What in the opinion of the group members is the best for finishing? i.e. oil or lacquer? I want the so far impossible. A finish that can be applied on the lathe, is food safe, durable, water, heat and acid resistant and can give a high gloss finish. Which is the nearest to what I want?
Tom.
Food safe: probably lacquer would keep a platter safer from food stains.
Durable: probably oil would nourish and make a mortar or pestle last longer.
Water resistant: probably lacquer would keep more tea in a teacup.
Heat resistance: probably oil will protect a spurtle better from boiling oatmeal or a spatula from sputtering grease.
Acid resistance: probably oil would protect a plate better from tomato sauce, vinegar, knives and forks.
High gloss: probably gloss lacquer would make a bowl shine better on a shelf or coffee table (at least until it's removed and used and washed a few dozen times)
In other words, the objective, the timber and the object itself determine the "best" finish or none at all except for appropriate tooling, sanding and buffing. A finished object can be more easily re-oiled than re-lacquered by its owner, important for objects turned to be used over and over. If the turning is only to be looked at and admired, probably lacquer would better fit your objectives.
Just MHOs, no condescending superiority intended or warranted. :)
Turn to Safety, Arch Fortiter
Turn your stuff out of aluminum and polish it on the lathe?
IMHO, you answered your own question when you said " I want the so far impossible"....
mac
Please remove splinters before emailing
Dang. Might as well add UV proof too.
Wayne
neither will meet your specifications, but there are two part epoxy type finishes that will satisfy this criteria, and some of the catalyzed polyurethanes are also food safe when set up. These cost much more than either lacquer or your typical oil - I usually end up paying close to $100 per gallon for these types of finishes, though if you bought in quantity the cost is no doubt lower - I'd speculate that you'd need to buy in at least 5 gal, if not 88 gal drums to get much of a price break.
Check the various industrial finish manufacturer's web sites - companies like DuPont, Dietzler, Monsanto, and so on.
I make no attempt at water or food safe on my bowls - if you want to eat out of it, use wedgewood, spode, balek, limoge or mikasa, don't use a wooden bowl.
I am a big fan of two finishes, both in spray cans.
The first one is Helmsman Spar polyurethane. It's glossy, lays nicely, and is tough as nails. It's also just a little bit flexible, so it moves with the wood rather than cracking with seasonal fluxuations.
The second is Acrylic conversion finish- the same attributes as above apply, except it's a little harder. It's also about $10 for a rattlecan of it, so it's rarely my first choice.
I've used them both for indoor/outdoor applications that get a lot of handling (pistol grips, shifter knobs, and similar "grip" items that take a lot of abuse), and there's never been any problem with either one.
Some nay-sayers will say it's not water proof. I on the other hand have eaten hot soup out of a bowl finished with shellac. It suffered no ill consequences.
I apply it on the lathe regularly. I wipe it on with the lathe stopped, let it sit for a few moments, wipe it down, then turn on the lathe buff it out. A couple of applications usually does it. FWIW, I add a bit of mineral oil to lubricate it. Keeps it from pilling up.
It's food safe after cured. If you use Everclear for a solvent it's food safe before cured. I don't, however, recommend drinking it.
Heat resistant? How hot you wanna go? Hot soup was fine. I wouldn't put it in the oven. Or even the dishwasher although I never tried that one. A quick wipe out with a dish rag wasn't hard.
Can't speak to acid. I don't condone drug abuse. ;-)
HTH...
...Kevin
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