Padauk and maple/sycamore

[Jon.1976]

I’m going to make a padauk and maple or sycamore box. I’ve never used any Osmo product but I’m interested to try the clear Matt polyx . I’d like to the maple/sync as pale as possible, does it have a significant yellowing effect?

I’ve only used Liberon finishing oil and, on other projects I’ve used shellac/ waxed after. The oil darkened the timber quite a bit but liked the Matt finish. Shellac was good at not darkening but wasn’t keen on the finish.

 

[sunnybob]

This box is rosewood and maple, finished in oil based wipe on poly gloss. Slight yellowing, but still obviously maple.
http://www.pbase.com/john_cooper/image/ ... medium.jpg

 

[custard]

Osmo is oil based, it will affect pale timbers just like any other oil based finish.

Osmo make a range of alternative finishes that contain pigments that neutralise any yellowing. They range from "Raw Transparent Oil" product code 3044, which cancels out the yellowing; up to "White Wax Matt", product code 3186, which adds a notable level of additional whitening. Here's a photo of some tests I ran on Birch,

Osmo sell small, inexpensive sample sachets. I strongly recommend you get some of these and experiment on off-cuts. There's really no other way of discovering exactly what the effect will be on your particular timbers.

 

[Jon.1976]

Thank you custard, really appreciate the advice. Bob, thank you also, the box looks greats.

 

[Cordy]

This box is rosewood and maple, finished in oil based wipe on poly gloss. Slight yellowing, but still obviously maple.
http://www.pbase.com/john_cooper/image/ ... medium.jpg

Bob that maple looks very good

Experimenting with Maple planks, I want to mix it with Walnut for coffee table top

Did you prime the maple before oil based poly gloss ?

 

[sunnybob]

My finishing technique can only be described as a "work in progress". :shock: :roll:
I dont have access to the fillers and base treatments you lot have, so my boxes are mostly just sanded to 320, then I use wipe on poly.

I've experimented with hard wax (very kindly brought over for me by memzey) but both of us prefer "shiny gloss" as opposed to "wet look"
I accept the poly does slightly colour the lighter woods, but not by very much. Its all a matter of taste.
This is a jewellery box of maple and walnut (scroll either side, theres a couple of pics)
http://www.pbase.com/john_cooper/image/167118849

But this is my favourite maple box with padauk corners and lid.
http://www.pbase.com/john_cooper/image/166874384

 

[Cordy]

my boxes are mostly just sanded to 320, then I use wipe on poly.

Thanks Bob, is the wipe on your own mix or a proprietary brand ?

Just experimenting with Maple, I've read that it can easily blotch; just like pine :?

 

[sunnybob]

usually I buy whatever oil based poly I can find (its getting harder) and mix it with white spirit to about 50% maybe a little less spirit than poly. my stuff is usually less than a foot square, so i only use teaspoons of each, say 4 poly to 3 WS.
Mix well, leave it for 5 minutes to let any bubbles disperse.

Use clean cotton scraps to wipe it on, spread it out well, rubbing into the wood. Use another scrap to wipe the excess off. Never had any blotches on any wood.

This is a very thin coating. I do two or even three coats. After the first coat some wood looks worse than when you started, especially rosewood or bubinga. by the third coat, everything is fine.

Its not likely to affect you :shock: 8) , but I have found this system to be temperature sensitive. If the ambient is over 30c, The wipe on dries before you can get it smooth, so then I do it either first thing in the morning, or if its REALLY hot (35 plus every day) I keep the poly and the WS in the fridge overnight, and the item to be covered in the A/C bedroom at 26c. Then it goes on like a coat of water.