Finish Recommendations on Rocking Horse built out of Cherry

[kave]

This is a WIP Rocking Horse I'm making for my grand daughter. While it needs final assembly and another sanding or 2, I would like to receive recommendations from you good folks on type of finish. In the spirit of full disclosure this is one of three rocking horses I'm currently building. Even though we only have one granddaughter, we have three sons. So I'm sure you folks get the picture. and lastly, No, "staining" is not a valid answer :gar-Bi!!

Thanks in advance!!

 

[Endless Pursuit]

I would practice on some scraps of the same wood and use a torch to darken areas giving the piece some character (a mane?). Then I'd apply 3 coats of low gloss water based poly because of it's abrasion resistance.

 

[Jeff]

this is one of three rocking horses I'm currently building. Even though we only have one granddaughter, we have three sons.

All finishes are food safe/child safe when fully cured so it's pretty much your call for the look that you want. Do you want all 3 of them to be gender neutral?

A similar discussion.

http://forums.finewoodworking.com/fine-woodworking-knots/finishing/best-finish-childs-rocking-horse

And a viewing gallery for thoughts.

http://www.rockimals.com/wooden_rocking_horses/?sort=featured&page=1

 

[Roy G]

I looked in The Rocking-Horse Maker by Anthony Dew. He has plans for 9 horses and 6 are painted and 3 are varnished. So if you want it natural, it looks like you could follow Jeff's suggestion above.

I wonder why I have a book on making rocking-horses? One of those mysteries.

Roy G

 

[CrealBilly]

1/2 gloss oil based polyurethane 1/2 Acetone. Easy to apply and tough like bull ox.

Maybe the Fountain of Youth isn't a fountain at all. Maybe it's a way of looking at things. A way of thinking.

 

[KenOfCary]

I used something similar to what Jeff mentions for the cherry top on a cabinet. Except that I used Mineral Spirits to thin it out to make it flow easier and more like a wipe-on varnish. I guess acetone would work just as well and dry quicker.

Remember that Cherry will darken and become even more beautiful with time. A great choice of wood for this project.

 

[CrealBilly]

I used something similar to what Jeff mentions for the cherry top on a cabinet. Except that I used Mineral Spirits to thin it out to make it flow easier and more like a wipe-on varnish. I guess acetone would work just as well and dry quicker.

Remember that Cherry will darken and become even more beautiful with time. A great choice of wood for this project.

Yep your right MS will work but dries much slower than Acetone. DNA will also work - DNA dries a little faster than MS but slower than Acetone. Personally I like a finish that dries in hours vers days that's why I choose Acetone. Just be quick and dont play with the poly/acetone finish and you'll be OK. It can be sprayed, wiped or brushed. This is the finish I use for my bass guitars. It can be built up quickly and worked to a gloss sheen if you like that. I like to hand rub the final coat with mohawk wool lube and 0000 steel wool. Which creates a smooth satin/glossy finish.

In my mind there are 3 must have chemicals for the wood working shop.
Denatured Alcohol (DNA)
Mineral Spirits (MS)
Acetone

Maybe the Fountain of Youth isn't a fountain at all. Maybe it's a way of looking at things. A way of thinking.

 

[Jeff]

To clarify the relative boiling points of these solvents so that we understand a bit more about them. Which one to use? Your call and preference for the use at hand but the differences are fairly minimal (except for water).

	bp in Fahrenheit
Acetone	133
MS	149
DNA	173
Water	212

 

[CrealBilly]

To clarify the relative boiling points of these solvents so that we understand a bit more about them. Which one to use? Your call and preference for the use at hand but the differences are fairly minimal (except for water).

	bp in Fahrenheit
Acetone	133
MS	149
DNA	173
Water	212

Good info Jeff... but there is something weird in MS that interacts slightly with oil based poly and causes a longer drying time. Not sure what it is but it smells like a very strong lighter fluid when mixed with oil based poly. The smell is intensified many times over than unmixed MS.

This also explains why I can speed up the poly/acetone mix drying time with a few quick passes of a heat gun.

Maybe the Fountain of Youth isn't a fountain at all. Maybe it's a way of looking at things. A way of thinking.

 

[Jeff]

Not sure what it is but it smells like a very strong lighter fluid when mixed with oil based poly. The smell is intensified many times over than unmixed MS.

It's the solvent in the oil based polyurethane, not the MS or some sort of interaction. Smells like old fashioned "Zippo" lighter fluid-a low boiling form of naptha. The boiling point is about 90 degrees Fahrenheit, well below MS at 149 degrees.

 

[kave]

Thanks folks! The DW and I plan to use a cotton fiber mop type for the mane & tail. As far as wood finish, we've decided to experiment on some scrap with 3 different applications:

1) 3 coats of low gloss water based poly
2) 1/2 gloss oil based polyurethane 1/2 Acetone
3) a mixture of poly/bls/ms in a 1:1:1 ratio

Thanks again!!!

 

[Endless Pursuit]

A more appropriate measure when selecting a solvent is the EVAPORATION RATE.

Here us a link to a good info source. The good stuff starts on page 5.

http://www.oxiteno.com.br/eng/pdf/catalogo_tabela_solventes_coatings_ENG.pdf

 

[Jeff]

That's useful information and a good point.

	Relative evap. rate	bp Fahrenheit
Butyl acetate (control)	100	259
Acetone	560	133
Ethanol	78	173
Methanol (DNA)	64	149
Mineral spirits	13	149

 

[Weekendworrior]

I was going to recommend...