Tru-oil over epoxy and/or vinyl sanding sealer ???

Wildestcat · Jan 4, 2014

I have an instrument in the preliminary stages of finishing - the hardwood back & sides have been grain filled with BSI finish grade epoxy, whilst the spruce top has been sealed with Behlen vinyl sealer. All in preparation for a nitrocellulose lacquer finish.

Unfortunately, whilst applying the sealer coat in my workshop (attached to the house), the smell somehow permeated through into the house. This has never happened before, and I suspect may have something to do with the high winds we are currently experiencing.
Anyway, my wife went ballistic and is doing her nut about me using cellulose as it makes her feel ill. I'm using an organic vapours mask so don't personally have a problem!

So ... in the interests of domestic harmony, is it too late for me to switch to Tru-oil ??

I have searched this topic on the forum and found several relevant threads, however none seem to offer a definitive opinion on whether the oil will work over the base coats I have already applied.

Very grateful for any help!

Timbuck · Jan 4, 2014

Wildestcat said:
I have an instrument in the preliminary stages of finishing - the hardwood back & sides have been grain filled with BSI finish grade epoxy, whilst the spruce top has been sealed with Behlen vinyl sealer. All in preparation for a nitrocellulose lacquer finish.

Unfortunately, whilst applying the sealer coat in my workshop (attached to the house), the smell somehow permeated through into the house. This has never happened before, and I suspect may have something to do with the high winds we are currently experiencing.
Anyway, my wife went ballistic and is doing her nut about me using cellulose as it makes her feel ill. I'm using an organic vapours mask so don't personally have a problem!

So ... in the interests of domestic harmony, is it too late for me to switch to Tru-oil ??

I have searched this topic on the forum and found several relevant threads, however none seem to offer a definitive opinion on whether the oil will work over the base coats I have already applied.

Very grateful for any help!

I recomend you tell her to get lost, and get back in the Kitchen where She belongs...And carry on as normal..Show Her who the Boss is.

( I hope Mrs Timbuck dosn't read this )

Seriously tho..I have tried Truoil on top of a Shellac sealing coat and it was OK.

cedarwax · Jan 4, 2014

I've not built a uke....yet. But I've built and finished a lot of furniture over 30 years. I'd do a test on a scrap of the same wood first. Better safe than sorry.
Many sealers act as barriers to penetration (hence the name). Oil finishes want to penetrate the wood a bit; they can't if the sealer blocks this action.

I've had the same luck as Timbuck with oil over shellac (talking about a 1 lb. cut of dewaxed shellac).

Wildestcat · Jan 4, 2014

Timbuck said:
I recomend you tell her to get lost, and get back in the Kitchen where She belongs...And carry on as normal..Show Her who the Boss is. ( I hope Mrs Timbuck dosn't read this )

Thanks Ken .... have you ever considered a career in counselling ??

Wildestcat · Jan 4, 2014

cedarwax said:
Many sealers act as barriers to penetration (hence the name). Oil finishes want to penetrate the wood a bit; they can't if the sealer blocks this action.

Yes, that's the aspect that concerns me. I was hoping to avoid the delay caused by test finishing some scrap, but if needs must I guess I will have to take that route. Encouraging to know that oil works OK over shellac, which is presumably also acting as a sealer.

gerardg · Jan 4, 2014

All my ukes are Liberon Danish oil finish.
See my website.
Video here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HKKkvhDN5M
Bye,
Gerard

mketom · Jan 4, 2014

Here's previous discussion. Sounds like it works with a shellac coat over the epoxy.
http://forum.ukuleleunderground.com/showthread.php?56159-Epoxy-pore-fill-under-oil&highlight=Tru-oil+epoxy

Wildestcat · Jan 5, 2014

gerardg said:
All my ukes are Liberon Danish oil finish.

I have had great results using both Liberon Danish oil and Liberon Finishing oil on American pump organ case restoration & furniture restoration, but was unsure if it would be tough enough to withstand the handling a guitar or ukulele receives. At least with a gunstock oil you know it is intended to be handled! Sounds as if the Danish oil may be a good alternative though?

Cheers
Paul

Wildestcat · Jan 5, 2014

mketom said:
Here's previous discussion. Sounds like it works with a shellac coat over the epoxy.
http://forum.ukuleleunderground.com/showthread.php?56159-Epoxy-pore-fill-under-oil&highlight=Tru-oil+epoxy

Thanks for the link - I somehow missed that one! Shellac definitely seems to be the way forward for the epoxy coated parts then, but any feel for using shellac over the vinyl sanding sealer, or should I just sand the top back to bare wood & go with a shellac seal coat on the bare top. I have never worked with shellac before and will need to source some. Axminster here in the UK offer "Chestnut Shellac Sanding Sealer" which sounds as if it will do the job. They also list Liberon Blonde Dewaxed Shellac Flakes, but currently out of stock and horrendously expensive at £26.45 a packet!
So - grateful for any advice on the suitability of the chestnut sealer, and any other advice on Shellac.

Tru-oil over epoxy and/or vinyl sanding sealer ???

Wildestcat

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Timbuck

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cedarwax

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Wildestcat

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Wildestcat

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gerardg

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mketom

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Wildestcat

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Wildestcat

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