Derek Bolt Posted June 5, 2015 Report Share Posted June 5, 2015 Hello, I'm new to woodworking but from what ive read online oil finishes will not work on bocote unless pretreated with shellac. I am making a diploma frame for the fiance. She chose the wood and I'm to make the frame. The problem is how to finish it. Ive only ever used polyurethane and oil based finishes on cheap woods. I would like to darken the wood a bit but still leave the bocote look intact. What would be the best way to do this. At the end I would like it to have a high gloss or sheen, what would be the best way to do that? sanding at high grit between coats of ....then waxing and buffing? Thanks, Derek Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdwerker Posted June 5, 2015 Report Share Posted June 5, 2015 I have only turned a few knobs out of bocote. I sanded to 600 then buffed and used a hard wax then polished. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric. Posted June 5, 2015 Report Share Posted June 5, 2015 It's true that some oily woods can slow the cure time of oil-based finishes, and in certain not-so-common cases can ruin an oil-based finish altogether. But IMO the whole thing has been blown out of proportion just like so many other things in the woodworking world, where people take a kernel of truth about something and extrapolate that out into a universal truth that cannot be disobeyed or Zeus will strike you down with a thunderbolt and your house will crumble to its foundation. It's nonsense. I've finished many exotic pieces with oil-based finishes with nary a problem. On rare occasion I've encountered slower dry times. I've never had a piece go to hell completely. You probably don't have a bunch of bocote scrap laying around, considering its cost...but just like any new finishing technique or species or combination thereof...do a little testing and find out. My gut says your typical finishing protocol will work just fine, but you may have to slow your coats down a bit. Or it could be a complete disaster. Do some testing. All that said...if you're going for a high-gloss finish, you may not want to use poly in the first place. Achieving that glossy Steinway piano look is a whole other wormhole...frankly one that I have no interest in or suggestions about. That question will require much more research on your part. I'd start by learning about lacquers, spray systems and polishing techniques. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 5, 2015 Report Share Posted June 5, 2015 Everything eric said is true. But for something like a diploma frame that will be lightly handled, I like to use a rattle can of lacquer, like Deft Wood Finish. It goes on quick, dries in 15 minutes and a day or two later you can rub it out to a nice sheet. I find it cumbersome to apply oil to small items like a picture frame. With the spray lacquer you can just set it up on some painters pyramids, spray and be done with it. It will darken the wood slightly, give it whatever sheen you want, and protect it enough to hang on the wall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdwerker Posted June 5, 2015 Report Share Posted June 5, 2015 The more I think about it Laquer sounds like your best option. Easy to achieve a gloss and able to be polished up to a high gloss. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Bolt Posted June 13, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 13, 2015 thanks guys for all the help. Im out traveling now but when im home and have the time to complete it i will post pictures i will test the laquer on a small scrap piece first of course and will try some stain as well. Thoughts on dyes? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post wdwerker Posted June 13, 2015 Popular Post Report Share Posted June 13, 2015 Blasphemy ! Dye on Bocote ? Shame on you for even considering it ! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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