Finish

Your sycamore is our maple, which means you want to avoid oils. All have a tendency to darken the wood. Two reasons, first is cutting down on internal reflection among the surface pores and cells, second by darkening a bit on their own when lying above the surface.

Surface finishes such as lacquer or shellac are probably your best choice, though if you'll settle for a slightly muddier look at the wood, you might consider water-based varnishes. They tend to have a bit longer chains, thereby scattering light to give a more satin finish.

canadian maple= sycamore?

sycamore is our maple,

Hi Reyd

It seems everybody is confused by this "Sycamore thing" The American Sycamore "Platanus occidentalis" is a native tree of North America, gets a solitary round seed ball.

There are approx. 10 species worldwide, one of them "Platanus orientalis" is native in south eastern Europe, it gets more seed balls growing together, usually 2 or 3.

In England (and Europe) they have a hybrid of these two trees and call it Plane tree "Platanus X acerifolia" which means Platanus with a leaf that looks like a Maple leaf.

Then there is a European Maple tree (there are more than 100 species worldwide) that is called Sycamore Maple or just Sycamore, "Acer pseudoplatanus" because its leaf looks like the leaf from a Sycamore.

As to be expected these trees were introduced into north America and do grow here.

BUT NO, CANADIAN MAPLE IS NOT SYCAMORE !!!

Reyd Dorakeen wrote:

Did you get this George?

Finish: Regardless of the species, try using Mineral Oil. Best place to buy is at the feed stores. Equine brand is good cheap and by the gallon. Also food safe.

Woodturn

ok, I have a Large supply of plane tree wood, half-rounds.I saw a very nice plate and was told it was , it had very dark, and very yellow wood, any idea which kind that might be?can plane tree be used in foodware?

OK Reyd

We have sycamores and maples they have plane trees and I think it should be spelled PLAIN , you got to give me more to go on before I have any idea what kind of wood you have and even then, there's probable 50 000 tree species and something like 700 native to N America, I sure don't know even half of them but some times you can narrow it down.

To the best of my knowledge Maple or Sycamore is safe to use > ok, I have a Large supply of plane tree wood, half-rounds.I saw a very nice

Thanks to all who replied.

George, I was wondering if beeswax would darken the wood like oil does? Doug and Pat, won't mineral oil darken the wood like any other oil? That reminds me, I went to a shop which stocks equestrian stuff and asked for liquid parrafin (mineral oil) The assistant sold me parrafin (kerosene?) Needless to say I took it back when I realised what he had given me. He confessed to having never heard of liquid parrafin :)

George

Even refined beeswax will darken the surface a bit, for the first reason stated. It'll expand or fill the pores or minute scratches which would otherwise have scattered the light back at you. Plus, it has a bit of color of its own.

Take a few pieces of scrap , sand to the same degree and by the same method, so your degree of burnishing is the same, and experiment with your available finishes. On the subject, had you considered "going bare" and just burnishing the surface? You will get some darkening, but it'll be minimal.

I am not a proponent of mineral oil, because it does the wrong thing when it's there, and disappears, needing renewal.

Since it never cures, it remains a magnet for dust and dirt, and might even shelter bacteria from the actions of detergents in a pleasant lipid-friendly environment. With prolonged evaporation or multiple washings, the oil is gone, which exposes bacteria and dirt to the useful but lethal action of the detergent.

try waterlox ...it has the least darking effect

I dunno, George. Quite a bit of my recent work has improved considerably with a liberal application of kerosene. Once "cured" properly makes a lovely finish on a 2" thick t-bone.

/vic

Peter Teubel Milford, MA

I'm leaning towards going bare George, the bowl in question has a little bit of a sheen to it from burnishing earlier and I think it's as much as I want. Thanks again.

You had me thinking there Vic! The old brain cells are dying off at an alarming rate :)

Thanks again to all who responded to my questions

George, I suspect almost every finish will have some darkening effect on the wood. However, one that has a minimal effect is Chestnut Products Food Safe Finish. Details are on their web site -

Coates

(No connection with the company, but I do like some of their products)

[sigh] I suppose it was a bit arcane. 1- liberally apply kerosene to rejected turnings = pour flammable liquids on dry wood. 2- "cure" the kerosene-soaked wood = set it afire, wait for nice bed of coals. 3- use said coals to "finish" (cook) the steak.

/vic I could have been working at the Comedy Palace, but they already have a janitor .

Hi Vic, From the jury of clear sentence misreading, conclusion jumping, strange & unnecessary responses, and overwhelming need to see my name in print, I submit with authority: If the turnings were stinky or green wood, bypass the middle man and spray the charcoal directly with kerosene.

Actually, I think that Vic & I both speak in jest and warn you gentle readers against the suggested turning method. The risk of carcinoma from charred steak, emphysema from exotic wood ashes and unusual behavior from angry cow disease, plus those noisy vegetarians marching up and down our street require a disclaimer.

But ain't a T-bone grilled over a glowing vase that should never serve a lesser purpose, delicious? Umm, Arch

Fortiter,

The order in which the finish will darken the wood, from least to most, are as follows:

- Burnished Bare Wood Surface

- Waterborne Finishes

- Lacquer

- Tung Oil (Waterlox is one of these)

- Walnut and most other nut oils

- Linseed Oil

- Sunflower Oil

- Modified Soybean Oil (Watco)

- Kerosene and Fire (Charcoal)

I have not included Mineral Oil because Mineral Oil is not a finish. It is a treatment.

All finishes will not darken the wood as much if the wood is burnished before application. Burnishing reduces penetration, therefore less darkening.

Russ Fairfield Post Falls Russ Fairfield Post Falls, Idaho

In the interest in being a bit more complete ....

"Burnished Bare Wood Surface" wouldn't be a finish either. It's a surface treatment. There is a difference.

Let's not confuse "Tung Oil" in the Waterlox sense (which contains VERY little actual Tung Oil regardless of what their advertising says .... it's really just a thinned varnish) with Pure Tung Oil. Best to say "Tung Oil FINISH (Waterlox is one of these)"

"All finishes will not darken the wood as much if the wood is burnished before application. Burnishing reduces penetration, therefore less darkening."

Nor do you get all of the benefits of the finish used if you burnish beforehand. If you don't want the darkening effect of the finish you choose, then just don't use it instead of trading one problem with another.

- Andrew