Bill WIlson

I've used a few of them. Yes, they are pricey, but they do hold up and cut well. They don't have a reverse tooth configuration, but I don't recall there being a lot of tear out on the back side. If I were doing a lot of thick wood cutting, like compound cutting or intarsia, I would probably consider using them regularly, but for the kind of fretwork I typically do, the benefits just don't outweigh the cost.

Follow the directions on the can. May be slight differences based on brand, but generally you would apply the first coat liberally, allow it to soak in. Wait a period of time (30 minutes or so), then reapply. After a few minutes then wipe all excess off and buff dry.

Wipe-on poly generally refers to a thinned poly that can be hand rubbed in, much like a traditional oil finish. For all intents and purposes, it's no more than regular oil based poly, thinned about 50/50 with mineral spirits. Gel poly is a different animal. It's has a thick, almost paste like consistency and is a little more difficult to use on fretwork. Getting finish inside the frets is most readily accomplished by dipping the piece. This may or may not work well with wipe-on poly, because while it is thin, it is still a film finish and you may have some problems with finish accumulating in the crannies. Since you have already applied a Danish oil to it, I would be inclined to simply spray a couple coats of shellac on top. Again, make sure you allow adequate time for the Danish oil to dry. The advantage of using spray shellac over poly is that you won't get a thick build up of the finish layer, which may interfere with the fit of the pieces. Also, the shellac dries very fast, so you can spray light coats from multiple angles to hit all of the visible surfaces. If you don't get complete coverage inside all the deep recesses of the frets, you really won't be able to tell. In fact, I would probably concentrate on just applying the top coat to just the flat surfaces and not try to get too much in the frets. You already have Danish oil in there, so it will look finished.

Shellac also is excellent as a final finish.

Well Ed, I wish you success in your venture. It's an ambitious one. If you have questions, please feel free to post them. There is a wide range of talent here on this forum, so even woodworking questions that aren't scrollsaw related will likely get responses. There are several other really good general woodworking forums that you could take advantage of as well. Please don't feel you are bothering anyone with your questions. That's what these forums are for. Good luck and have fun making sawdust!

The blade bending may be a symptom of an issue with the clamps. Not sure what saw you have, but on saws like the DeWalt, the clamp uses a fixed set screw and a thumbscrew to clamp the blade. If the fixed set screw is set incorrectly, it causes the blade end to bend into what looks like a hockey stick. If you have this kind of blade clamp, you may want to adjust the thumbscrew so it is just slightly proud of the inner wall of the clamp block. Put a little blue Loctite on it to make sure it stays put.

Excellent advice! Practice on something you aren't afraid to mess up. Don't worry about breaking blades. We all broke and still break our share. Comes with the territory. After a little while, you learn what to do and what not to do. Having a mentor or watching YouTube videos is a great way to learn, but there's still something to be said for good old trial & error. The lessons stick a little better, IMHO because just as important as knowing what works and what doesn't is why. Good luck and have fun making sawdust!

I'm with Dan on this one. I know some folks use it and love it. Maybe in some limited applications, it can be appealing, but the problem is that once word gets out, then people think they can use it just like any other commercial finish and that's where problems start.

I have no idea, but I do know that the question of what to use on cutting boards, kids furniture, toys, etc comes up regularly on various WW'ing forums I visit. It's been stated several times, on all these forums that, by law, finishes sold in the USA are non-toxic once cured. People still raise concerns about it. I had never considered the possibility of using baby oil, but the thought popped into my head that perhaps it might not be a good thing to use for food contact items, it we don't know exactly what is in it. I guess my biggest concern would be that the fragrance additives might make the lettuce in my salad taste funny. Also, just because we've slathered babies with it for years doesn't necessarily mean it's harmless. Remember baby powder?

Just a comment regarding the baby oil. Many folks use mineral oil on wood utensils, such as cutting boards, bowls, etc, because you can actually ingest it and it's perfectly safe for contact with food. Baby oil is simply mineral oil, but with fragrance added. I have no idea if the additives used to create the fragrance might interact unfavorably with food.

