Finishing Ornaments

[BadBob]

When you make the flat ornaments to sell, do you sell them bare or apply some kind of finish?

 

 

[Wichman]

I like a gloss finish on mine. I want the ornament to reflect the tree lights. For special ornaments, family, I will use a glitter paint before the gloss finish.

[dgman]

I always finish all my projects including ornaments. I always use hardwoods for my ornaments. My finish schedule starts with soaking in a 50/50 mixture of mineral spirits and linseed oil. The linseed oil brings out the color and grain of the woods and the mineral spirits thins the oil so it flows easily around the project and allows the oil to dry within 24 hours. Then I topcoat with spray semi gloss lacquer. After the lacquer dries, if there are any dust nibs on the finish, I sand them off with a piece of brown paper bag. It’s like using 2000 grit sandpaper without scratching the finish. It’s a little more work but it’s worth the outcome. I sell hundreds of ornaments a year!

[OCtoolguy]

4 minutes ago, dgman said:

I always finish all my projects including ornaments. I always use hardwoods for my ornaments. My finish schedule starts with soaking in a 50/50 mixture of mineral spirits and linseed oil. The linseed oil brings out the color and grain of the woods and the mineral spirits thins the oil so it flows easily around the project and allows the oil to dry within 24 hours. Then I topcoat with spray semi gloss lacquer. After the lacquer dries, if there are any dust nibs on the finish, I sand them off with a piece of brown paper bag. It’s like using 2000 grit sandpaper without scratching the finish. It’s a little more work but it’s worth the outcome. I sell hundreds of ornaments a year!

Thanks Dan. Great info. Up til now I've dipped everything in Watco oil but it takes at least 3 days to dry enough prior to spraying with Zinnser's shellac. Since HD doesn't sell MS nearby, would mixing paint thinner be ok? I'd like to try the boiled linseed oil once my Watcos is gone. 

[dgman]

I have no idea how paint thinner will look. Paint thinner is milky. I don’t know if it dries clear or milky. Mineral spirits is a refined paint thinner. Most of the odor and the milkiness is removed. Try it on some scrap and see how it works. Chances are if you can’t find mineral spirits, you may not be able to find paint thinner.

[OCtoolguy]

2 hours ago, dgman said:

I have no idea how paint thinner will look. Paint thinner is milky. I don’t know if it dries clear or milky. Mineral spirits is a refined paint thinner. Most of the odor and the milkiness is removed. Try it on some scrap and see how it works. Chances are if you can’t find mineral spirits, you may not be able to find paint thinner.

You are probably right but they did have thinner for a while. Not sure what they have now. One of these days I'll cross the line into L.A. County. Just never get that direction. Thanks for the info. 

Edited June 25, 2022 by OCtoolguy

[John B]

I "Finish" all of my projects, which include decorations. Tree deco's I and toys I finish in a gloss lacquer, Fret worked portraits I finish with a 30% gloss lacquer. Some times I paint them in various metallic colours and or with a glitter.

Edited June 25, 2022 by John B

[BadBob]

Outside of California (possibly a few others) you can still buy real paint thinner.

 

[kmmcrafts]

Really depends on the ornament design and how I made it, LOL.. I use both Danish oil and or the water base poly.. I like lacquer too as it dries very fast.. But I do have issues with the strong smell from lacquer so I don't use that very often.. If I need fast dry and having to spray inside the shop then it's water base poly. If it's a nice day and I can take my spraying outside then it's lacquer. LOL 

[amazingkevin]

On 6/24/2022 at 7:05 PM, OCtoolguy said:

Thanks Dan. Great info. Up til now I've dipped everything in Watco oil but it takes at least 3 days to dry enough prior to spraying with Zinnser's shellac. Since HD doesn't sell MS nearby, would mixing paint thinner be ok? I'd like to try the boiled linseed oil once my Watcos is gone. 

Great to hear the sales!!!

[amazingkevin]

On 6/24/2022 at 10:19 PM, John B said:

I "Finish" all of my projects, which include decorations. Tree deco's I and toys I finish in a gloss lacquer, Fret worked portraits I finish with a 30% gloss lacquer. Some times I paint them in various metallic colours and or with a glitter.

A girl I know that went to collage for art told me , shiny is what sells. Do you want to buy a flat black Cadillac or a glossy one

[edward]

I do all my ornaments in 1/4" oak and dip them in Danish oil and finish with spray shellac.

[john nelson]

ADD COLOR TO SCROLLING..........A trick I like to do is to glue the pattern to the front surface as usual....then glue a piece of blank paper to the BACK surface,  Cut out as usual.  Apply a coat of paint to all the EDGES, inside and outside with the pattern and paper still on.   When the paint is dry, remove the pattern from the front and the blank paper from the back and lightly sand the front and back surfaces.  All the edges, inside and outside will be colored and this really accent the ornament.  Now,  finish as you usually do with the mineral spirits and linseed oil, or whatever.   This process works well with many other scroll saw projects besides ornaments.  Try it.    JAN

[Wichman]

1 hour ago, john nelson said:

ADD COLOR TO SCROLLING..........A trick I like to do is to glue the pattern to the front surface as usual....then glue a piece of blank paper to the BACK surface,  Cut out as usual.  Apply a coat of paint to all the EDGES, inside and outside with the pattern and paper still on.   When the paint is dry, remove the pattern from the front and the blank paper from the back and lightly sand the front and back surfaces.  All the edges, inside and outside will be colored and this really accent the ornament.  Now,  finish as you usually do with the mineral spirits and linseed oil, or whatever.   This process works well with many other scroll saw projects besides ornaments.  Try it.    JAN

That gives me an idea of how to get the finish on deep cuts without getting to much finish on the surface. Thanks for the idea.

[john nelson]

JUST A NOTE...this method can be used when you use cheap plywood in place of good hardwood.  .....painted edges hid the fact you used cheap plywood.....Lol. 

I had a friend make the large CHIMES OF NORMANDY clock and he painted the edges of ALL the pieces white.  The clock was beautiful.   JAN

[amazingkevin]

20 hours ago, john nelson said:

ADD COLOR TO SCROLLING..........A trick I like to do is to glue the pattern to the front surface as usual....then glue a piece of blank paper to the BACK surface,  Cut out as usual.  Apply a coat of paint to all the EDGES, inside and outside with the pattern and paper still on.   When the paint is dry, remove the pattern from the front and the blank paper from the back and lightly sand the front and back surfaces.  All the edges, inside and outside will be colored and this really accent the ornament.  Now,  finish as you usually do with the mineral spirits and linseed oil, or whatever.   This process works well with many other scroll saw projects besides ornaments.  Try it.    JAN

I had to read this 3 times as I wanted to digest this method for my use.

[amazingkevin]

13 hours ago, john nelson said:

JUST A NOTE...this method can be used when you use cheap plywood in place of good hardwood.  .....painted edges hid the fact you used cheap plywood.....Lol. 

I had a friend make the large CHIMES OF NORMANDY clock and he painted the edges of ALL the pieces white.  The clock was beautiful.   JAN

You know we love pictures . No pictures never happened,lol

[scrollingforsanity]

I dip mine in Natural Watco Danish oil, let dry and spry them with gloss clear spray paint.