Any who want to stray away from miniwax type finishes a little, or just
generally like to stay away from toxic preparations as much as possible,
there's a great non-toxic oil finish with the added protection of beeswax
that we've used on our products for several years now. It has non-toxic
carriers for penetrating wood . Feels and looks great. If you're
interested in trying some email me, I can get you a discount.
Mark Shafer
On Thu, 19 Feb 2004 07:08:31 -0600, "Mark Shafer"
<[email protected]> wrote:
>
>OFFER GOOD THROUGH FEBRUARY 15, 2004.
>
>Charlie Self, BarryBurkeJr., and Conan the Librarian, if you'll send me your
>addresses I'll send you each a complimentary 1/2 pint. This offer is for
>you only, in appreciation of your participation here. Thanks for your
>responses!
>
>Mark Shafer
>
gee, mark, it'd prolly be a good idea to open it to the group or make
the offer privately via email....
"Mark Shafer" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> Sure -- go to www.pastimes.cc/finishes.htm for more of the scoop. Linseed
> oil enhances the natural characteristics of wood. Since this is raw linseed
> oil, it has no hardening effect. But the beeswax provides a certain amount
> of natural protection because of its repelling and sealing nature. The
> other oils help provide the soft consistency of the raw finish making
> application easier, and work as a penetrant to carry the beeswax and linseed
> oil into the wood before evaporating and leaving the linseed oil for
> richness and the beeswax to seal.
I'm curious as to what advantage you feel this offers over the
Tried & True oil/wax finish that's already on the market? They state
that their linseed oil is naturally polymerized, with no heavy metal
driers or petroleum distillates added. They also use beeswax.
So why would I want to stop using their finish and buy your product
instead?
Chuck Vance
"Mark Shafer" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> Three things: 1, We went one step further, and our oils are food grade. Not
> only do you not have to worry about absorbtion through the largest organ in
> your body - skin, but your youngster can help you apply it. Though not
> recommended for internal use, a lick won't hurt you.
IIRC, T&T is "food-safe". I don't know if that's the same or not
in practice.
> 2, Our linseed oil is
> not pre-polymerized, so it will penetrate deeper (carrying the wax in with
> it) and then cure. Polymerized linseed oil (a process of heating to a high
> temperature) stays more on the surface. With our product, what one could
> call post-polymerization (caused by heat, light or oxygen), though slower,
> naturally occurs after application and goes deeper.
I wonder if that's why T&T's finishing schedule calls for applying,
letting it sit for an hour and then buffing/rubbing? I'm also
guessing that is why you can use so little of their finish at a time
and get good results.
> 3, We are a dollar less
> per pint.
If your product looks as good, goes on as nicely, and stretches as
far as T&T, that actually will be meaningful. Otherwise, I'll just
stick to what I know works.
BTW, I am always curious about the various "citrus oils". What
exactly do they accomplish besides making things smell nice?
Anyhow, thanks for the answers to my questions. I was skeptical
partially because your original post seemed awfully close to spam.
Chuck Vance
On 17 Feb 2004 05:19:07 -0800, [email protected] (Conan the Librarian)
wrote:
>
> BTW, I am always curious about the various "citrus oils". What
>exactly do they accomplish besides making things smell nice?
they make an effective if expensive replacement for solvents on the
level of mineral spirits or turpentine.
Sure -- go to www.pastimes.cc/finishes.htm for more of the scoop. Linseed
oil enhances the natural characteristics of wood. Since this is raw linseed
oil, it has no hardening effect. But the beeswax provides a certain amount
of natural protection because of its repelling and sealing nature. The
other oils help provide the soft consistency of the raw finish making
application easier, and work as a penetrant to carry the beeswax and linseed
oil into the wood before evaporating and leaving the linseed oil for
richness and the beeswax to seal. However, this is a not a hard shell
finish and is not recommended for exterior use or where sustained contact
with moisture is expected. Over time all finishes oxidize, and this is no
exception. But it is easy to apply and renew when necessary down the
road -- and enjoyable to use.
I am an experienced professional furniture builder and instrument maker,
finisher and restorer, and have worked with nitrocelulose lacquer, sprayable
polyester resin and many other finishes extensively. Few know what
polyester-resin is, but if you're looking for something durable, head there.
Unfortunately, even with a supplied-air respirator and other protection,
over the years I have had extended exposure to the toxins of these finishes
and felt their effects. I use alternatives every chance I have. If you're
interested in something rich and natural looking, try the oil/beeswax gel.
We do not claim this finish is for all types of projects. If you have
questions regarding the suitability of this product for a project you have
in mind contact us. We won't try to sell you on something that won't work.
Mark Shafer
>
> As a person who's read Bob Flexner's Finishing Book, I'm skeptical.
>
> Could you elaborate on the merits of your product?
