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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    Townsville, Nth Qld
    Posts
    102

    Default Hard finish for very soft timber

    Hello, I have obtained a few pieces of Qld Red Cedar that I would like to use on a box. Apart from the dust risks to health, this timber is very soft and bruises easily, I am told. Looking in the latest AWR #84, an article on "Tough Timbers" by Jugo Illic shows this cedar to be the softest of the lot.

    Can anyone please advise on a hard wearing finish for this timber if I use it on box sides or a lid. The idea being the finish makes the timber harder and a bit more resistant to damage, if at all possible
    regards,

    Dengy

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Location
    Canberra
    Posts
    723

    Default

    I'd say maybe try the "Cactus Juice" stuff used by the pen turners for punky timbers and cactus.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvII1FTm3YM

    Failing that, thinned marine epoxy.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Oct 2004
    Location
    Melbourne
    Posts
    1

    Default

    Hi Dengue,

    I've always liked Feast Watson's Floorseal, which now seems to be called Floorseal Oil. It's a very low-viscosity Tung oil varnish originally developed for basketball courts, so it's quite hard, and hard-wearing. It doesn't hide the grain, even if you build up three or four thin coats.
    http://www.feastwatson.com.au/consum...t-details/1529

    Also, Bote-Cote Epoxy has an additive called TPRDA, which lets the epoxy penetrate further into the wood than it otherwise would. You can then sand back & varnish over the epoxy.
    http://boatcraft.com.au/Shop/index.p...dex&cPath=1_46

    I hope this helps.
    Good luck,
    Dick

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