[TheForge] Help! finish problem

Thu Feb 7 23:35:00 2002

Mata, I've use the formula successfully with Johnson Paste Wax substituted
for the bees wax.  When I use bees wax, the finish is much stickier.  When
bees wax is used a lesser quantity should be used.  Also you can mix bees
wax and Johnson Paste Wax.  The smaller amount of bees wax, the less sticky
the finish will be.  It is also possible your ingredients were not mixed
well.  Did you carefully (in a double boiler) heat and mix the ingredients?
I personally don't typically heat the ingredients as I've been successful in
letting the concoction sit long enough and the turpentine melts it.  Then I
stir it. Sometimes I heat the ingredients with a warm (not hot) bar of iron.
I've had the stuff catch on fire before and it's not a fun thing to
experience.  Well there is my 2 cents worth.

Dick

----- Original Message -----
From: "mata iaia" <[email protected]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Thursday, February 07, 2002 3:16 PM
Subject: Re: [TheForge] Help! finish problem

>
> Hi Bruce,
>
> The piece is a floor lamp, and I warmed my piece with a torch and the
> formula just in the sun.  I'm in southern california so its pretty dry
here
> and mild in the day. My "shop" is my backyard, under a carport tent.
>
> I used 2 cups of linseed, 1 cup of turpentine, about 1/4 to 1/3 cup of
> beeswax and 3 tablespoons of drier.  I figured from the recipes I've seen
> that would be right.  Before I use it again I'll add more drier.
>
> Since my post yesterday it is drying but still has tacky spots.  I may
have
> applied too much.  Someone suggested light coats 2 or three days apart
which
> I will try next time. I am showing my work at a gallery on Monday and I
just
> hope it will be dry by then.
>
> I also like the vegetable oil in the oven and use that for anything that
> will fit.
>
> I appreciate your feedback.
>
> Mata
>
> on 2/7/02 6:03 AM, Bruce Freeman at [email protected] wrote:
>
> > Mata,
> > You don't say what the piece is.  I HOPE it's not an eating utensil,
because
> > Japan drier is toxic.  The Japan drier should have done the trick.
> >
> > You don't really give us your formula.  "Parts" vs. "tablespoons" is not
> > definitive.  Assuming the "parts" were big compared to tablespoons, the
> > formula looks okay, but maybe a little too thin.  Terpentine sould
evaporate
> > away, eventually, so the problem may take care of itself.
> >
> > The other question is what kind of finish were you expecting?  If you
have a
> > piece of black iron from the forge and want a nice black finish on it, I
> > always recommend wiping with ordinary polyunsaturated cooking oil (very
thin
> > layer) and baking in an oven at 400 F for an hour.  The result is lovely
and
> > non-toxic.  On white metal, this finish will be a fairly unsightly dark
brown.
> >
> > The heating step will work with linseed oil too, but keep japan drier
and
> > commercial "boiled" linseed oil (it's NOT boiled, it contains Japan
drier) OUT
> > of your home oven.  Turpentine in an oven would be hazardous.  I'd
suggest
> > gentle warming with a propane torch.  (400 F is NOT very hot from a
> > blacksmith's perspective.)
> >
> > Bruce
> > NJ
> >
> >>>> mata iaia <[email protected]> 02/06/02 04:39PM >>>
> >
> >
> > Hi all,
> >
> > I made a finish from a recipe of 2 parts linseed, 1 part turpintine, 3
> > tablespoons japan drier, and about 4 tablespoons of beeswax.
> >
> > My problem is that my piece is still really tacky in some places and
oily in
> > others.  It has been approximately 24 hours.  Did I get the recipe wrong
or
> > will it just take much longer to dry?  What can do if it stays sticky to
> > make it dry out or thin out??
> >
> > Thanks,
> >
> > Mata
> >
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