Finishes

Tung Oil, or Chinese Wood Oil as it’s sometimes called, is a natural oil derived from the seed of the nut of the tung tree. The jury is out as to whether it can spark a nut allergy. Tung Oil air dries to form a tough, hard film that has a fairly strong amber tint. Because it doesn’t have any solvent or driers in it it can take a while to dry, and dependant on conditions this can be up to a week although 48 hours is more common. As with most finishes a thinner coat will dry quicker. Normally applied with a brush or cloth.

Melamine Lacquer can be a bit fiddly to apply and there’s no better way than spraying it. If you don’t have access to spray equipment then this aerosol version is the ideal way. Melamine Gloss Lacquer will quickly build to a bright gloss finish and dries in a matter of minutes. Touch dry and safe to handle within five minutes the lacquer chemically cures to give a tougher finish. The lacquer achieves practically all of this (about 90%) within seven days, after which the process slows and can take up to another two weeks to fully complete. Best used over a Cellulose Sanding Sealer (brushing or aerosol) and can be overcoated with a wax for a softer tactile feel.

Chestnut Finishing Oil is Chestnuts' version of Danish Oil* and uses Tung Oil as its base but with the addition of solvents and driers. This aids the drying of the product and speeds it up dramatically, so that it’s dry within eight hours. It has a pale amber colour and dries to a hard yet flexible film which is very hardwearing and water resistant. For a high gloss finish apply several coats with a light rub down between coats; after 5 or 6 coats a good sheen should be visible. Finishing Oil is normally applied by cloth but on larger areas a brush can be used very successfully.

Food Safe Finish is a clear, food grade mineral oil. Chestnut use a thin grade of oil to allow it to soak into bare timber which then protects it against water splashes etc whilst not tainting or affecting the food in any way. It dries to a fairly matt finish; it is however ideal to use for wet sanding and when used with a very fine abrasive it can give an exceptionally smooth surface which has its own gentle glow. Apply with a clean cloth or brush direct onto bare wood, up to three coats are recommended. If the oil sits on the surface and won’t soak in it means the timber has absorbed as much as it can and no further coats are needed. Any surplus can be removed with a clean cloth if required. Depending on the way the item is used it might be necessary to top-up the finish, especially if it is washed regularly.

If you don’t have access to spraying equipment, this aerosol lacquer will give you a great finish quickly and easily. A spray application is particularly relevant when trying to achieve the best gloss finish possible. Acrylic Gloss Lacquer is a high build water based lacquer specially adapted to give the best delivery through the nozzle (chosen to give excellent results without spitting, spotting or clogging in normal use) without, of course, the use of CFCs. The lacquer itself dries quickly to give a high gloss finish straight from the can which has the benefit of being extremely hard wearing and durable – so much so that it can be used on items that will be kept outdoors or used in areas where moisture could damage other finishes. Acrylic Gloss Lacquer is touch dry and tack free in around five minutes and hard dry in twenty minutes, ready for a second coat if needed after a light rubdown with a fine abrasive. The sheen level can be increased if required by using Burnishing Cream (which will not affect the durability) or, after allowing 24 hours to ensure it is completely hard dry, by using it in conjunction with the Buffing Wheel Kit.

If you’re looking for a finish that won’t change the colour of your timber, won’t overpower the natural beauty of the wood with a high gloss but will still protect the timber and smell nice, well, you’re in the right place! Lemon Oil is a clear, low build finish. By that we mean that it’s a very thin liquid with a very low solids content, so no matter how much you apply it’s not going to build up to a discernible visible film on the surface. Instead it soaks in and seals the surface, offering a level of water resistance and protection against handling. Normally applied with a brush or a cloth it’s very  easy to use and covers well and doesn’t usually show overlaps, so it’s ideal for large areas which often look better without a high gloss. And as you might expect, it has a pleasant lemon aroma too, although this does fade after a while.

Cut’n’Polish is a blend of two waxes with a fine abrasive held in suspension within them. This is a soft wax designed to stay ‘wet’ slightly longer during application, allowing it to lubricate the abrasive to give a very fine cut to the timber and also to collect any dust generated during use and some subsequent sanding, preventing it from entering the workshop atmosphere. On bare wood; sand to 240 grit as normal, apply a coat of Cut’n’Polish with the lathe stopped, then switch on the lathe and buff to a soft sheen whilst smoothing the timber at the same time. On sealed wood apply after the sealer in the same way, polishing to a slightly higher shine. Cut’n’Polish dries almost immediately and can be overcoated with Friction Polish or any Chestnut waxes for a higher shine.

This is the same wax Chestnut use in the tinned version of Microcrystalline Wax but in a solid block form with no solvent. This means there’s no waiting around for it to dry before buffing it. Like the original version, this wax should be used very sparingly, a little goes a very long way and once applied it might even be necessary to spread it thinner using Safety Cloth (the texture of this makes it ideal for this purpose). The Microcrystalline Wax Stick is also perfect for use on the Buffing Wheel System, use it on Wheel C to buff up to a brilliant, hard wearing finish.

End Seal is an emulsified paraffin wax used the seal the ends of freshly cut timber to slow down the drying process and reduce the risk of the timber splitting. It can also be used on work-in-progress that is being left unfinished where there is a risk of the timber splitting. Apply it liberally, normally by brush but it can be sprayed if needed, usually to the smallest surface of the timber which will normally be the end grain where moisture is most likely to escape from. Sealing the surface will encourage the moisture to escape via the larger areas which will result in a slower exit.

Chestnut Products’ Microcrystalline Wax is a blend of high quality waxes rich in microcrystalline wax – a wax derived from the petroleum refining process and known for the fineness of its crystals. This is mixed with a special solvent to create a firm wax which, when dry, knits down to form a very dense coating making it very water resistant, meaning that it is ideal for any items that are likely to come into contact with water for short periods of time. Microcrystalline waxes also have a higher melting point than other waxes traditionally used to make polishing waxes, the benefit of which is that repeated handling of items finished in Microcrystalline Wax won’t finger mark in the same way, as the melting point is higher than normal body temperature. Microcrystalline Wax should be used over one of the Chestnut Products’ sanding sealers and allowed to dry (about 20 minutes) before buffing to a shine. For best results apply a very thin coat, spreading the wax evenly over the entire surface. Microcrystalline Wax can also be used on the buffing wheel system. In this situation use the A and B Wheel as normal, then apply the Microcrystalline Wax to the item you are polishing. Allow 20 minutes for the wax to dry then buff and normal using the C Wheel. You can use the same C Wheel for both Microcrystalline Wax  and the Carnuaba Wax Stick.  Microcrystalline Wax has been tested to the EN71 Part 3 regulations regarding coatings used on toys.