Hi,
I'm not a great woodworker - background is electronics...
I want to make a smart, modern case for a nixie (valve) clock I've made...
I've got a nice strip of 10mm x 110mm x 1000mm beech (planed) that I will
make the small box out of.
I'm looking for a finish that is almost unnoticable and matt (to show off
the nice wood, and not to refelect the glowing nixie tubes), that would be
easy to clean and be long lasting... oil? varnish?
Also, I.m in the UK, so UK-available products would be a help...
Many thanks for your advice...
Mike
In article <[email protected]>, Mike Deblis
<[email protected]> wrote:
> I'm looking for a finish that is almost unnoticable and matt (to show off
> the nice wood, and not to refelect the glowing nixie tubes), that would be
> easy to clean and be long lasting... oil? varnish?
I'd consider oil and wax, or a super blonde shellac and wax.
Mike G wrote:
>
> Considering the handling the piece would probably get, one can reasonably
> assume not much, an oil should be fine and give you the look you want.
> Though any oil is going to impart an amber tint.
>
> I favor a Danish oil but boiled linseed oil or tung oil should be just fine.
Varnish (pretty much any) cut 50% makes a more durable "oil finish" than
actual oil. The two are nearly impossible to tell apart.
Do what they do commercially, and thin with mineral spirits. Else, warm
your container in a crockpot or double-boiler arrangement to reduce
viscosity somewhat. Turners have been known to apply oil to a warm piece
fresh from the microwave.
Mike's "Danish oil" is thinned tung or linseed with some resins added.
The curing of tung or linseed is an exothermic reaction. Make like a perp
and spread 'em so the heat can escape.
"K. B." <nospam" [email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I second Mike G's Tung oil. I am into my first project (electronics
> background as well) and found the Tung oil fit my needs, which were
similar
> to yours. It's quite the pain in @ss to apply though, and they tell me
the
> oily rags can spontaneously combust....FIRE HAZARD.
>
> All the Best,
>
>
>
> --
> KB
>
> "Mike G" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > Considering the handling the piece would probably get, one can
reasonably
> > assume not much, an oil should be fine and give you the look you want.
> > Though any oil is going to impart an amber tint.
> >
> > I favor a Danish oil but boiled linseed oil or tung oil should be just
> fine.
> >
> > --
> > Mike G.
> > Heirloom Woods
> > [email protected]
> > www.heirloom-woods.net
> > "Mike Deblis" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> > news:[email protected]...
> > > Hi,
> > >
> > > I'm not a great woodworker - background is electronics...
> > >
> > > I want to make a smart, modern case for a nixie (valve) clock I've
> made...
> > >
> > > I've got a nice strip of 10mm x 110mm x 1000mm beech (planed) that I
> will
> > > make the small box out of.
> > >
> > > I'm looking for a finish that is almost unnoticable and matt (to show
> off
> > > the nice wood, and not to refelect the glowing nixie tubes), that
would
> be
> > > easy to clean and be long lasting... oil? varnish?
> > >
> > > Also, I.m in the UK, so UK-available products would be a help...
> > >
> > > Many thanks for your advice...
> > >
> > > Mike
> > >
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
>
>
Mike Deblis wrote:
> I'm looking for a finish that is almost unnoticable and matt
> (to show off the nice wood, and not to refelect the glowing
> nixie tubes), that would be easy to clean and be long
> lasting... oil? varnish?
>
> Also, I.m in the UK, so UK-available products would be a
> help...
Shellac.
--
Morris Dovey
DeSoto, Iowa USA
I second Mike G's Tung oil. I am into my first project (electronics
background as well) and found the Tung oil fit my needs, which were similar
to yours. It's quite the pain in @ss to apply though, and they tell me the
oily rags can spontaneously combust....FIRE HAZARD.
All the Best,
--
KB
"Mike G" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Considering the handling the piece would probably get, one can reasonably
> assume not much, an oil should be fine and give you the look you want.
> Though any oil is going to impart an amber tint.
>
> I favor a Danish oil but boiled linseed oil or tung oil should be just
fine.
>
> --
> Mike G.