During your learning curve, I would think it's important to mark the slightly used blades in some way as to distinguish them from new ones, so putting them back in the new blades may not be optimal. Reason being, if the next time you try that blade, you may not realize it's used and wonder why it didn't cut as well and thus skew your impression of that particular blade. I occasionally save slightly used blades. I usually set them off to the side somewhere and once I get a variety of blades, it's not easy to tell which is which. I like the suggestion above of marking the slightly used blades with a piece of tape. When you put it back in the pack with the rest of the new blades, you can tell what it is as well as that it's used. It seems simple and effective.

For me, it's the smoke and smell of burning wood that are the first indications that perhaps my blade is performing at less than optimum. Seriously, it boils down to how the blade is cutting. I know that sometimes the deterioration in performance is gradual enough not to be readily noticeable, but it comes down to what you will tolerate. I tend to push a blade beyond what some might consider its effective lifespan. But I do have my limits, so eventually I will get tired of how slowly the blade is cutting and swap it out for a new one. There really isn't a hard & fast rule. The lifespan of a blade will vary, depending on size, brand, material being cut, etc, so all these variables will play into how long a blade will last. I'm cutting a bunch of compound cut, birdhouse ornaments right now. It's much easier to tell when the blade is dull in 1 1/4" thick African Mahogany than if I were cutting 1/4" BB ply.

Echoing what several others have said, the biggest high for me is the expression on the faces of those who receive something I've made. Most everything I make ends up as a gift or donation. The appreciation and gratitude that people show is really heartwarming and makes it worthwhile. The biggest low is deadlines. I really dislike having to work under the pressure of a deadline. Sometimes it gets me motivated and when I get done, the relief is palpable, but I don't see myself ever doing commissions or craft shows.

Very nice display, Dan. That's an impressive variety of items. Well done and congrats on the success!

Consider using 1/8" ply. The edges aren't as noticeable. Depending on the pattern, I actually prefer to use 1/8" for many things.

Welcome BP. Interesting work. I like it! If you are interested, I'd like to invite you to check out our scrollsaw club, the Blazin' Blades of Western, PA. http://blazinbladesscrollers.webs.com/ We have members from North Huntingdon, North Versailles and Monroeville, so you aren't too much further away. Let me know if you would like to attend a meeting and I can give you the where & when particulars. The info on the website is a little out of date.

I think you'll like the shellac. I do caution you that you want to apply shellac in light coats. Applying it too heavy may lead to cracking and crazing later on. One advantage of light coats and fast drying is that you can hit the piece from multiple angles to get complete coverage without the build-up and ponding that can happen with a thicker, slower drying finish like poly. Also, be sure the humidity isn't too high, during application. Shellac needs to have fairly dry conditions or there is a risk of blushing. Spraying shellac isn't quite like spraying a rattle can of paint. Test the spray on some scrap first to get a feel for the motion and the distance from the nozzle to the surface. Shellac from the spray can may tend to develop an orange peel affect. This can happen if you are too close, or too far, move too fast or too slow. You need to get the technique down to be sure you get the best results. Personally I don't think the spray nozzle atomizes the shellac fine enough to lay down a really smooth finish, like a spray gun can, but it can be done. Just takes some practice. Good luck!

Shellac dries very fast. Personally, I think too fast to dip. You can add a retarder to slow the drying. Some folks have used it as a dipping finish. I have not. I used to use a lot of Deft. It is a good finish, but I don't care for the fumes, so I don't use it anymore. Me too!

Poly and shellac are similar only in that they are used to finish wood. Other than that, they are pretty different. Their chemistry, how they cure, the solvent they use, and their individual strengths and weaknesses are different. The clear shellac spray will impart an amber tint, probably as much as the poly does. Amber shellac is much darker. It isn't available in spray cans. I use a spray gun and compressor to apply it. Shellac will dry to the touch in about 15 minutes, depending on conditions.

An alternative might be to dip the piece in BLO to get full coverage and bring out that amber tint. Then, once it has fully cured, (may take several days, depending on conditions) you can spray the surface lightly with an oil based poly. Just beware, not all clear sprays are the same. For example, I would hesitate to use a waterborne acrylic spray or even a lacquer over top the BLO. There could be compatibility problems and the finish may end up being cloudy if the BLO isn't absolutely, completely cured.

