Replies

1. 
   Coyote | May 06, 1999 01:31am | #1

   *
   Laurie:

   Under 'articles and tips', look for "recipe for one sweet finish". I've used this finish on cutting boards and cooking utensils, and it works great. There is also a good article on food safe finishes, as well.

   Which brings me to your first question. If it's a surface in the kitchen, I would *strongly* recommend a food-safe finish. Even if you normally don't use the surface for food prep, it still is a good idea.

   As for the second question, any of the food safe finishes (including the beeswax and mineral oil finish recipe) should work well. As you have found out, these finishes require some maintenance, but are well work the effort. Good luck...

   Coyote

1. 
   Brent_Marlin | May 06, 1999 06:30am | #2

   *I too like the salad bowl finish but none of the food safe finishes are going to last very long. If you are going to refinish i would try a linseed or tung oil as a base coat and a water based urethane with several coats for a lasting and protective finish. If you want food safe plan on applying additional coats of beeswax from time to time. This should give you the depth i think your looking for. Hope this helped.

1. 
   laurie_davis | May 19, 1999 12:42am | #3

   *Thanks for the reply. I saw the article on "one sweet finish" and it sounded good. I may try that next, but do you have any idea how long it lasts? 6months? a year? Lau

1. 
   laurie_davis | May 19, 1999 12:47am | #4

   *Thanks for the reply. Any idea how long the beeswax finish will last? 6 months? a year? I may try that next, but I am wondering if the tung oil/ waterbased urethane will have a golden finish or more blueish as urethane sometimes appears? La

1. 
   Terry_Branthwaite | May 19, 1999 11:28pm | #5

   *Use clear Watco and wait a week before using

2. 
   Tim_Daniel | Jan 06, 2000 07:51am | #6

   *I also have a Hard Maple butcher block countertop in my kitchen (I made myself). I used Pure Tung Oil as a finish. The only question I had was whether Tung Oil was food safe. I asked this question in this forum but it seems the site crashed and wiped out all traces of me from the system. Anyway one of the replies directed me to an old article in Fine woodworking on "eddible finishes". One of these finishes was Pure Tung Oil. I have as few as 3 coats of Tung Oil on my countertop even around my sink. I is about 4 months old and have had no problems. Water beads on the surface. Pure tung oil has several advantages1. It is totally non-toxic (eddible) in it's pure form (no metalic dryers).2. It is the most water resistant of all the oil finishes.3. It will never go rancid.4. more coats give that sheen you are looking for. 5. It can be repaired simply by reapplying the finish.The only disadvatage is that the finish does need to be kept up by reapplying the finsh several times a year but I think this is a small price to pay for not wrapping real wood in a "plastic" finsh.hope this helpsTim Daniel

3. 
   Drew_Nyman | Jan 28, 2000 12:25pm | #7

   *most finishes are food safe when completly cured(30days) I use varathane on my kitchens and have had no problems to date READ THE DIRECTIONS

4. 
   Joe_McMurray | Mar 31, 2000 09:01am | #8

   *Hi Laurie, I turned a rolling pin out for my wife on a lathe and all i used was some vegitable oil on it i do this frequently its not something i can just let go for months but it u apply this and use your buthcer block and wipe it down and apply this occasionnally i think u'll like it