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Every cedar chest I ever saw had either shellac or varnish on the exterior as a finish.
I don't think I'd use oil of any kind. It might react with the oils in the wood.
I remember seeing one chest that someone oiled & it turned to gummy sludge.
I can't remember what kind of oil it was though.
Leave the interior unfinished.
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(12-10-2016, 08:29 PM)tuneswoodshop Wrote: Hello Fellow Woodnetters,
I searched the forum and haven't really found the answer I am looking for.
I am building a solid aromatic cedar quilt display chest and looking for recommendations for a finish. My original plan was using min wax tung oil finish for the outside and leaving the inside bare. Just curious what your guys thoughts are for a finish. Thanks
Obviously leave the inside bare. Out side what ever you want and like working with.
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12-11-2016, 07:25 AM
(This post was last modified: 12-11-2016, 07:46 AM by fredhargis.)
Min wax "Tung Oil Finish" is actually just a very thin (really very thin) varnish. It will work fine if it otherwise meets your criteria. if you;re interested in more info on that finish, check
this out. You might wnat to wipe it down with a solvent just before applying the finish in case there are any oils present on the surface. (I've never finished aromatic cedar, just suggesting a cautious approach).
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I'm guessing this piece would be cherished for a long time. Use shellac which can so easily be spiffed up as needed.
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Shellac on the outside, bare inside. I would leave shellac as the top coat because any dings get repaired by adding shellac. If you have to, you can topcoat over the shellac with pretty much anything.
Thanks, Curt
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Thanks for the input. I am gonna give shellac a try. How long is the shelf life of shellac after I dissolve the shellac flakes in DNA?
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You can safely figure on 6 months, though I've had some last much longer. If in doubt, try a drop on a piece of glass and see if it dries....if so, it's good.
I started with absolutely nothing. Now, thanks to years of hard work, careful planning, and perseverance, I find I still have most of it left.
