Hi

It’s a continual struggle at the moment! We’ve got lots going on as you probably know (and if you don’t I’ll tell you about it later) and it’s just a constant fight to get hold of anything. I jokingly say that we can’t get the raw materials to make product, and if we can we can’t get the bottles to put it in, or we can’t get the caps to seal the bottles, or we can’t get the boxes to send it out in! But it’s not a joke. Supplies are getting very difficult to get hold of, and when we do the prices are going up almost weekly. Be warned, it’s going to get worse before it gets better.
Lets change the subject and deal with some questions.

The first question this week came from someone wanting a recommendation for a finish to use on bottle stoppers. As I always say, it’s important to fit the product to the project. In this case the finish would need to be hard wearing, and resistant to liquids. Another requirement was that a gloss and a satin finish was required, and this led me straight to the Acrylic Gloss Lacquer and the Acrylic Satin Lacquer as it ticks all of the boxes. Melamine Lacquer would be a good second choice, but the acrylic aerosols are a little better at water resistance, and give the option of different sheen levels.

Someone else asked this week if Carnauba Wax is food safe? We don’t class ours as food safe, but as you probably know, this wax is used to coat some pills to help them go down (without a spoonful of sugar!) and to make some confectionery shiny. The difference is that the wax used on these items is a special grade, tracked and traceable from refining to being applied. It’s handled in a clean, hygienic environment, a lot of care and attention is taken to make sure it is pure, and it normally comes with a certificate. The same can’t be said for the grade used in non-food applications, which is what ours is. That’s not to say that it is deliberately contaminated in any way, but it doesn’t get handled in quite the same way.

Lastly this week – and it’s been a bit quiet for questions lately, which is a good thing as we’re up to eyes in preparations for the Woodturning Weekender – I was asked about certification. In particular, whether we could supply copies of the certificates for some of our Toy Safe products, of which we have quite a selection. We’re always more than happy to do this; we have the relevant certificates for all of our toy safe products, and we always send them out when requested. I’m surprised to hear that some other companies don’t do the same. There’s always a chance that Trading Standards or some other organisation will ask for proof of the suitability of the finishes used, and the consequences of not having – or being able to obtain it – could cause huge problems.

And that’s it for now. Next week is going to be a busy one. We’ve got our Conkers LIVE broadcasts, featuring the fantastic Sue Harker. Sue has already announced what she intends to make – will she fit it all in?
Plus, don’t forget our Woodturning Weekender. It’s not far off now – but if it’s too far for you to travel to, don’t forget you can join in the fun online, either live as it happens, or afterwards on ‘catch-up’. Get your tickets from the Weekender website.

Have a great week and I’ll see you next Friday!

All the best

Terry