Eastern Red Cedar mantel finishing with Osmo 1101 and 3043. Please wear all appropriate personel protective equipment and observe all safety recommendations that came with your equipment.
Hey my friend, I just has a red cedar log milled, I don't have access to a kiln. Any suggestions on how long I should let it dry before finishing it and mounting it? It's 14 inches wide and 5 inches thick. I have access to a moisture meter if you know how dry it has to be any suggestions would be helpful.
Typically air drying of lumber requires approximately one per year of thickness but it can be longer if you live in an area with higher humidity and lower temperatures or even shorter. If you are wanting to use this in somewhat the near future I would suggest building a small solar kiln to put it in. Just google solar kiln plans and of coarse they will be for larger structures to house a stack of wood. Just down size it to the piece or pieces you need to dry. You can use plastic sheeting in place of the clear corrugated roof panels and even for the sides. Proper air flow and temperature monitoring is key to proper drying. I hope this helps.
The oil coating would have to cure before adding an oil based polyurethane. The curing time would depend on temperature and amount of oil coating applied. Best way to do this is to always apply to a test board so you can see the results. There are some oil poly blends on the market. Not all oil coatings and polyurethanes are the same in that some will turn the wood more yellow / amber than others. Osmo is made from seed oils and is one of the clearest of the oil coatings but even it will leave a slight amber / yellow tint. If you put polyurethane on top of it you will increase that tint. A straight oil finish is easier to repair in the long run.
The Festool pads are very fine with a more tightly woven than the white Scotch-Brite 07445 so they plug up after one use if you let them dry out. If you are using them with the Osmo finish I always discard them after use in a oily rag container. Not sure if they would self combust but I do not take any chances. I have pulled a pad out of the oily rag container and reuse it if it was still wet. The Scotch-Brite pads are cheaper and work well.
I have a Wagner 930 Orion moisture meter and had several others before that. The main thing about wood is that it is dynamic with an ever changing moisture content along with the ever changing evironment. Essentially it stabilizes or comes to an equalibrium to the environment around it after drying so you can see higher moisture readings on days of higher humidity or during periods of rain. If I remember right the moisture content on the mantle at the time of finishing was from 10 to 12 percent.
No I do not but if you wish to learn about using epoxy Blacktail Studios has some good videos on working epoxy. The main thing on oily woods like eastern red cedar is to clean the area well of loose material and before applying epoxy wipe the area with acetone or lacquer thinner. A propane torch or heat gun can be used to make the air bubbles rise out and release from the epoxy.
I do not sell alot of these because locally if you go to Facebook there are many advertisements for cedar wood and mantles for sale. Many of the mantles are listed quite cheaply but they are not finished or someone just slapped some poly on it. If you look at the time I have in a mantle just for milling, drying, scraping, sanding and finishing you have to get at least 450 to 500 on the low end to make it somewhat work out. That does not even include logging the tree from my woods.
The first coat is with Osmo 1101 extra thin clear satin wood wax finish. Give the wood as much as it will take. This is the coat that gives the wood the deep color. Second coat use Osmo 3043 Polyx-oil high solid.
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Hey my friend, I just has a red cedar log milled, I don't have access to a kiln. Any suggestions on how long I should let it dry before finishing it and mounting it? It's 14 inches wide and 5 inches thick. I have access to a moisture meter if you know how dry it has to be any suggestions would be helpful.
Typically air drying of lumber requires approximately one per year of thickness but it can be longer if you live in an area with higher humidity and lower temperatures or even shorter. If you are wanting to use this in somewhat the near future I would suggest building a small solar kiln to put it in. Just google solar kiln plans and of coarse they will be for larger structures to house a stack of wood. Just down size it to the piece or pieces you need to dry. You can use plastic sheeting in place of the clear corrugated roof panels and even for the sides. Proper air flow and temperature monitoring is key to proper drying. I hope this helps.
Hi. Can you add a coat of polyurethane afterwards? Thanks.
The oil coating would have to cure before adding an oil based polyurethane. The curing time would depend on temperature and amount of oil coating applied. Best way to do this is to always apply to a test board so you can see the results. There are some oil poly blends on the market. Not all oil coatings and polyurethanes are the same in that some will turn the wood more yellow / amber than others. Osmo is made from seed oils and is one of the clearest of the oil coatings but even it will leave a slight amber / yellow tint. If you put polyurethane on top of it you will increase that tint. A straight oil finish is easier to repair in the long run.
How many times can you use one buffing pad to apply the wax?
The Festool pads are very fine with a more tightly woven than the white Scotch-Brite 07445 so they plug up after one use if you let them dry out. If you are using them with the Osmo finish I always discard them after use in a oily rag container. Not sure if they would self combust but I do not take any chances. I have pulled a pad out of the oily rag container and reuse it if it was still wet. The Scotch-Brite pads are cheaper and work well.
Do you know the moisture content is on wood?
I have a Wagner 930 Orion moisture meter and had several others before that. The main thing about wood is that it is dynamic with an ever changing moisture content along with the ever changing evironment. Essentially it stabilizes or comes to an equalibrium to the environment around it after drying so you can see higher moisture readings on days of higher humidity or during periods of rain. If I remember right the moisture content on the mantle at the time of finishing was from 10 to 12 percent.
Do you sell these? These are beautiful. Thanks!
I do but only locally. Shpping these heavy mantles so they do not get damage can be hit and miss.
Do you have a video of filling in voids?
No I do not but if you wish to learn about using epoxy Blacktail Studios has some good videos on working epoxy. The main thing on oily woods like eastern red cedar is to clean the area well of loose material and before applying epoxy wipe the area with acetone or lacquer thinner. A propane torch or heat gun can be used to make the air bubbles rise out and release from the epoxy.
No sanding ? Just right to osmo ?
Both Osmo and Rubio recommend sanding to 120 but I sand my pieces usually to 220 or 320. That is why I use 1101 thin first when finishing.
Do you sale a lot of these and what is the average price?
I do not sell alot of these because locally if you go to Facebook there are many advertisements for cedar wood and mantles for sale. Many of the mantles are listed quite cheaply but they are not finished or someone just slapped some poly on it. If you look at the time I have in a mantle just for milling, drying, scraping, sanding and finishing you have to get at least 450 to 500 on the low end to make it somewhat work out. That does not even include logging the tree from my woods.
Can you tell me the two things you put on the cedar again? Some type of oil and then some type of clear coat. Didn't hear the names well.
The first coat is with Osmo 1101 extra thin clear satin wood wax finish. Give the wood as much as it will take. This is the coat that gives the wood the deep color. Second coat use Osmo 3043 Polyx-oil high solid.