Mineral oil and beeswax

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sawduster

New User
Robert
OK, I'm making a rocking horse for my grandson :eek: ....yeah, I know, a big bite for me but I am enjoying it . Fred has helped me with a really nice piece of poplar and some of the larger milling and glue-up but I am doing the actual crafting all by my lonesome.
Anyhoo, I have stumbled across some interesting info on a home-brewed finish of mineral oil and beeswax ....kid safe, environmentally friendly etc etc. I think i want to try it but would like some real-world input from anyone who has used it . Good, bad, or indifferent, would like to hear what you have to say :icon_thum

Thanx in advance for any and all input :D
 

Mike Davis

Mike
Corporate Member
Use polyurethane or spar varnish, save the oil wax mixture for chopping boards.

all modern USA finishes are kid safe after 30 days and some much less.
 

KenOfCary

Ken
Staff member
Corporate Member
+1 to what Mike said. The mineral oil and beeswax will not stand up to the kind of use you're talking about. It is great for carvings and such. But you need a good hard, long lasting finish on that project. A wipe-on Poly or Varnish is what you're looking for.

Once cured all Varnish finishes are kid and food safe.
 

Touchwood

New User
Don
OK, I'm making a rocking horse for my grandson :eek: ....yeah, I know, a big bite for me but I am enjoying it . Fred has helped me with a really nice piece of poplar and some of the larger milling and glue-up but I am doing the actual crafting all by my lonesome.
Anyhoo, I have stumbled across some interesting info on a home-brewed finish of mineral oil and beeswax ....kid safe, environmentally friendly etc etc. I think i want to try it but would like some real-world input from anyone who has used it . Good, bad, or indifferent, would like to hear what you have to say :icon_thum

Thanx in advance for any and all input :D

Robert

I posted a lot of information here on what,IMHO, is the best finish for your purpose. It's in the wood..not a skin on top..and it's non toxic...plus it's easy to repair scratches etc. The article is worth reading.

http://www.ncwoodworker.net/forums/showthread.php?t=50959

Hope this helps

Don
 

hymie123

Jim
Corporate Member
I've used mineral oil and beeswax finish for brewing mash paddles. I wouldn't use it for anything that needs a durable finish it just doesn't offer any protection.
 

thsb

New User
Tim
does the tung oil smell for a long time? I like the idea but the reason i don't use waterlox more is that the smell takes so long to go away. patience is not one of my virtues so have been using shellac and water-based poly because of low odor and quick drying. can finish a piece in a day and get it out of the shop.
 

ScottM

Scott
Staff member
Corporate Member
Bro like Mike and Ken said go with poly. You can make your own "wipe on poly" by just mixing regular poly 50/50 with mineral spirits. It will take 5 or 6 coats.
 

bluedawg76

New User
Sam
for a project like this I'd opt for a oil/varnish personally rather than a varnish. a slick, smooth film finish just wouldn't feel right to me on a rocking horse. I'd prefer an "in the wood" style finish which would feel more natural and would be much easier to repair the scratches, bite marks, etc. Either way you go, either should be fine (i.e. non-toxic) after curing.

Sam

Robert

I posted a lot of information here on what,IMHO, is the best finish for your purpose. It's in the wood..not a skin on top..and it's non toxic...plus it's easy to repair scratches etc. The article is worth reading.

http://www.ncwoodworker.net/forums/showthread.php?t=50959

Hope this helps

Don
 

Jeff

New User
Jeff
+1 to a tung oil finish for your rocking horse. It's a kids toy so dings and scratches are expected but they're easily touched up or repaired if desired. Shellac would be another option to consider.

Most of the tung oil products contain a mineral spirit like carrier as the solvent so they are not pure tung oil per se, despite what the marketing label says. Don's Deftoil Natural contains about 20% BLO and only 1.4% tung oil in addition to the solvents. Waterlox Original Sealer/Finish is similar, but the % tung oil is unspecified (proprietary).

http://www.deftfinishes.com/trade/s...70 DEFTOIL NATURAL FD MSDS REV 03-09-2012.pdf

http://www.waterlox.com/uploads/docs/Product_MSDS_TB-5284__634278234178023374.pdf

The odor is from the solvents, not the oils.
 

Touchwood

New User
Don
+1 to a tung oil finish for your rocking horse. It's a kids toy so dings and scratches are expected but they're easily touched up or repaired if desired. Shellac would be another option to consider.

Most of the tung oil products contain a mineral spirit like carrier as the solvent so they are not pure tung oil per se, despite what the marketing label says. Don's Deftoil Natural contains about 20% BLO and only 1.4% tung oil in addition to the solvents. Waterlox Original Sealer/Finish is similar, but the % tung oil is unspecified (proprietary).

http://www.deftfinishes.com/trade/s...70 DEFTOIL NATURAL FD MSDS REV 03-09-2012.pdf

http://www.waterlox.com/uploads/docs/Product_MSDS_TB-5284__634278234178023374.pdf

The odor is from the solvents, not the oils.

