Finish Help

[Big_red_S]

I have been experimenting with finishes in the past, I know a book could be written on finishing but all I need is a little advice.

The piece is made out cherry and oak, my first intarsia experiment and accidently it came out pretty decent.

I have been reading about oils, waxes etc. and really have no idea where to start.

Are the oils and waxes independent? For example do I need to put three layers of oil and then wax?

Will only wax work?

How many layers of oil do I need if it is the best choice?

[Janette]

I use Bartleys clear satin gel varnish on all of my intarsia work. It gives a hand rubbed finish and is quite easy to work with. I use 2 coats generally. I've experimented with danish oil and it works pretty well-easier to apply. I didn't put any thing else over it tho.

[morsewk]

I use a satin spray polyurethane-2 coats

[greatdane2]

I have no clue when it comes to finishes, but I used some Marine Spar Varnish on my front doors and got a beautifull gloss finish that the cats could not scratch trying to get in. The cats are gone but the doors still look good after 12 years.
Point being, I use a good oil base Marine Spar Varnish on most of my pieces and get a million dollar finish that will not dent or scratch with handling. The first large wall plaque I did was damaged when I was delivering it to the customer. A large ding in the most obvious place. Brought it home and had to redo that one part.
This stuff works for me and so have not really tried other finishes.

Alan.

[Bill Wilson]

So often when it comes to finishing, a simple question will prompt more questions until you finally get to that book. So, it isn't a bad idea to start with a good finishing book in the first place. Look for books by Bob Flexnor and/or Jeff Jewitt. Both authors are pretty much universally recommended on the woodworking forums I frequent.

The bottom line in selecting a finish is that the it depends on what you need the finish to accomplish and what kind of look you want. An oil finish will soak into the wood, giving it a darker, amber tint than say a lacquer or waterborne finish. Generally oil finishes can be broken down to a few categories. The simplest is a plain oil, like boiled linseed oil (BLO) or tung oil. If these are mixed with a little varnish and thinned with mineral spirits, in equal proportion they become what is commonly referred to as Danish oil or antique oil, etc. This mixture will add some protection and potentially a little gloss. Varnish (and polyurethane) is another type of oil finish. Using a thinned varnish will give you much of the same simplicity of application, with more protective qualities and a higher degree of sheen, than an oil/varnish mix. Varnish or polyurethane are the most durable of the oil finishes. However, depending on the sheen of the product and the application method, varnish can look "plasticy", which some folks find undesireable.

As for wax, that also is a matter of personal preference. I've heard conflicting arguments for & against wax. Some like it, again mostly for that hand rubbed, low luster type look and feel. Some say it's a waste, brings nothing to the party except an extra finishing step and regular maintenance. YMMV.

The best and most repeated advice I've seen on any of the forums is to test any and all finishing schedules on scrap pieces of the same species of wood as your project, before deciding what to use.

Good luck. HTH