Finish For Drink Coasters??

[kmmcrafts]

I made some drink coasters from walnut, Cherry, and a exotic wood that I forgot the name of red colored anyway. Just started thinking today about putting my finish on and got to thinking about how some drinks sweat etc and wondered what would be a decent finish for coasters? I was going to just dip them in Danish oil. But maybe I should wipe them down with the butcher block oil that I have. Not sure what that is made of but on my cutting board I made that finish makes the water bead up on it like a fresh waxed car lol. Maybe a good choice? Like the ease of just dipping in the Danish oil though. I’m lazy like that sometimes

[NC Scroller]

Water based poly that is used on floors.

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

I agree a water based poly or any poly if you can stand the smell and dry times. That will stand up to drink spills. Danish oil does not have enough poly in it. Lacquer is not good for drinks. If you do not gloss use semi or satin.  

[WayneMahler]

They make a bar top finish. I believe it's some form of epoxy mix. 

[Oldmansbike]

I used spar urethane on my wood counter tops. Water beads up nicely and it seems to be very durable. 

[rjweb]

Can we see pictures, always like observing your work, RJ 

[Hermit]

I 2nd spar urethane. I don't think there's anything better to repel the amount of moisture those coasters will see. 

[kmmcrafts]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions.. I guess I'll have to pick-up some of the spar urethane..  

[kmmcrafts]

14 hours ago, JTTHECLOCKMAN said:

I agree a water based poly or any poly if you can stand the smell and dry times. That will stand up to drink spills. Danish oil does not have enough poly in it. Lacquer is not good for drinks. If you do not gloss use semi or satin.  

Water based urethane? Is this the stuff in the blue color can? I have a quart of that I purchased a while back.. but haven't used it yet.. have used the same stuff in the past in spay can form.. and like it for my portraits.. which is why I bought it by the quart because I have spray equipment.. If that is what you are talking about.. Maybe I don't need to buy anything special.. 

[kmmcrafts]

4 hours ago, rjweb said:

Can we see pictures, always like observing your work, RJ 

I'll see about getting some pictures once I figure out the finish and whatnot.. I've never made these before and now that I have.. I'm thinking already I wish I had done it differently.. These are really nothing too special.. just gluing up some scraps and planing them down to about 3/8' thick and cut at a 4" x 4" square. but like I said.. now I wish I had done something else to them.. as I was thinking about the condensation pooling up and running off the sides.. which kinda defeats the purpose, LOL.. I wish I had made them in some way to have a recessed area to the condensation doesn't roll off the edges.. Maybe a excuse to get a router that I've been wanting...  

They are being made for my brother inlaw. and so no big deal.. he likes fancy looks and stuff... I'll need to tell him they cost about $50 each so he thinks it's high end stuff..  as that is the way he is, LOL.. But yet.. he took a bunch of unfinished scrap circle shapes several years ago that was scraps from a round box I made.. he just loved the look of that walnut wood.. even though there was a hole in the edge where I drilled my pilot hole, LOL... so when he sees these.. he wont care too much how they turn out, LOL

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

waterbased urethane Minwax makes that too.  That just has UV protection from sunlight. if that is something that interest you.

This is what I use but in spray rattle cans when I do use it. 

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Minwax-Polycrylic-Clear-Gloss-1-Qt/17253540?athcpid=17253540&athpgid=athenaItemPage&athcgid=null&athznid=PWVAV&athieid=v0&athstid=CS020&athguid=6a5156d9-57a-166db86099f6a3&athena=true

Edited November 3, 2018 by JTTHECLOCKMAN

[kmmcrafts]

22 minutes ago, JTTHECLOCKMAN said:

waterbased urethane Minwax makes that too.  That just has UV protection from sunlight. if that is something that interest you.

This is what I use but in spray rattle cans when I do use it. 

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Minwax-Polycrylic-Clear-Gloss-1-Qt/17253540?athcpid=17253540&athpgid=athenaItemPage&athcgid=null&athznid=PWVAV&athieid=v0&athstid=CS020&athguid=6a5156d9-57a-166db86099f6a3&athena=true

Awesome!! That is what I have.. Guess I don't need to go out and buy anything special.. I didn't know this would be decent stuff for the coasters..

