What's your preferred finish for Chip Carvings?

[Rich2008]

Me? I'm just starting out in chip carving, but you guys sure have some good ideas here. Seal the wood before carving, huh? This would also help to hold in the moisture content too, and prevent the warping problem I'm going through right now with 3/8 inch stock. Like Rog stated; the pencil marks are easier to get off from a sealed wood. Boy, am I glad I joined Woodcarving Illustrated! Thanks for the tips everyone.

Rich

[Rich2008]

I almost forgot to address this in my last post. If I seal the wood before carving, will my toner patterns still go on with the transfer pattern tool? Won't the sealer block the toner from adhering with the heat from the transfer tool? Just wondering.
Rich

[Old Trapper]

Tung oil , first mixed 50/50 with mineral spirits, then about 2 more coats straight, between drying periods, wiping excess that pools, then seal with satin lacquer spray finish. Works for me.

[paolo59]

Originally Posted by meipo

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Paolo59: How do you avoid excessive wax from getting into the bottom of the cuts?

I apply the wax using a brush while heating both the brush and the piece with an hairdrier; in this way the wax is very much fluid and it remains a very thin wax film everywhere.

[meipo]

Thanks a lot, Paolo59! I have something coming up that I would like to have waxed. Gotta give that technique a try!

meipo

[goofy]

I've been using Minnwax Tung Oil Finish with good luck. I brush a good coat of it on letting it run into the chipped areas. After no more than a couple minutes I buff it good with a lint free cloth. I blow the excesss out the chip areas with an air compressor or those aerosol air sprays for dusting computers and then buff the surface again. I repeat in 24 hours after a light sanding. This Minnwax Tung Oil Finish isn't pure tung oil. It has varnish in it. On basswood plates the resulting finish is very nice.

[My Chip Carving]

Shellac finishes topped with a couple of spray coats satin lacquer have become my favorite. One of the nice things about shellac, apart from its quick drying feature, is that you can add dye to the shellac and spray it as a toner. This adds great versatility. I'll use gel stain if I want to stain the carved areas and then either spray a toner on top or just use a clear satin lacquer.

I demonstrate how these finishing processes are done in my online lessons, if you're interested.
https://mychipcarving.com/Chip_Carvi...ee_eletter.htm

Marty Leenhouts
https://www.MyChipCarving.com
866-444-6996