Hi

A busy week this week, and more to come next week with a trip across to Colchester Woodturners Club, among other things. I’ve visited this club several times, but not since they moved, so I’m looking forward to seeing them again, and their new venue. If you’re a club member who hasn’t yet returned to meetings, please support your club if you can. They are such a valuable resource, and many are struggling at the moment with falling numbers. Go on, you know there’ll be a warm welcome waiting!

There’s been some chatter about Rainbow Waxes this week, and I’ll come back to that another time. But we had an enquiry recently from someone who had bought some, and after some time one of them had started to show signs of mould. The Rainbow Waxes are water-based, and although they contain inhibitors which greatly reduce the growth of mould, it can sometimes happen. Storing them in a cool, dry place will help a lot as well.
I’ve seen a number of people apply these waxes using their finger, and this isn’t always helpful either. Bacteria could be transferred into the wax, which could encourage mould. Best to use a cloth, or wear a glove.
If you’ve got a Rainbow Wax with mould on it, you should be able to remove it from the affected area and continue to use it as normal. A light spray over with an antibacterial spray won’t hurt, but don’t put too much on and allow it to dry before using the wax.

Toy Safety is a regular topic in the Newsletter, as regular readers will know. Many of our products have been tested to, and conform with, the EN71 Part 3 regulations, covering coatings used on toys and nursery furniture. I was asked this week if coating one of our stains with the Acrylic Gloss Lacquer would make the surface safe for a child?
The answer is yes; the rules are that if the applied coating completely covers the area, and cannot be broken or chipped away in normal use, then only the top coating needs to be tested for conformity. So this would apply to practically any of our toy safe coatings used over the stains and also the Iridescent Paints.
As always, should you be asked to prove that the coatings used are toy safe, certificates are available on request for our products.

Finally, this week, here’s one for any new turners out there. We were asked about a ‘starter pack’ for anyone just discovering the joys of woodturning. It’s something we get asked at exhibitions as well, where someone has just bought a lathe and are keen to get started.
I always find that packs and kits nearly always include something that ends up not being used, and we try to avoid them as much as possible.
I wrote back to my correspondent explaining this, and that when asked at shows I try to send the new turner away with just two products; Cellulose Sanding Sealer and WoodWax 22. Used properly – and it’s hard to go wrong with them! – they will give a great finish, very quickly, to pretty much anything a new turner can make. I think the ease of use and instant gratification makes them perfect for a new turner, and they can progress to the other finishes a little later. Worth considering if you’re just dipping your toe in the world of turning!

So that’s everything for this week. As well as my trip to Colchester on Monday, I’ll be making the long trek up to Harrogate for the North of England Woodworking Show, which starts next Friday. But I’ll be back in your inbox before the show opens, with some news…

Until then, look after yourself,

Terry