BadBob

I'm only doing the wood parts; the buyer will finish them. You can get the pattern here. The pattern is old-school paper.

If I am making one item, I either dip it or brush it on the finish. If I am making a lot of something, like toy trucks, for example, I will break out the airbrush. Some things, like wheels, always get done with a brush since getting finished in the hole causes problems when gluing. I started this because a potential customer wants a natural oil finish. There is only one: tung oil. My definition of natural is that you put it in a press and squeeze it, and oil comes out. There are other oils that fit this definition, but they all will turn rancid.

I like to sand the edges with the patterns on the wood to guide me. I use my Shopsmith belt sander for large areas, my Delta strip sander for tight things like the curves on the tail section and a spindle sander for the inside curves. For this project, no hand sanding was required. The patterns are attached with 3M77 and removed by wetting the paper patterns with mineral spirits. I apply the mineral spirits with a wash bottle. The only downside to removing patterns this way is that I need to wait until the mineral spirits evaporate.

It is a custom order. Yesterday, I sanded the edges and removed the patterns. Hopefully, I'll get it assembled today.

I use shellac more than most finishes because it cures fast. I can thin it, dip things in it, spray it, or brush it on. It has a very short shelf life. I love to use polyurethane, but the cure time is way too long for my projects.

I didn't include lacquer because I have nearly zero experience using it to finish wood; only rattle can lacquer.

I agree. I didn't do this because of time constraints. I was looking for something quick and simple. I also could have looked at things like thinners you might require. I can apply some things straight from the can while others I thin with 50% solvent. Shellac goes both ways for the things I make.

This has been a major learning experience for me. I have never made anything like this, and not from a paper pattern that I could not destroy. The wood is 2x12 southern yellow pine. I cut it with an Olsen blade made for thick wood. I don't have the label for them so I can't tell you what size they are. I broke two blades when the end broke off in the top clamp. I could have cut this with a bandsaw, but I would need to sand more, and I would rather cut slowly and sand less. I used my trusty EX-21 to do the cutting. The Pegas scrolling bandsaw would be perfect for this.

This is not a question. A potential customer wants the items finished with a natural oil. I did some research, and it appears that Tung oil is the only one, and that can even be iffy. Sometimes, it isn't pure tung oil but tung oil with additives. Along the way, I decided to get prices for finishes to do a cost comparison. I used cost per gallon because some of these come in weird sizes and it was easy to calculate. I was shocked at how expensive some of these are. Some of the most expensive ones are just oils with waxes and hardening chemicals added. All the prices were gathered from Amazon. Here is my list for your info. These claim to be Oil Finishes Tung Oil $70/gallon Mineral Oil $25/gallon aka Cutting board Oil Hard Wax Oil $480/gallon Boiled Linseed Oil $44/gallon Danish Oil $94/gallon Teak Oil $74/gallon Walrus Oil Furniture Butter $472/gallon Odie's Oil $794/Gallon Other Finishes These don't claim to be oil finishes. Shellac is the only one that I am sure does not contain oils. Shellac $85/Gallon Polyurethane Water Based $69/gallon Polyurethane Oil Based $66/gallon Arm-R-Seal $180/Gallon

They look legitimate to me.

eMail sent.

I only ship to Europe, Australia, and Canada. Maybe one order a year.

I am very cautious, but I do sell outside the US from time to time. Last year, someone tracked me down and emailed me asking me to make something for them. It sounded strange, but we worked it out, and they paid in advance. It was a company in Switzerland. One of the hats I wore before I retired was "Computer Systems Security Officer." I have helped put scammers in prison.

I can do this. Is this for pay or charity? What quantity do you need? Can you provide patterns? I'm in Tallahassee, Florida, USA, so I am unsure if I can help you.

I would ignore that and do what I want if they don't like it. That is their problem.

I have a large collection of hole saws. I used to make all my wheels and still do for the odd sizes. I have never had a hole saw get too dull to use. Mine are old Vermont American brands. They may be high-speed steel, but I am not sure. Carbon steel saws will dull quickly if the get hot. Starting a few years ago, I began cutting wheels with a scroll saw. I must sand the edges using either method so the hole saws are retired. When using hole saws to cut wheels, I found it much easier to cut the hole, slightly overlapping the edge of a previously cut wheel's kerf, allowing the sawdust to escape. I would buy carbide hole saws if I needed to replace one. A batch of odd-size wheels I cut with a hole saw.

I got my finger hammered a couple of times when cutting near the saw limit, but it was a learning experience.

What he said.

In almost 40 years of owning a scroll saw, I once nicked my finger when a small piece I was cutting split.

They are all on YouTube.

Yes, I cut 326 ornaments from Padauk last year. Lots of orange sawdust.

I don't think I would use it.

I never use the blade guard.

I use an oil and wax blend for Paduak.

I found a bottle that might work. Instead of pumping the liquid, it has an air pump that pressurizes the bottle and pushes the liquid out.