Sapele finishing

[No skills]

I've been building a small toy chest from some reclaimed sapele and I'm having to start thinking about the finish :shock:

I don't want anything really shiny so I'm thinking of using a few coats of Danish oil, what grit should I sand to before applying the first coat? Also should I raise the grain with a spritz of water before sanding with the final grit?

Once each coat is dry should I knock back the finish with some fine sandpaper before the next coat?

Thanks for any advice!

 

[n0legs]

I don't use danish oil, but for my wood finishes I sand to 320. This is usually done with the ROS.
For between coats I use 600 or 800 and for awkward spots I use grey scotchbrite.
Tacking off cloths are your friend :wink:
Can't answer about the raising grain issue on sapele, but it's something I usually do on other timbers.

 

[Keithie]

Pretty much what noloegs said. My experience on sapele is that it varies between the sapwood (yellowish) and the heartwood (darker) and also ondegree of crossgrain you happen to have. My habit, which is hobby rather than commercial, is to overgrit ...so I sand both forward and reverse in each grit up to 400 and often 600.

Toy chest, to me, means kids ..so food safe finish is necessary imo (if hobby then why not). I dont like oils except tung...so I'd use pure tung....but that's me.

I dont apply finish till after my final grit. Tbh I've never thought about the science of that as it seemed to me that you sand then finish...but I could easily be wrong!

Raise grain with water each time and cut back. Same thing ...why not ? If it's for your own kids then for sure..make it as well as you have time.

Time is like the most important thing we have imo. I like to use it to benefit those I care for when I have the chance.

 

[Keithie]

ignore me ...iroko ...sapele ...all the same to me...sorry

 

[No skills]

Ok folks,

Tack cloths - hadn't thought of that...

Raise grain - ok

I think I'll sand to 220 ish and see how it looks/feels, might go 400 if I think it needs it.

Knock back with something very fine between coats - check.

Cheers!

 

[thetyreman]

I've used pure tung oil on sapele before and it came out great, I'd highly recommend it, with about 4-5 layers, although it took ages to fully cure, which is its main downside.

 

[ED65]

I don't want anything really shiny so I'm thinking of using a few coats of Danish oil, what grit should I sand to before applying the first coat?

This is partly up to you, but you do want to sand to a higher grit than if you were varnishing. Varnish coats the surface and fills in minor sanding scratches but Danish oil and other penetrating finishes don't because they're absorbed into the wood.

If you normally sand to 180 then it's worth going up at least one step to 220 or 240, some people like to sand to 320 or 400. A few go even higher than that, including 1k and higher, but past about 400 you often won't see any improvement in the finished piece if you're applying the finish properly.

Also should I raise the grain with a spritz of water before sanding with the final grit?

Not necessary as you're not using a water-based finish.

Once each coat is dry should I knock back the finish with some fine sandpaper before the next coat?

Think about why we sand normally, which is to smooth by taking some material off the surface.

Sanding between coats of varnish removes a little varnish from on top of the wood, but with a penetrating finish any sanding is instead removing wood which has the finish absorbed into it. So sanding between coats of Danish oil you're taking a definite step back.

 

[No skills]

Some interesting info there.

As Danish oil is a supposed oil varnish mix will it not form a film of sorts once multiple coats have been applied and the varnish component stops any further oil soaking in? (Genuine question).

Fwiw I'm not after a perfect finish, just something I would consider reasonable (subjective I know). The timber is reclaimed and has lived another life before this and will still show some imperfections even though I have taken the show surface right down to 40 grit :shock:

I've only just finished cutting recesses for brass corners and sinking brass screws ready for flushing, hopefully the evenings will be light enough for me to start working through the grits this week. And cut the lid off..

 

[ED65]

As Danish oil is a supposed oil varnish mix will it not form a film of sorts once multiple coats have been applied and the varnish component stops any further oil soaking in? (Genuine question).

The blocking of the absorbency of the wood must be part of it, but as the application method for finishes like Danish oil requires the excess to be wiped away that's probably most of it in practice. Even straight varnish struggles to build a film if you use the technique where you wipe away all excess.