--I'm building a gun carriage, circa 1850 or thereabouts, suitable
for a sailing ship. I've made it out of oak and now it occurs to me that it
will have to be grubby handprint-resistant. I don't want to paint it; I want
the oak to show thru whatever finish I use, but I don't want to slop
something on that's so thick that it changes the thickness of the wood.
Would something like Watco Danish oil finish be suitable for this? If not,
does anyone have a recommendation of what I should use?
TIA,

--
"Steamboat Ed" Haas : There's never a tachikoma
Hacking the Trailing Edge! : around when I need one!
www.nmpproducts.com
---Decks a-wash in a sea of words---

steamer wrote:
--I'm building a gun carriage, circa 1850 or thereabouts, suitable
for a sailing ship. I've made it out of oak and now it occurs to me
that it
will have to be grubby handprint-resistant. I don't want to paint it;
I want
the oak to show thru whatever finish I use, but I don't want to slop
something on that's so thick that it changes the thickness of the wood.

Just finished making a couple of white oak pieces.

Used BLO cut about 1/3 with turps followed with bees wax cut about 50/50
with turps to finish.

The person who now has them likes it.

Lew

steamer wrote:
--I'm building a gun carriage, circa 1850 or thereabouts, suitable
for a sailing ship. I've made it out of oak and now it occurs to me that it
will have to be grubby handprint-resistant. I don't want to paint it; I want
the oak to show thru whatever finish I use, but I don't want to slop
something on that's so thick that it changes the thickness of the wood.
Would something like Watco Danish oil finish be suitable for this?

Yes. A very good choice as it's simple to apply and repair.

R

steamer wrote:
--I'm building a gun carriage, circa 1850 or thereabouts, suitable
for a sailing ship. I've made it out of oak and now it occurs to me that it
will have to be grubby handprint-resistant. I don't want to paint it; I want
the oak to show thru whatever finish I use, but I don't want to slop
something on that's so thick that it changes the thickness of the wood.
Would something like Watco Danish oil finish be suitable for this? If not,
does anyone have a recommendation of what I should use?
TIA,


If it was me, I'd stain the thing very dark with maybe a walnut stain.
I expect the real cannon carriages got blackend from all that smoke and
soot etc. Besides, that's what people expect to see. I'd use a
penetrating oil finish like tung oil or Watco Danish oil. Grimy
handprints won't show much on that dark wood, especially if it's not
shiny.

DonkeyHody
"Every man is my superior in that I can learn from him." - Thomas
Carlyle

On 06 Nov 2006 16:59:16 GMT, steamer wrote:

--I'm building a gun carriage, circa 1850 or thereabouts, suitable
for a sailing ship. I've made it out of oak and now it occurs to me that it
will have to be grubby handprint-resistant. I don't want to paint it; I want
the oak to show thru whatever finish I use, but I don't want to slop
something on that's so thick that it changes the thickness of the wood.
Would something like Watco Danish oil finish be suitable for this? If not,
does anyone have a recommendation of what I should use?
TIA,

You're in luck. Oak with take any stain, varnish, or other finish
known to man like a champ. It doesn't blotch at all, and there's no
real reason why you can't just go ahead and use anything you want.
I'd probably go with a varnish, myself.

Is this 'life-size' or a model ?

Either way I'd use a 'Teak Oil' for that 'Bristol Fashion' finish. DON'T let
anyone kid you, the guns only got dirty when 'In Action'. Otherwise the
barrels were 'Blackened', oiled, polished, the 'truck' overhauled & 'braced
up', and all inspected daily. And woe betide the Gun Captain who's piece
wasn't 'ship shape & Bristol Fashion' !!

For a 'merchant finish' - dark amber, used for decks, etc. - 1qt Turps, 1qt
BLO, 1/2pt Pine Tar, 1/2pt Japan Driers. {use same ratios for smaller
quantities}. Use less Pine Tar for lighter color, more for darker.

Regards & Good Luck,
Ron Magen
Backyard Boatshop

"steamer" wrote in message
...
--I'm building a gun carriage, circa 1850 or thereabouts, suitable
for a sailing ship. I've made it out of oak and now it occurs to me that
it
will have to be grubby handprint-resistant. I don't want to paint it; I
want
the oak to show thru whatever finish I use, but I don't want to slop
something on that's so thick that it changes the thickness of the wood.
Would something like Watco Danish oil finish be suitable for this? If not,
does anyone have a recommendation of what I should use?
TIA,

--
"Steamboat Ed" Haas : There's never a tachikoma
Hacking the Trailing Edge! : around when I need one!
www.nmpproducts.com
---Decks a-wash in a sea of words---

"steamer" wrote in message
...
--I'm building a gun carriage, circa 1850 or thereabouts, suitable
for a sailing ship. I've made it out of oak and now it occurs to me that
it
will have to be grubby handprint-resistant. I don't want to paint it; I
want
the oak to show thru whatever finish I use, but I don't want to slop
something on that's so thick that it changes the thickness of the wood.
Would something like Watco Danish oil finish be suitable for this? If not,
does anyone have a recommendation of what I should use?
TIA,

Will it be inside or out?
Interior or exterior varnish.
Oil doesn't do much for oak.

Toller wrote:
Will it be inside or out?
Interior or exterior varnish.
Oil doesn't do much for oak.
--Mostly living indoors on display, with the occasional trip outside
for firing practice.


--
"Steamboat Ed" Haas : There's never a tachikoma
Hacking the Trailing Edge! : around when I need one!
www.nmpproducts.com
---Decks a-wash in a sea of words---

Ron Magen wrote:
Is this 'life-size' or a model ?

Either way I'd use a 'Teak Oil' for that 'Bristol Fashion' finish. DON'T let
anyone kid you, the guns only got dirty when 'In Action'. Otherwise the
barrels were 'Blackened', oiled, polished, the 'truck' overhauled & 'braced
up', and all inspected daily. And woe betide the Gun Captain who's piece
wasn't 'ship shape & Bristol Fashion' !!
--Aye cap'n! ;-) Actually it seems like all a piece of wood has to
do to get dirty is to be in the same room as me!

For a 'merchant finish' - dark amber, used for decks, etc. - 1qt Turps, 1qt
BLO, 1/2pt Pine Tar, 1/2pt Japan Driers. {use same ratios for smaller
quantities}. Use less Pine Tar for lighter color, more for darker.
--Pine tar eh? Sounds rare; where would one find such stuff?


--
"Steamboat Ed" Haas : There's never a tachikoma
Hacking the Trailing Edge! : around when I need one!
www.nmpproducts.com
---Decks a-wash in a sea of words---

Tue, Nov 7, 2006, 6:03am (EST+5) (steamer) doth query:
snip****************--Pine tar eh?
Sounds rare; where would one find such stuff?

Well, you could make your own, it's not hard. Or, you could
probably find it on-line Or, I'm pretty sure it's advertised in
WoodenBoat.



JOAT
If you're not making a rocket, it ain't rocket science.

Hamilton Marine . . . Maine

See www.hamiltonmarine.com and ask for a catalog . . . lots of good stuff.

Regards,
Ron Magen
Backyard Boatshop

"steamer" wrote . . .
Ron Magen wrote:
SNIP
For a 'merchant finish' - dark amber, used for decks, etc. - 1qt Turps,
1qt
BLO, 1/2pt Pine Tar, 1/2pt Japan Driers. {use same ratios for smaller
quantities}. Use less Pine Tar for lighter color, more for darker.

--Pine tar eh? Sounds rare; where would one find such stuff?