Jeff,

Good information !!!! :eusa_danc...I was not aware of the Deft product composition. Where did you get the info?? I would really like to learn more about it. I read someplace that most BLO isn't boiled at all...just linseed oil with additives.

I got turned on to Deftoil by Hal Taylor. ( http://www.haltaylor.com/ ). He uses it on his Maloof style rockers. I should have known...cheaper is usually not better:rolleyes:

I used to use the Sutherland-Welles product and I knew for sure what was in it. Frank Welles used to live here in the Durham area. I've met him and saw were he "polymerized" the oil he got from South America.
The solvent he uses now is citrus based so the smell is actually pleasant.

I know what Tim means about Waterlox...I used it on my shop wood floor and it took weeks for the smell to go away.:(
 

Touchwood

New User
Don
Jeff,

Good information !!!! :eusa_danc...I was not aware of the Deft product composition. Where did you get the info?? I would really like to learn more about it. I read someplace that most BLO isn't boiled at all...just linseed oil with additives.

I got turned on to Deftoil by Hal Taylor. ( http://www.haltaylor.com/ ). He uses it on his Maloof style rockers. I should have known...cheaper is usually not better:rolleyes:

I used to use the Sutherland-Welles product and I knew for sure what was in it. Frank Welles used to live here in the Durham area. I've met him and saw were he "polymerized" the oil he got from South America.
The solvent he uses now is citrus based so the smell is actually pleasant.

I know what Tim means about Waterlox...I used it on my shop wood floor and it took weeks for the smell to go away.:(


Jeff

Forget my question...I just read the link. Good input

Don
 

Rick M

New User
Rick
Jeff,

I read someplace that most BLO isn't boiled at all...just linseed oil with additives.

Yep, oil with metallic driers.

A tung oil finish could be anything and may or may not contain tung oil at all. Many are simply wiping varnishes. Many people believe Tru-Oil is a tung oil based finish and maybe once it was once but is now made with linseed oil. You can buy 100% pure tung oil just make sure to read the label.


As for kid safe finishes, everyone says that any modern finish is kid/food safe once fully cured and I have no reason to doubt it but admittedly part of me is skeptical and I use shellac for such things.
 

Jeff

New User
Jeff
No offense to anyone. If your preferred finish works superbly for you, as it has for Don, then go with it. Always look up the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) for your products to find out exactly what you're using for your safety and $$$.

BLO and tung oil are rarely heat treated today to promote cross-linking and drying upon exposure to oxygen. Most have a metallic catalyst that generates oxygen free radicals and that's what promotes the "curing" in those recommended thin coats.

Be aware of the marketing s**t promoting the "new and improved" whatever.
 

Howard Acheson

New User
Howard
The best application for that finish is its use on butcher blocks and cutting boards. In fact that's what it is primarily used for.

It's not a very protective or durable finish on something that is going to get a lot of use. Frequent wiping and cleaning with household cleaners will quickly remove the finish. It also does not do well in moisture resistance.

As a note, all finishes sold in the US since the mid-1970's have been required to be non-toxic when cured. So any store-bought finish is safe to use.

My preference for something like a rocking horse would be a few coats of a waterborne polycrylic clear finish. While an oil based poly varnish is slightly more durable, there is no need to deal with the vapors and slow drying. Spar varnish is not a good choice either as it is formulated to be very soft and will be easily damaged. Not good for kid's toys.
 
what would be a good example of a waterborne polycrylic ?

http://www.minwax.com/wood-products...-finishes/minwax-polycrylic-protective-finish


I brushed this on some drawers and then bought similar stuff from another brand that I got cheaper by the gallon.... it turned out ok I ended up with about 5 brushed on coats on the drawer boxes..... I wish I had a sprayer but after you get the 3 coat on sanding in between it laid down smoother with less bubbles.... never shake the stuff repeat never shake it... you do not want air bubbles trapped in it easy enough to get bubbles brushing... and do not over work it with strokes.... make a stroke and move on

MY QUESTION IS

why has no one told him to use SHELLAC ???????????????????????????

I think this would have a more natural feel non toxic drys fast seems like a good option to me... but I think the water based poly would be ok also just more of a plastic feel that I wanted for the drawer boxes
 

farmerbw

Brian
Corporate Member
Robert, I've been using GF Polycylic for a while now and have been happy with it. It comes in whatever sheen you'd like. Tat is right on about shaking. :thumbs_up

B.
 

Jeff

New User
Jeff
why has no one told him to use SHELLAC ???????????????????????????

It is mentioned as an option somewhere above.
 
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