> Heirloom Woods
> [email protected]
> www.heirloom-woods.net
> "Mike Deblis" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > Hi,
> >
> > I'm not a great woodworker - background is electronics...
> >
> > I want to make a smart, modern case for a nixie (valve) clock I've
made...
> >
> > I've got a nice strip of 10mm x 110mm x 1000mm beech (planed) that I
will
> > make the small box out of.
> >
> > I'm looking for a finish that is almost unnoticable and matt (to show
off
> > the nice wood, and not to refelect the glowing nixie tubes), that would
be
> > easy to clean and be long lasting... oil? varnish?
> >
> > Also, I.m in the UK, so UK-available products would be a help...
> >
> > Many thanks for your advice...
> >
> > Mike
> >
> >
> >
>
>
The basic home brew Danish oil is 1/3 tung oil. 1/3 mineral spirits, 1/3
varnish.
So, yes varnish cut 50% would look pretty much like a Danish oil. Actually
they all, oil finishes, look, as far as tone or color, like a varnish finish
without the build.
Danish oil is be a pretty generic term that I would define as an oil finish
containing resins that can be absorbed into the wood cells and is not meant
to be nor would provide, due to it's high oil content, a good surface
finish..
Danish oil's basic components is, after all, the same as a surface building
varnish. Oil, carrier/thinner, resins. Cutting varnish 50% would certainly
qualify the results as a Danish oil with the single exception that if you
were to, for some unfathomable reason, apply enough coats, you could build
it into a good surface varnish finish. It wouldn't make any sense to do so
but......
By playing with the ratio's of the 1/3 formula you can vary the properties
of your home brew Danish oil. While varnish cut 50% will, eventually,
provide some more protection then some other possible combination of the
ingredients I would venture to opine that, due to the low oil content, while
it would cure quicker then a mix containing more oil, it would require more
coats to obtain the same level of sheen that the basic 1/3 formula would. It
is, after all, the oil not the resins that imparts the character to the
wood.
As for the extra protection, I use a Danish oil over a straight BLO or tung
oil for that very reason so I'm certainly can't quibble there. But, one must
keep in mind, when weighing the benefits of an oil finish, that what ever
level of protection a Danish oil gives over a non resin containing oil, it
is still far inferior to a surface finish and I'd only recommend it on
projects not receiving a lot of day to day handling/use of where the piece
might be subject to standing liquids.
As for the ratio of the basic components, what ever floats you boat is fine
with me. And, for the original poster, you have to consider the properties
of the ingredients and experiment to find the mix you like, be it varnish
cut 50%, a 1/3 mix, or some variation there of. In the long run they all
pull into the same station.
Just a thought.
--
Mike G.
Heirloom Woods
[email protected]
www.heirloom-woods.net
"Father Haskell" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Mike G wrote:
> >
> > Considering the handling the piece would probably get, one can
reasonably
> > assume not much, an oil should be fine and give you the look you want.
> > Though any oil is going to impart an amber tint.
> >
> > I favor a Danish oil but boiled linseed oil or tung oil should be just
fine.
>
> Varnish (pretty much any) cut 50% makes a more durable "oil finish" than
> actual oil. The two are nearly impossible to tell apart.
Considering the handling the piece would probably get, one can reasonably
assume not much, an oil should be fine and give you the look you want.
Though any oil is going to impart an amber tint.
I favor a Danish oil but boiled linseed oil or tung oil should be just fine.
--
Mike G.
Heirloom Woods
[email protected]
www.heirloom-woods.net
"Mike Deblis" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hi,
>
> I'm not a great woodworker - background is electronics...
>
> I want to make a smart, modern case for a nixie (valve) clock I've made...
>
> I've got a nice strip of 10mm x 110mm x 1000mm beech (planed) that I will
> make the small box out of.
>
> I'm looking for a finish that is almost unnoticable and matt (to show off
> the nice wood, and not to refelect the glowing nixie tubes), that would be
> easy to clean and be long lasting... oil? varnish?
>
> Also, I.m in the UK, so UK-available products would be a help...
>
> Many thanks for your advice...
