Finishing ironbark slab

[Adam04]

i recently purchased an iron bark slab, for a coffee table i am building. I know what finish i want but i don't know how to produce it. I want a high gloss protective coating, that is non toxic. Could anybody give me any suggestions

P.S. assume i know nothing

[Ben from Vic.]

Adam,

I'm not sure you'll find "protective coating" and "non toxic" in the same sentance.

Only film type finishes (varnish and the like) really help to protect the timber, and none of these would be classed as non toxic.
However, once these have fully hardened they also would be pretty harmless as I think they'd pretty much come out as they went in (undigested).

I could be wrong.

You can almost drink some finishing oils without to much effect, but they don't tend to offer to much impact/scratch protection for your furniture (but they do look nice ).


Ben.

[ozwinner]

I want a high gloss protective coating, that is non toxic. Could anybody give me any suggestions

P.S. assume i know nothing

You could use water, high gloss, non toxic.
The only problem is, you have to keep reapplying it.

Al

[journeyman Mick]

You could use water, high gloss, non toxic.
The only problem is, you have to keep reapplying it.

Al

Only problem is, depending on where you are it may not be non-toxic
-but at least it's cheap and readily available

Mick

[Adam04]

thanks guys, maybe i might have to invent my own

Anyway i have dropped the idea about non toxic. So rephrasing, what is a finish that provides a protective clear coat, that is very glossy and sort of like feels smooth and perfectly flat.
Well i hope you know what i mean, get your thinking caps on and help a fellow woodworker, thanks

[RETIRED]

Nitro- cellulose applied with a gun.

[Ben from Vic.]

Nitro- cellulose applied with a gun.

I've found that the one in my avatar does a pretty good job of finishing.

Ben.

[journeyman Mick]

Adam,
all joking aside, nitrocellulose lacquer out of a gun is probably the easiest way to get a durable gloss finish. Acid cure nitrocellulose will give a harder wearing finish but is slightly less forgiving during application. Bear in mind however that whatever finish you decide on it will only be as good (or bad ) as your preparation work. If you don't sand out all your scratches then the finish will highlight them and any other flaws or imperfections.

Mick

[BrianR]

As for the toxicity of wood finishes, I believe that none are toxic once dry and cured. (I assume you're not giving it a coat of full leaded wax.....). The toxic issue is with the solvents and carrier medium not the wax/resin/oil.

[Adam04]

thanks ben, , mick and brian. I researched nitrocellulose laquer and on this site it told me how to make it http://www.pyroworx.com/nitrocellulose_lacquer.htm do yo u guys recommend i make it, is it costly to buy it all ready made and how do i apply it?

[journeyman Mick]

Adam,
make it? I'd never even thought of that! It's relatively cheap, costs less than a good polyurethane but generally only comes in 4 and 20 litre containers. It doesn't go off in the tin though, as long as you keep it tightly sealed. I always use Mirotone which is pretty much the industry standard, but Wattyl and Croda also make it. It really needs to be sprayed as it is so extremely fast drying that it will harden on the brush as you apply it. I have succesfully touched up pieces on site by brushing on a few coats and than brushing over some thinners to melt it and even it all out, but it's not really the way to do it. It's also easy to sand back and refinish should it ever be neccessary.

BTW, just checked out the link, I wouldn't make it for WW application, might be alright for waterproofing fuses when made from ping pong balls :eek: but might just be a bit variable in consistency for finishing work.

Mick

[Adam04]

yes o.k. i thought it was heaps rare or something
would I just use a normal spray gun, like what you use to spray cars? can i buy it from a hardware store or should i order it from somewhere (the laquer)?

EDIT: will it look like this http://www.countryredgumfurniture.com.au/fset.htm can i add a stain to the nitrocellulose to make the table darker ( as mine looks lighter than this)

[RETIRED]

yes o.k. i thought it was heaps rare or something
would I just use a normal spray gun, like what you use to spray cars? can i buy it from a hardware store or should i order it from somewhere (the laquer)?

can i add a stain to the nitrocellulose to make the table darker ( as mine looks lighter than this)

Ain't rare. Yes a normal spray gun.

You can add Wattyl craftsman to the lacquer but IMHO it looks rank as you get a lighter colour around the rails because of "blowback". Would stain then finish. Just remember that any finish, even over stain will darken.