Urns

[Dr. Deb]

An acquaintance asked me to see what I could do with a couple of wooden (turned) urns that his wife had used as vases. The urns have been turn "down the log" so I will be dealing with end grain.

The person who turned them told her not to put flowers in the urn as the moisture would harm the wood. So she didn't. At least not directly. What she did do was to put the flowers (in a plastic container and put that in the wooden urn. She was either unaware of both the moisture on the outside of the plastic vessel and/or the condensation that would form on its outside. Of course the urns got damp/wet, the finish came off (inside only) and the bottoms got rough/punky. The outside of the urns looks very good, no water damage. What damage there is, and its not severe, but definitely needs to be treated now to keep them from being totally destroyed.

The question is, what to treat the wood with (its is now dry). I had thought that I might used MinWax WoodHardner or thin CA glue. I could use shellac, but I am not sure just how much wood preserving it would do.

Any thoughts and ideas welcomed.

Thanks

Deb

PS I am also going to post this on ".rec.crafts.woodturning"

[Sonny]

Simplest fix, to me: Clean up the inside and apply several coats of tung oil. Periodic tung oil treatment should keep it in good shape.

Sonny

[Lew Hodgett]

------------------------------- The classic dry rot problem.

Google "Git Rot", then select Jamestown Distributors to buy.

BTDT.

Lew

[Just Wondering]

Wooden urns should be used to store copper coins. Hence the saying, a penny saved is a penny urned.

[Larry Jaques]

He really should have sealed the inside of those. Have her pass that on to him. People are dumb, um, I mean not well informed even though they're told specifically. In '75, I knew a very smart and beautiful electronics production line manager who kept a live plant on top of her VCR cabinet. She seldom used it and seldom spilled, but when she did, the Miracle Grow acted like an etchant on the PC board traces. My boss got it from her and ran insulated bell wire from point to point to get it working for her. (Yes, YOU, Peggy. ;)

Ahh, the perfect marriage: Wood & Water!

I'd make darned sure there are holes in the bottom of the urns and then use a thin (less viscous) epoxy, like West or System Three.

-- In the depth of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer. -- Albert Camus

[Richard]

Somebody needs to go stand in the corner for a while!

[HeyBub]

Can't you pour some spar varnish in the urn, slosh it around, and pour out that which didn't stick?