>
> Mike
>
>
>
"Mike Deblis" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hi,
>
> I'm not a great woodworker - background is electronics...
>
> I want to make a smart, modern case for a nixie (valve) clock I've made...
>
> I've got a nice strip of 10mm x 110mm x 1000mm beech (planed) that I will
> make the small box out of.
>
> I'm looking for a finish that is almost unnoticable and matt (to show off
> the nice wood, and not to refelect the glowing nixie tubes), that would be
> easy to clean and be long lasting... oil? varnish?
>
> Also, I.m in the UK, so UK-available products would be a help...
>
> Many thanks for your advice...
>
> Mike
>
Mike -
You may wish to try here as well...:
http://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/forums/index.php
Under the "Finishing Advice" forum...
Cheers -
Rob
How about wax, oil, or a combination thereof? Not much protection but
better than nothing. You can always dust it. If it deteriorates, you can
always apply more. Varnish sounds like overkill for your needs.
Good Luck.
"Mike Deblis" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hi,
>
> I'm not a great woodworker - background is electronics...
>
> I want to make a smart, modern case for a nixie (valve) clock I've made...
>
> I've got a nice strip of 10mm x 110mm x 1000mm beech (planed) that I will
> make the small box out of.
>
> I'm looking for a finish that is almost unnoticable and matt (to show off
> the nice wood, and not to refelect the glowing nixie tubes), that would be
> easy to clean and be long lasting... oil? varnish?
>
> Also, I.m in the UK, so UK-available products would be a help...
>
> Many thanks for your advice...
>
> Mike
>
>
>
If you are lucky, these days it can be some form of polymerized soy oil.
--
Mike G.
Heirloom Woods
[email protected]
www.heirloom-woods.net
"George" <george@least> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> Mike's "Danish oil" is thinned tung or linseed with some resins added.
>
On Fri, 11 Jun 2004 16:40:02 +0100, "Mike Deblis"
<[email protected]> wrote:
>I want to make a smart, modern case for a nixie (valve) clock I've made...
Here's a very bad picture of mine, whilst half-made
http://codesmiths.com/shed/clocks/nixie_wood_loose.jpg
The base is now machined, similar to the top, and it's assembled and
almost finished.
I've also added the setting buttons - wooden plungers, working
microswitches inside.
The prototype was even worse !
http://codesmiths.com/shed/clocks/nixie_cardboard.jpg
(that's cardboard, not MDF)
I found that patinated hammer-finish copper made a good bezel for
Nixies, and I really needed to use a light tint on the glass to get
good contrast. Clear glass with some craft-shop tint on the back was
adequate.
>I'm looking for a finish that is almost unnoticable and matt
Oil. A half-litre can of Liberon's finishing oil is easy to work
with and easy to find. Buy it from most decent toolshops, or
www.axminster.co.uk if you're stuck. Apply with kitchen paper
towels, apply _thinly_ and you'll want three or four coats - half hour
between them in this weather.
--
Smert' spamionam
Another option is Jeff Jewitt site www.homesteadfinishing.com and look
for Selecting a Finish for his article. AAAArticle title is close to
that but may not be verbatim.
On Fri, 11 Jun 2004 12:36:02 -0400, "Robin Lee" <[email protected]>
wrote:
>
>"Mike Deblis" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>news:[email protected]...
>> Hi,
>>
>> I'm not a great woodworker - background is electronics...
>>
>> I want to make a smart, modern case for a nixie (valve) clock I've made...
>>
>> I've got a nice strip of 10mm x 110mm x 1000mm beech (planed) that I will
>> make the small box out of.
>>
>> I'm looking for a finish that is almost unnoticable and matt (to show off
>> the nice wood, and not to refelect the glowing nixie tubes), that would be
>> easy to clean and be long lasting... oil? varnish?
>>
>> Also, I.m in the UK, so UK-available products would be a help...
>>
>> Many thanks for your advice...
>>
>> Mike
>>
>
>
>Mike -
>
>You may wish to try here as well...:
>
>http://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/forums/index.php
>
>Under the "Finishing Advice" forum...
>
>Cheers -
>
>Rob
>