This is where the preferred application method is almost as important as the finish itself. Fretwork presents unique challenges to finishing that aren't present in other forms of woodworking. A finish that does a great job on a wooden table may not be all that great for a fretwork piece, such as the one you made. Dipping fretwork is probably the simplest method of applying a finish. It's easier to get complete coverage, but not all finishes lend themselves to dipping. Finishes with a high oil content (ie. BLO and Danish oil) work best because they soak into the wood and don't build up a film finish. They dry slow, so the excess can be dealt with before it creates problems. If you like the look of the oil or oil/varnish blend, then great. Problem solved. If you want more of a film finish look that adds a little gloss to the appearance, then dipping can be problematic. Film finishes don't lend themselves readily to dipping because they are meant to be applied in thin layers that build up on the surface of the wood. Some dry very fast, so trying to manage the excess finish in the frets can be a challenge. Wiping or brushing can present similar problems. You can control the amount of finish being applied, but getting it into all the frets is tedious. This is why I advocate spraying shellac on fretwork, where a film finish is desired. Again, no single finish is the best for all situations. Much like blades, you need to learn the relative strengths and weaknesses of the products that are available in order to determine the best alternative for you.

The 2nd bucket makes emptying easier, when mounted to the shop vac. It allows you to pull the full bucket out of the 2nd one and empty it, without having to disassembling the bucket from the vac.

Straight oils like tung and linseed are usually modified somewhat to make them practical for finishing purposes. In their complete, raw state, they take forever to dry. Linseed oil is usually sold as boiled linseed oil (BLO). They really don't boil it anymore, but the point is, it's been modified by the addition of metallic driers so that it will cure completely in a reasonable amount of time. I'm not sure if there is a version of tung oil sold with metallic driers added or not. If tung oil is used as an ingredient in another type of finish, it likely has driers added. Now there are several products called "tung oil" finishes, but some don't even contain any real tung oil and none are pure tung oil. If one is looking for actual tung oil, look for a product that states it is "100% pure tung oil", right on the can. Pure tung oil or linseed oil is typically used as an additive to other products to create a "home brew" style finish, which brings us to Danish oil. Though the exact ingredients and proportions are proprietary, products called Danish oil are usually a blend of an oil (usually BLO), varnish and mineral spirits, in roughly equal proportions. The differences between these types of products may be important to you. Straight drying oils will impart an amber tint to the wood, but, once cured, provide no sheen and very little surface protection. They tend to get dull looking over time. They really aren't considered a stand alone finish, but some folks use them as such. Since there is a little varnish in Danish oil finishes, they provide a little more sheen and surface protection. Depending on what you are finishing and how you are applying, the Danish oil is more of a traditional finish and provides a nice, hand rubbed appearance. Manufacturers use names and descriptions that are intentionally misleading. There may be some products called Danish oil (or Antique oil or Tung Oil finish) that are nothing more than varnish, thinned about 1:1 with mineral spirits to make a wiping varnish. Others are the oil/varnish/solvent blend I described above. One way to tell is by reading the application instructions on the can. If it says to wipe on and leave dry, it's likely a wiping varnish. If it says to wipe on, allow to set for a few minutes, then wipe the excess off, then it's likely an oil/varnish/solvent blend. I know, this is confusing. Manufacturers have made it that way in their marketing efforts to distinguish themselves from the competition. Probably more than you asked for, but hope this helps.

You can put anything on anything, but you may not get the results you want. As others have said, I would not use an oil on MDF. MDF is best painted. Birch ply and knotty pine are prone to uneven absorption which can lead to blotching. What is it that you are trying to achieve? One reason there are so many finishing products out there is that there are so many variables to consider. Will the piece be exposed to weather? What kind of appearance do you prefer? Are you trying to change or maintain the natural color of the material? How much protection from abrasion, moisture or household chemicals does the piece require? What sort of application methods are you equipped to or prefer to employ? There are more, but you get the idea.

Ash is very nice wood to work with. It's lies between white oak and red oak in hardness. Unfortunately, the Emerald Ash Borer has devastated Western PA ash trees.