WEEK COMMENCING 18 MAY 2025

Hi

Phew, what a week! I got an emergency phone call from a local club (West Suffolk Woodturners) on Monday morning, asking if I could stand in for an ailing demonstrator that evening! I’d been there before and knew they were a good crowd, so I was happy to oblige, and a good night was had by all.
On top of that, I had another demo at East Herts Woodturners, booked long ago, on Wednesday evening, so I was out again! Another great bunch of people, we had a lot of fun.

One of the questions I was asked at the demo was about applying Food Safe Finish over Cut’n’Polish. It’s not something we’d normally recommend, as the Cut’n’Polish would prevent the Food Safe Finish soaking into the wood, which is what it is designed to do.

The item being made was an eggcup, and I had to wonder whether the finish needed to be food safe anyway, but that wasn’t the question.

But I can’t help feeling that an opportunity had been missed here. Two of the reasons for using Cut’n’Polish are to reduce the amount of dust generated during sanding, and to get a very smooth surface.

This can be achieved by using an abrasive to apply the Food Safe Finish, effectively wet sanding the piece.

This will collect the dust, give a wonderfully smooth surface, and leave a coat of the finish too. A win/win/win!

I always mention the Compatibility Chart at demos, as I feel it’s very important and helpful. I sometimes mention that the chart doesn’t show EVERY correct combination. For example, using Ebonising Lacquer on top of Spirit Stain. It will work, but it’s an odd thing to do.

Or so I thought, but someone rang this week who was making some dice. He wanted them as black as possible, so he’d stained them with the Black Spirit Stain, and followed this with the Ebonising Lacquer. That will do the job!

Continuing with the Compatibility Chart (downloadable from the front page of our website if you don’t have one), we’ve realised that it needs updating; we’ll get onto that soon!

In the meantime, the results shown for the Acrylic Lacquer can be used. Both products are water-based, so their compatibility will be the same.

Some nice short questions this week; it makes up for the long, complicated ones we sometimes cover.

If you’re reading this after signing up having seen one of this week’s demos, welcome; I hope you’ve enjoyed this (even if you might have heard these questions at the demo!!)

There’ll be another Newsletter along same time, same channel next week, so don’t go too far!

All the best

Terry