>
> Thank you,
> Barry
Mark Shafer responds:
>Sure -- go to www.pastimes.cc/finishes.htm for more of the scoop. Linseed
>oil enhances the natural characteristics of wood. Since this is raw linseed
>oil, it has no hardening effect. But the beeswax provides a certain amount
>of natural protection because of its repelling and sealing nature. The
>other oils help provide the soft consistency of the raw finish making
>application easier, and work as a penetrant to carry the beeswax and linseed
>oil into the wood before evaporating and leaving the linseed oil for
>richness and the beeswax to seal. However, this is a not a hard shell
>finish and is not recommended for exterior use or where sustained contact
>with moisture is expected. Over time all finishes oxidize, and this is no
>exception. But it is easy to apply and renew when necessary down the
>road -- and enjoyable to use.
It is in essence a wax, not a finish. This might be useful on things not
handled often, but it is not a true finish with any protective value. For
instance, it would be worthless on table tops, floors, any heavily used
furniture or other item.
>I use alternatives every chance I have. If you're
>interested in something rich and natural looking, try the oil/beeswax gel.
>We do not claim this finish is for all types of projects. If you have
>questions regarding the suitability of this product for a project you have
>in mind contact us. We won't try to sell you on something that won't work.
>
You made claims in your original post that made this sound like the be-all and
end-all. Now you say it isn't. You're right the second time. Might be a pretty
good heavy wax finish, but I don't see much value here or anything someone
couldn't whip up in a shop in a few minutes, assuming they had some citrus oils
on hand. Most of us have linseed oil, beeswax and often other waxes. The gel
bit is nothing but a consistency level.
$7.95 for a half pint is a bit rough. I left then and didn't check the shipping
costs.
Charlie Self
"Health food makes me sick." Calvin Trillin
http://hometown.aol.com/charliediy/myhomepage/business.html
"Charlie Self" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Mark Shafer responds:
>
>
> It is in essence a wax, not a finish. This might be useful on things not
> handled often, but it is not a true finish with any protective value. For
> instance, it would be worthless on table tops, floors, any heavily used
> furniture or other item.
It may not be the kind of finish you like -- that's fine. However, there
are several oil finishes available on the market. This is definitely an oil
type, has the same effect on wood as oil, but it also has a natural sealer.
Wax alone will not bring out the beautiful colors in wood, even if it is
melted in, such as happens when applied to a turning on a lathe. It takes
oil to do that. We have used this finish in our toy production for a number
of years now. We wholesale our toys to a national toy company and have been
among their best selling items for several years running. You'd be
surprised how well it does last even with regular handling, and again, it is
easy to renew. I realize we cannot sell this to everybody, for all
purposes. I appreciate that point Charlie, but you may even have some
projects it would work well on if you tried it.
> You made claims in your original post that made this sound like the be-all
and
> end-all. Now you say it isn't. You're right the second time. Might be a
pretty
> good heavy wax finish, but I don't see much value here or anything someone
> couldn't whip up in a shop in a few minutes, assuming they had some citrus
oils
> on hand. Most of us have linseed oil, beeswax and often other waxes. The
gel
> bit is nothing but a consistency level. $7.95 for a half pint is a bit
rough.
The value is in the quality of ingredients, and having a ready to use
product that is easy to apply. Our price is way lower than some competitive
products -- try "Claphams - perfect for cutting boards, cheese boards, fruit
or salad bowls, toys, utensils and more," $15.99 for less than 8 oz. Or
"Preserve - forms a more durable finish than oils alone, buffs to a water
repellent luster," $12.99 for 8 oz. You can whip up a lot of things in a
shop, and experimentation is what it's all about. But it would be nearly
impossible to procure the ingredients for a small batch of this without
spending more money than you would for several cans, to say nothing of time
involved. The ingredients in this finish are not off-the-shelf hardware
store items. We can save you all that trouble, and some money too.
It's true "gel" is nothing but consistency level with any finish. In the
polyurethanes it is accomplished with a heat process, since it is not
practical to adjust consistency to that level any other way. This is a very
desirable level of consistency for certain applications.
Again, come give us a try!
Mark Shafer
On Mon, 16 Feb 2004 07:28:20 -0600, "Mark Shafer"
<[email protected]> wrote:
>Again, come give us a try!
>
>Mark Shafer
>
>
a few years back there was a spam like this involving a lubrication
product- slipit. the vendor offered up samples to the group, sent said
samples and got some good feedback for it. it seemed to me like a good
approach.....
Three things: 1, We went one step further, and our oils are food grade. Not
only do you not have to worry about absorbtion through the largest organ in
your body - skin, but your youngster can help you apply it. Though not
recommended for internal use, a lick won't hurt you. 2, Our linseed oil is
not pre-polymerized, so it will penetrate deeper (carrying the wax in with
it) and then cure. Polymerized linseed oil (a process of heating to a high
temperature) stays more on the surface. With our product, what one could
call post-polymerization (caused by heat, light or oxygen), though slower,
naturally occurs after application and goes deeper. 3, We are a dollar less
per pint.
Mark Shafer
"Conan the Librarian" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> "Mark Shafer" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
>
>
> I'm curious as to what advantage you feel this offers over the
> Tried & True oil/wax finish that's already on the market? They state
> that their linseed oil is naturally polymerized, with no heavy metal
> driers or petroleum distillates added. They also use beeswax.
>
> So why would I want to stop using their finish and buy your product
> instead?
