Finish for Spotted Gum

[Durham Lad]

Hi everyone, Am making a jewellery box out of Spotted Gum and am seeking advise on a suitable finish. I notice some people use various oils or waxes while some use a combination of both. What is the advantage of using both products over either one or the other. Any comments appreciated. Thanks Brian.

[thumbsucker]

Neither are perfect finishes they both have advantages and problems, by putting down oil and topping up with wax gets you the best of both worlds. Some commercial products blend the two. Finishing is a very personal thing often people simple apply the KISS principle others do not. I personally do not use either for anything of value.

Oil is simple to use and helps to pop the grain and tends to make timber darker
Oil tends to give a matt finish
Oil is difficult to body up a thick protective finish
Oil can be sanded back between coats with super fine abrasive to fill pores / grain
Some oils can be prone to mold
Danish oil overcomes of some of the above shortcomings of oil due to the addition of varnish,

Wax can give more of a sheen if buffed and will fill pores / grain easier than oil
Wax tends to create an easier thick protective layer then oil
Wax can collect dirt and finger marks
Some waxes like bees waxes can melt in the Australian summer heat becoming tacky
Wax can yellow with time
Conservators (Renaissance) Wax (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renaissance_Wax) solves allot of the above problems for wax

[LGS]

Hi,

I use Organoil Hard Burnishing Oil.
1. Very resistant to burns and hot coffee cups. Also resistant to cold and water marks
2. Easy to apply and provides a durable glossy coat.
3. Long lasting. I have items which I finished 13 years ago and they are still showing a beautiful finish.
4 Clean with water and no problems
5 Not toxic unless taken in large doses
6 Australian product.
7 If you do mar the finish (highly unlikely) refinishing is simple and the repaired surface will not be distinguishable from the original finish.
8 It's simple to apply. Use Random Orbital sanding up to whatever shine you want, wipe down and enjoy.

If you are interested, send me a PM and I'll answer any questions for you.

I have no relationship with Organoil. I am simply a very happy customer.

Regards,

Rob

[derekcohen]

Try Evolution Hard Wax Oil from Timbecon. I used it on a Jarrah table and it is amazing. Rub it on and it makes the grain pop. The finish is very durable - waterproof as well. A little goes a long way.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Durham Lad]

Hi everyone, Thanks for all the replies, what a great resource this forum is with such knowledgeable people willing to share their experiences with others. Thanks again Brian.

[Alkahestic]

This spotted gum bench was sanded to 180 then 1 coat (2 coats are recommended) of Osmo PolyX extra thin clear applied. It needs to cure for a few days and looks a bit 'muddy' during this time. It's a matt finish and what I was after for the bench. The butterflies are white oak and looked almost as dark as the spotted gum while the finish was drying.

https://i.imgur.com/OGIhZs9.jpg