Working with non-toxic finish

The best for non-toxicity is nothing at all. That doesn't necessarily mean that it's the best for the bowl or the intended use of the bowl, however.

You could go for something like an oil (walnut, pure tung, mineral), wax (bee, carnauba) or a combination of the two. These will be immediately and forever non-toxic with the extreme exception of those sensitive/allergic to any of those. They have their strengths and weaknesses.

You could go for about any other kind of finish (polyurethane, lacquer, varnishes, commercial "Salad Bowl Finishes", etc.) and, if you believe it, they will eventually be non-toxic when the solvents evaporate. I won't go into the discussion of that here. Again, these kinds of finishes have their strengths and weaknesses too.

It all depends on what the intended use and what you expect from the bowl. There is no one perfect finish in my opinion. Fit the finish to the item. Can you tell us more about what the bowl is for? Who it's for? and so on?

- Andrew

Does this mean, for instance, if it's for his "mother-in=law" that a certain type of finish is called for? 8^)

Oh that's just TOO easy! ha!

- Andrew

Then one may have to contend with the toxicity of the wood itself...

:)

_____ American Association of Woodturners Cascade Woodturners Assoc., Portland, Oregon Northwest Woodturners, Tigard, Oregon _____

Hi Andre,

For my work, which is more artistic than functional, I have found Tried and True Varnish Oil to be my favorite finish.

Reasons include: no solvents - I work in an enclosed basement with fresh air only when I open the bulkhead doors no unpleasant odors ease of application - I use a white non-woven pad and lots of rubbing finish is refurbishible - i.e; customer can spill water on it or ding the bowl and you can make an invisible repair finish can be buffed with Beall system to make the feel something which customers love

Downside issues include: not really waterproof - even after paste wax applied takes a long time to dry, even with very very thin coats - I have constructed a UV light drying oven to be able to put on one coat a day work has to be sanded to 800 grit to ensure that sanding swirls are not visible after finishing and buffing

George

Yep. That's true. Of course that's true when using about any kind of finish too if the item is used to any degree. Eventually, what's underneath the finish (the wood) doesn't stay sealed completely due to normal use and abuse.

Could we say that the worms coming to the surface of bowls are a finish in themselves? "Worm gut Tried and Gooo all natural wood finish. No additives other than what the worms picked up from the carcinogens leeching into your soil. All natural. FDA approved protein-rich."

- Andrew