutting boards or treenware to help make them water repellent, it is not a drying oil.

 

[Richard Baker]

Dan,
My usual mesquite finish is one wipe-on coat of lacquer-based sanding sealer followed by 5 to 10 spray coats of gloss lacquer. For a semi-gloss or satin finish, the gloss lacquer is "sanded" with 0000 steel wool or wet sanded with 600 paper. This sanding procedure may also be used to smooth and level the surface before the last one or two spray coats. For a deep finish on larger pieces two or more coats of brushing lacquer will "build" the finish for less $$ than rattle cans. Then wet sand level and spray the finish coats.

Many folks claim to dislike a full-on, high build, high gloss finish, but I doubt they would buy a new car with a semi-gloss or satin finish. Of course different finishes are best for different projects, different woods, and different intended purpose.

 

[Wingman03]

Dan,
My usual mesquite finish is one wipe-on coat of lacquer-based sanding sealer followed by 5 to 10 spray coats of gloss lacquer. For a semi-gloss or satin finish, the gloss lacquer is "sanded" with 0000 steel wool or wet sanded with 600 paper. This sanding procedure may also be used to smooth and level the surface before the last one or two spray coats. For a deep finish on larger pieces two or more coats of brushing lacquer will "build" the finish for less $$ than rattle cans. Then wet sand level and spray the finish coats.

Many folks claim to dislike a full-on, high build, high gloss finish, but I doubt they would buy a new car with a semi-gloss or satin finish. Of course different finishes are best for different projects, different woods, and different intended purpose.

I'm new to TX. Where do you source your mesquite?

 

[Richard Baker]

Hey Wing, Welcome to Texas and this forum. There's a very active turning club in Austin that can point you to some mesquite. I was fortunate enough to be gifted with some by a good friend and fellow turner. That Austin club is AAW affiliated, so you can find them on this forum.