Cheap, safe and hard wearing finish

A couple of pics to show what I have been up to with my CNC router. The horse is for a friend who breeds miniature horses. The chains are recycled from tip shop jewelry,

I had a question. I'm trying to work out what finish to put on my things I want to sell at markets. Things like these ie pendants, key chains, signs. What to you think? I want it cheap, safe and hard wearing. Not greasy to hold and a bit glossy. Babies get hold of keys chains and chew and suck, so nontoxic.

The horse sign is cabot walnut stain and duramax acrylic gloss but not really happy with it.

The pendants in the middle are cabots clear poly spray. The outer pendants are just orange oil on the left and orange oil on the right spray with duramax clear acrylic spray. I had the orange oil pendant on the right in the hot car and the oil melted a bit onto my seat. It wiped off fortunately.

Mike

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shellac

Shellac is a good one or any product that you know what it contains especially with so many allergies around....and you will be selling them.

Can you recommend a particular type and brand of Shellac?

Mike

Quote:

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Originally Posted by clarence1

Can you recommend a particular type and brand of Shellac?

Mike

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http://www.ubeaut.com.au/new/images/DWS500A.jpg U-Beaut Polishes - WHITE SHELLAC

or mix your own using flakes, also from UBeaut SHELLAC FLAKES and FRENCH POLISH

As ian says, UBeaut's white shellac is a good, ready mixed finish and easy to use. If you think that the items are very likely to get hot and moist then UBeaut sells a version of their white shellac with a plasticiser and a cross-linking compound added, called Hard Shellac. Once the cross linking has occurred (3 weeks or less in hot weather) the finish is quite moisture and heat resistant as well as being foodsafe. I use it for platters and coasters. It is not absolutely waterproof so a wet, cold glass that leaves a circle of water on a coaster for a day will affect the finish but, if wiped off after use the finish will not be affected. For example I have some carved Northern Silky Oak platters that we serve cheeses and food like dips on. After the meal I just wash the platter under running water and then wipe it dry - no affect on the finish at all.

Rattle can lacquer, cheap, easy to apply, glossy and tough.

Do you use acrylic lacquer or oil based? What brand do you use and I will see what matches it in Australia.

I think it's oil based. The local product is Rustoleum brand.

Septone do both clear acrllic and clear nitro in a spray tin........BUT for what you are doing Shelac hands down.

The smaller items dipping would be appropriate.

Well thinned shelac penetrates very deeply ... full thickness on some timbers, its pretty much food grade and compatable with pretty much everything except a
cohol bassed stains.

the white comes up pretty durable and the hard even better

I'd go for a 5 minute soak in a thin cut of shelac, drain a dry over night then a dip or 2 in a thicker cut.

this will strenghen, stabilise and seal the timeber.

cheers