I have come into possesion of a couple of sycamore logs and have started roughing out some bowls. I have never used sycamore before, and it will be a while before the bowls are dry enough to turn to final shape and finish, but I thought I would check to see what folks have used successfully to finish sycamore.
I don't want a really glossy finish like lacquer. I have a Beall buffing system. I used Deft on an oak bowl and then polished it, but the end grain is much darker than the side grain. Should I have used some sort of a sealer before applying the Deft?
roughing out some bowls. I have never >used sycamore before, and it will be a while before the >bowls are dry enough to turn to final shape and finish, but
My experience with whateve species of sycamore we have around here is great. Not only easy to turn, but it give a grain that is like lacewood, or some other more exotic species. Some of the stuff I turn has some tearout problems, but some doesn't.
Since I like the grain and light color, I tend not to put on oil as that (to me!) makes it look muddy.
system. I used Deft on an oak bowl and then >polished it, but the end grain is much darker than the side >grain. Should I have used some sort of a sealer before >applying the Deft?
I wouldn't worry about end grain vs. flat grain with oak. The dark color on end grain will always be there to some extent.
To even out the absorbtion of the sealer and to help prevent blotchy spots (uneven coloration) in the finish, seal the piece with Zinnser sanding sealer. Not shellac, but sealer. This actually is shellac, but it is dewaxed and has no color. This will readily absorb into the wood (as thin as it is, for smooth pieces I still cut th sealer by about 1/3 with alcohol) and can be sanded very quickly.
Just about all finishes stick to it. I like to use gloss finish on small stuff as the semi gloss or satins have solids in them to diffuse the light that also diffuse the grain. Apply your finish as you normally would, same number of coats, etc. After it dries, then buff it down with good quality 0000 steel wool with a little Johnson's paste wax on it. Let that dry hard. Usually on sealed wood with green sealer on it this takes a day or so. Then buff out as desired with a soft cloth, not on the buffer.
It gives a great furniture style finish that lights up those little tan flecks in the wood.
There is a fair amount of sycamore in my area, but it isn't really all that common. When it is available, I try to get all I can as it is great to turn.
I was really surprised to see it here in Tallahassee. I didn't realize it grew down here, but a coworker told me that one of his neighbors cut down a big specimen and was having trouble getting rid of it. It has turned beautifully so far.
It is so damn hot around here sometimes that we never see anything of "spalted wood" unless some is discovered along a creek bed or some place that stays at least a little shaded and moist.
You might try this if you have a bunch of it. Turn your wood as green as possible, and then your project to about 20% of final thickness. Put about 4 inches of the green wet shavings in the bottom of a plastic grocery bag. Put the piece in a plastic grocery bag, and then pack in the wet shavings in at about 3-4 inches all the way around.
Open a beer. Drink as much as you need (this may require two beers) to cool off. Pour about 3/4 of a beer into the shavings and cinch up the top. Put the bagged piece into another bag with knots down, so that when you tie the top of the second bag you have knots on both sides.
Toss this into a cool, dark place (for me, under my shed) for about three - four months. If you can wait six months - even better - just in time for Christmas gifts!
When I have done this it spalts like crazy and looks like it has been on the forest floor for years. I tried all kinds of recipes by adding molasses, sugar, honey, etc, but none of them really made any difference.
The cool part is that when you get to the end of your wait period it is like unwrapping a present. DON"T forget to wear your particle mask, though. I have pulled these out and they have been anywhere from slightly spalted with just a few ink lines to slimy and messy from me putting way to much moisture in the bag. It doesn't really need that much. If I upack them to take a look after a couple of months, I will add more beer as needed to wet the shavings.
Some of the pieces I have forced to spalt this way have come out beautifully.
Light is generally preferred. Shellac or lacquer, maybe water-based (ugh!) acrylic or urethane. You can Tripoli your shellac or lacquer finish to cut the surface reflection. The Minwax wipe-on poly has a minimal darkening effect. Give it a look on a suitable scrap.
End grain absorbs more light than face or quarter, and more finish for the same reason - holes. The standard dodges are to supersand end grain, hardening and closing the pores, though I don't think red oak is a good candidate, given the size of the things, or seal. Deft is a brand, so seal with shellac if you're using some sort of Deftoil, won't make a difference if you're using a lacquer.
The American Sycamore grows from Maine then west into Quebec, South western Ontario,lower half of Michigan and into Nebraska, down all the way into eastern Texas and east to northern Florida and up to Maine again, it has the biggest native hardwood trunk diameter, like 11', some were nearly 15'.
There are also some in N.E. Mexico.
Don't think any grows in George Tokarev's area
I have turned some, and was finishing a smaller (10") and slightly spalted one just today, I used pure tung oil on it, It is not a open grain wood, and it doesn't have an absorbing problem like Walnut or Oak might give you, tung can be polished to shine if wanted, also pure Tung does not yellow much.
For Oak or other open grain wood sealing them first does help to lessen the oil absorption and subsequent bleeding.
Ahh, now that was your problem- you were out milking cows.... I stay as far away from farms as humanly possible, I just like the cold.
Not too many more years of winter left for me to enjoy, though- too many injuries and blown joints over time are making the prospect of moving south eventually more and more likely. Hard to continue to like extreme temperature changes when you're a walking barometer.
But if I could just find a place that was 40-60 degrees year round, with low humidity, that'd be perfect.
Just remembered something from long back that you might already have discovered. The ray figure that makes sycamore visually interesting can be a problem in turning. The rays aren't as well-attached as the rest of the wood, and when turning along the grain, they will have a tendency to pop loose, leaving little pits if you are taking aggressive cuts. Even beech can do this if you're not careful, and it's a denser wood. Remember, the rays are at right angles to the direction of the grain, so peel slowly.
Boy, you're not kidding. Along with all the inevitable junk, I figure I have gotten at least twice the informational value of an average college education over the years, for the cost of a monthly ISP account. Newsgroups, webpages, etc, have huge amounts of information for anyone willing to take the time to look at them- it's kind of amazing, considering that simple literacy has been the sole province of a small, elite group of people throughout most of history!
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