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

5 hours ago, kmmcrafts said:

Awesome!! That is what I have.. Guess I don't need to go out and buy anything special.. I didn't know this would be decent stuff for the coasters..

Just beware this is clear finish so not yellowing or changing of color of wood. Stain before hand if you want that.  Do you put cork on the bottom of your coasters??  I made a few sets over the years and that is what I did. Have not made them in a long time now. I may give it a go sometime again. 

[kmmcrafts]

17 minutes ago, JTTHECLOCKMAN said:

Just beware this is clear finish so not yellowing or changing of color of wood. Stain before hand if you want that.  Do you put cork on the bottom of your coasters??  I made a few sets over the years and that is what I did. Have not made them in a long time now. I may give it a go sometime again. 

I was trying to think if what to put on the bottom.. cork never crossed my mind.. I'll have to see if I can find some.. as I didn't really like the idea of just leaving it wood.. When you make them do you route out a spot on them for the moister to go to so it doesn't run over the edges? Was looking on etsy and most all I seen was plain ol flat on top and nothing on the bottom to keep it from scratching the surface it sets on.. 

I'm thinking I might make a sort of box or something to be a home for them on the table.. just some simple little holder.. maybe a square shape with just some dowels on the corners.. any ideas on that,? LOL..  

As for the finish.. I was kinda thinking about just dipping them in Danish oil to make the wood grain pop.. but not sure about top coating with the water based stuff if I do that.. but I do want to make the grain pop like the danish oil or the 50/50 BLO and Mineral Spirits.. I may need to buy some oil based poly to do that I'm thinking..

Edited November 4, 2018 by kmmcrafts

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

 At that time I made them flat. But since I now have a lathe and do some turning I would do with a lip and probably do some segmenting. I also cast so I probably would do mine in acrylic cast material adding a host of colors. You can use a BLO underneath.  You do not want to use Danish oil. Just let completely dry. Dip once and all you need. 

Kevin lets see you get creative. So many things you can do with things like this. Make a theme. Add state quarters, add dowels of different sizes, do some segmenting with cross hatching, you can always scrollsaw designs in them and do an infill with epoxy resins and then no top coat is needed. Yo can scroll inlay work in them. Look at cutting board designs and use some of those for ideas in segmenting.As you see I am from the not plain look tree.  

Yes make a box or rack of some sort. Scroll design in and if themed then that is the design. Oh I can get really fancy but remember the more detail the price goes up. I bought the cork at either AC Moore or Michaels. Hobby Lobby was not around at that time. I rounded the edges. I am sorry I have no photos of many projects I have done over the years and this is one of them. They did not sell quickly but did sell. I am far more creative now than I was back then so I could pull off something better. Like I said I may have to give this some thought over the winter. 

By the way the box I made was a simple flat bottom with 4 dowels sticking up and the coasters rested in between them.  If I remember it was 6 coasters. 

Edited November 4, 2018 by JTTHECLOCKMAN

[kmmcrafts]

9 hours ago, JTTHECLOCKMAN said:

 

By the way the box I made was a simple flat bottom with 4 dowels sticking up and the coasters rested in between them.  If I remember it was 6 coasters. 

Thanks JT, This box is what I was thinking of doing with just the dowels.... I sometimes wish I'd have kept my lathe.. I could see many great uses for it now that I sold it last summer, LOL I had it for several years and just never used it.. 

The marbles been rolling around in my head with lot of ideas.. I don't know that I'll make any more or not though.. But a lot of inlay ideas have came to mind.. We'll see what my brother-inlaws reaction and what he says about them and maybe I'll give more of them a try.. if this set turns out, LOL

 

[kmmcrafts]

On 11/3/2018 at 9:39 AM, rjweb said:

Can we see pictures, always like observing your work, RJ 

Well since I’m out here working on these a bit and had my camera handy. Here is a picture of the coasters I’m making. Just need to sand the pointed edges off slightly to make them feel better in your hand. Then I’ll probably be dipping them into blo and top coating in a few weeks. I have another batch just like this one ready to glue up and make as I’m making two sets. Can’t make anymore that’ll match anyway as I’m outta scraps of these type of lumber.  

[kmmcrafts]

Okay I couldn’t wait and finished sanding then dipped in blo. Always amazed at the difference blo or Danish oil does to the wood grain. Poor lighting in my loft so hope the photo shows it good enough.