Finish for oak?

[steamer]

--I'm building a gun carriage, circa 1850 or thereabouts, suitable for a sailing ship. I've made it out of oak and now it occurs to me that it will have to be grubby handprint-resistant. I don't want to paint it; I want the oak to show thru whatever finish I use, but I don't want to slop something on that's so thick that it changes the thickness of the wood. Would something like Watco Danish oil finish be suitable for this? If not, does anyone have a recommendation of what I should use? TIA,

[Lew Hodgett]

steamer wrote: > --I'm building a gun carriage, circa 1850 or thereabouts, suitable > for a sailing ship. I've made it out of oak and now it occurs to me that it > will have to be grubby handprint-resistant. I don't want to paint it; I want > the oak to show thru whatever finish I use, but I don't want to slop > something on that's so thick that it changes the thickness of the wood.

Just finished making a couple of white oak pieces.

Used BLO cut about 1/3 with turps followed with bees wax cut about 50/50 with turps to finish.

The person who now has them likes it.

Lew

[RicodJour]

Yes. A very good choice as it's simple to apply and repair.

R

[DonkeyHody]

If it was me, I'd stain the thing very dark with maybe a walnut stain. I expect the real cannon carriages got blackend from all that smoke and soot etc. Besides, that's what people expect to see. I'd use a penetrating oil finish like tung oil or Watco Danish oil. Grimy handprints won't show much on that dark wood, especially if it's not shiny.

DonkeyHody "Every man is my superior in that I can learn from him." - Thomas Carlyle

[Prometheus]

You're in luck. Oak with take any stain, varnish, or other finish known to man like a champ. It doesn't blotch at all, and there's no real reason why you can't just go ahead and use anything you want. I'd probably go with a varnish, myself.

[Ron Magen]

Is this 'life-size' or a model ?

Either way I'd use a 'Teak Oil' for that 'Bristol Fashion' finish. DON'T let anyone kid you, the guns only got dirty when 'In Action'. Otherwise the barrels were 'Blackened', oiled, polished, the 'truck' overhauled & 'braced up', and all inspected daily. And woe betide the Gun Captain who's piece wasn't 'ship shape & Bristol Fashion' !!

For a 'merchant finish' - dark amber, used for decks, etc. - 1qt Turps, 1qt BLO, 1/2pt Pine Tar, 1/2pt Japan Driers. {use same ratios for smaller quantities}. Use less Pine Tar for lighter color, more for darker.

Regards & Good Luck, Ron Magen Backyard Boatshop

[Toller]

Will it be inside or out? Interior or exterior varnish. Oil doesn't do much for oak.

[steamer]

--Mostly living indoors on display, with the occasional trip outside for firing practice.

[steamer]

--Aye cap'n! ;-) Actually it seems like all a piece of wood has to do to get dirty is to be in the same room as me!

--Pine tar eh? Sounds rare; where would one find such stuff?

[J T]

Tue, Nov 7, 2006, 6:03am (EST+5) [e-mail] (steamer) doth query: =A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0--Pine tar eh? Sounds rare; where would one find such stuff?

Well, you could make your own, it's not hard. Or, you could probably find it on-line Or, I'm pretty sure it's advertised in WoodenBoat.

JOAT If you're not making a rocket, it ain't rocket science.

[Ron Magen]

Hamilton Marine . . . Maine

See

and ask for a catalog . . . lots of good stuff.

Regards, Ron Magen Backyard Boatshop

"steamer" wrote . . .