finishing sycamore

[colinc]

Hi, I'm new here but I wonder if I might ask for some advice.

I've just made a small (tabletop) set of drawers with the carcase in ripple sycamore and the draw fronts in american black walnut. My problem is how best to finish it without yellowing the sycamore. My only recent experience is with oil and wax on oak and I'm not sure that this is appropriate in this cae.

thanks

colin

 

[Midnight]

Colin..
I finished a blanket chest with oak framed sycamore panels a couple of weeks ago. First attempt at finish was a combination of danish oil with a clear wax finish. didn't like it; the danish oil had too much orange tint for my liking. Ended up using tung oil with a liquid wax finish. Gave me the protection I want without adversely affecting the natural colour of the sycamore. I wouldn't hesitate to use the same combination again if the need arose.

 

[Philly]

Colin,
I've used sycamore a fair bit and the biggest mistake I made was to finish it with oil-it turns it yellow fairly quickly, not the idea with such a beatiful pale timber. The best finish I've used has been a coat of cellulose sanding sealer followed by paste wax. It keeps it the timber lovely and pale. ( and its a piece of cake to apply!)
hope this is of help,
Philly

 

[Scrit]

Try a water-based acrylic or polyurethane. These will not yellow, but make sure that you raise the grain and cut it back gently with 220 garnet before applying the main coats. Unlike almost all traditional finishes these won't yellow much with age and won't darken the woods. Rustins (Sheffield) is one maker.

Scrit

 

[colinc]

thanks for the suggestions, I'm going to experiment along these lines, on some samples, and see how it looks

regards

colin