Replies

1. 
   DaveHeinlein | Oct 22, 2003 01:46am | #1

   It's been my experience that oil based finishes give Sycamore a sickly yellow cast, whereas the crystal clear(or near) finishes of shellac, laquer, and acrylic or water based urethanes keep the nice natural color much better.

1. 
   rrwood | Oct 22, 2003 03:35am | #2

   Thanks Dave...this is the kind of response I was looking for.    

   rrwood

2. 
   ron61 | Oct 22, 2003 04:35am | #3

   Try a sample with some oil see what it looks like - I think it brings out the  color in the wood.

   check it out I bet you will like it.

   just make some samples and and go through all the steps see what you like

   Ron

   Who Ever Has The Biggest Pile Of Tools When You Die Wins

1. 
   DonStephan | Oct 22, 2003 05:24am | #4

   You might also experiment with some different colors of shellac: orange and dark would be recommended. When I made a sycamore cabinet I experimented on some scraps, hoping the client would think similarly. Unfortunately he chose to paint part and apply dark pigment stain to the rest, which hid the grain and figure.

   On the quartersawn sycamore, I really liked the look of a light coat of linseed oil, followed a day later with the colored shellac. Of course, shellac can be a challenge to pad or brush on other than flat surfaces. I've never sprayed it.

   Don

3. 
   jonsherryl | Oct 22, 2003 04:53pm | #5

   RR, if it's quartersawn sycamore, the one thing you don't want to do is stain it. Stain will sharpen the contrast between the rays and the background tissue to the point that it looks excessively harsh. If you want to darken it (even just slightly) use something which keeps the pigment in the film coat (a varnish stain or one of the less pure shellacs) and apply it as a second coat over a clear first coat.

   Personally, I think sycamore is a wood that should be left "blond." It looks best in its natural color. The amber-orange heartwood and light creamy tan sapwood give it its unique character...and if you want a darker look, it's simply the wrong wood to be using. I often use quartersawn sycamore for the sound boards on my dulcimers where my finish-of-choice is clear lacquer...but when using it in other projects (like clock cases) I usually use shellac.

   Although sycamore is a diffuse-porous wood, because of the difference in porosity between the rays and the surrounding tissue, it's difficult to get a truely smooth surface unless you use a film type finish with a lot of body. Also, sycamore is a relatively soft wood...so, a finish that leaves a heavy surface film gives it a little more protection against dings and scratches.  

1. 
   rrwood | Oct 24, 2003 07:02am | #6

   What about boiled linseed oil to bring out the detail of the wood???, allow to dry add, shelac, than cover coat.

   rrwood

1. 
   jonsherryl | Oct 24, 2003 04:15pm | #7

   RR, that should be a good finishing approach. The initial application of oil will heighten the contrast just a bit...the shellac will seal it and give you a quick build to make the surface uniform in terms of porosity...and the final top coat of a harder more durable varnish would provide the best protection.

   I'd still go through this schedule on a piece of scrap first to confirm a couple of variables: That the oil doesn't create too much contrast...and that you don't have any chemical incompatibilities. But it sounds like you have a winning strategy here.

4. 
   Midnight | Oct 24, 2003 10:28pm | #8

   I hit the exact same problem with the blanket chest I'm building (oak framed sycamore panels). I tried a number of finishes on some offcuts before settling on an initial wipe on coat of Danish oil. Left like that I found the oil gave the wood an unnatural orangey yellow colour that just didn't sit right with me, so I hand rubbed the panels with 0000 gauge steel wool. What i was trying to achieve was leaving the oil IN the wood, not on the wood itself. I finished them with a new (to me at least) product; a liquid wax blend of beeswax and carnuba.

   Left to dry, The end result was a pleasing satin finish. The oil really brought out the rays in the wood, the steel wool brought back most of the natural blonde while the wax left a soft subtle sheen. I'm happy with how they turned out.

   Mike Wallace

   Stay safe....Have fun