>
>
> Chuck Vance
The function of citrus oils in our product is basically to act as a carrier
and then evaporate, allowing greater initial penetration of the residual
ingredients.
Food safe is great. I won't put some of the other products down on that
claim. There are different grades of linseed oil. Polymerized linseed oil
is not a food grade, though it may be food safe on a surface. The same goes
with citrus oils, there are different grades. Then, there is also food safe
grease for lubricating restaurant equipment, but it's nothing you would
really want in your food in more than trace amounts, if at all. But the
safeness of a finish goes way beyond it's final state. Take polyester resin
as an extreme example; highly toxic in the raw, but in it's cured state it
is inert even if ingested. This is why Corian is such a great countertop --
it is polyester resin with pigments.. From my experience as a finisher I
understand the safety precautions necessary for handling many common
finishes. Here, I'll divulge some of the story behind our finish for those
who haven't visited our website.
In 1998 we began selling our toys to a premium toy catalog and online store.
Among this market's strict requirements were safety, durability, smooth
quality and (of course) a non-toxic finish. When I started using the
family's help in the finishing department, we knew we didn't want exposure
to the toxic nature of conventional finishes in the raw either. We wanted a
product safe enough to apply without special protection and a non-toxic
finish for the children who are the end users of toys. After trying a
number of products, we felt we could make improvements. What we came up
with after a significant amount of R & D made the task of production
finishing and assembly immensly easier, and made a world of difference in
the finishing room environment that affected our health in a positive way.
This stuff is actually good for you.
Honestly, this conversation has been greatly beneficial to me and I thank
all for their feedback. If our product needs improvement, changes and
suggestions are absolutely welcome. Naturally, no one really knows without
having some in their hands (on their hands). So, Charlie Self,
BarryBurkeJr., and Conan the Librarian, if you'll send me your addresses
I'll send you each a complimentary 1/2 pint. This offer is for you only, in
appreciation your participation here. Thanks for your responses!
Mark Shafer
"Conan the Librarian" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> "Mark Shafer" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
>
> > Three things: 1, We went one step further, and our oils are food grade.
Not
> > only do you not have to worry about absorbtion through the largest organ
in
> > your body - skin, but your youngster can help you apply it. Though not
> > recommended for internal use, a lick won't hurt you.
>
> IIRC, T&T is "food-safe". I don't know if that's the same or not
> in practice.
>
> > 2, Our linseed oil is
> > not pre-polymerized, so it will penetrate deeper (carrying the wax in
with
> > it) and then cure. Polymerized linseed oil (a process of heating to a
high
> > temperature) stays more on the surface. With our product, what one
could
> > call post-polymerization (caused by heat, light or oxygen), though
slower,
> > naturally occurs after application and goes deeper.
>
> I wonder if that's why T&T's finishing schedule calls for applying,
> letting it sit for an hour and then buffing/rubbing? I'm also
> guessing that is why you can use so little of their finish at a time
> and get good results.
>
> > 3, We are a dollar less
> > per pint.
>
> If your product looks as good, goes on as nicely, and stretches as
> far as T&T, that actually will be meaningful. Otherwise, I'll just
> stick to what I know works.
>
> BTW, I am always curious about the various "citrus oils". What
> exactly do they accomplish besides making things smell nice?
>
> Anyhow, thanks for the answers to my questions. I was skeptical
> partially because your original post seemed awfully close to spam.
>
>
> Chuck Vance
Bridger wrote:
> On Thu, 19 Feb 2004 07:08:31 -0600, "Mark Shafer"
> <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>
>>OFFER GOOD THROUGH FEBRUARY 15, 2004.
>>
>>Charlie Self, BarryBurkeJr., and Conan the Librarian, if you'll send me your
>>addresses I'll send you each a complimentary 1/2 pint. This offer is for
>>you only, in appreciation of your participation here. Thanks for your
>>responses!
>>
>>Mark Shafer
>>
>
>
>
> gee, mark, it'd prolly be a good idea to open it to the group or make
> the offer privately via email....
and maybe make the expiration date after the offer date;-)
Joe
"Bridger" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On Thu, 19 Feb 2004 07:08:31 -0600, "Mark Shafer"
> <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> >
> >OFFER GOOD THROUGH FEBRUARY 15, 2004.
> >
> >Charlie Self, BarryBurkeJr., and Conan the Librarian, if you'll send me
your
> >addresses I'll send you each a complimentary 1/2 pint. This offer is for
> >you only, in appreciation of your participation here. Thanks for your
> >responses!
> >
> >Mark Shafer
> >
>
>
> gee, mark, it'd prolly be a good idea to open it to the group or make
> the offer privately via email....
I agree.
Instead of promoting the product, you just turned off everyone else here.
Talk about dumb marketing.
Ed
On Sun, 15 Feb 2004 15:16:27 -0600, "Mark Shafer"
<[email protected]> wrote:
>Any who want to stray away from miniwax type finishes a little, or just
>generally like to stay away from toxic preparations as much as possible,
>there's a great non-toxic oil finish with the added protection of beeswax
As a person who's read Bob Flexner's Finishing Book, I'm skeptical.
Could you elaborate on the merits of your product?
Thank you,
Barry