Wood Turning

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We take square stuff and make it round!

The corner for all things woodturning. If you have questions, projects, updates, gripes, or any other spiny wood related thing. Here is the place to post it.

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Created a bunch of plates lately (imgur.com)

submitted 1 year ago by [email protected] to c/turning

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Over the last 6 months I've made a number of plates and have really enjoyed using them every day. I was inspired by Richard Raffan's square plates video, making the two square ones first. I then made the big rectangular maple guy, followed by the three round ones.

All have a small ~1/16" mortise in the back which I've left in place. Most were basically unfinished, just getting some beeswax. But the orage-y cherry plates I've finished with BLO for some more color.. but I'm noticing that the color is fading with successive hand-washings.

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[–] Spacebar 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Yes, pure tung oil only. Anything else is not food safe.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Food safety and finishing is a myth: see the writeup by Bob Flexner: https://www.woodcentral.com/articles/?page=496&tags=finishing&search=&op=AND

[–] Spacebar 2 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

No manufacturer providing finishes to the woodworking community puts their finishes through these tests. Thus, no manufacturer can legitimately claim they meet FDA regulations.

On the other hand, there's no evidence of problems, so manufacturers feel pretty safe in claiming food safeness anyway.

It makes sense that finishes wouldn't be sold if they were unsafe. The people I sell to always ask about the finish being food safe, so I feel I have to tell them that what I use is food safe. I'm not going to to try to explain that all finishes are safe.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Right, tung oil just sounds much safer than varnish.

[–] Golfnbrew 1 points 1 year ago

Speaking of safe, watch those rags. Boiled linseed is the worst, but I'm pretty sure Tung can self ignite as well.