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Negative on poly=epoxy...
I use regular epoxy glues for finish. Industrial Formulators in Toronto happens to make the ones I have been using lately, G-1 and G-2, 24 and 48 hour cure respectively. A quick check in the search function should help you find it.

Got to run to dinner... more later.
art

Polyurethane varnish is an oil finish (in this case) with lots of polyurethane resin. Tru-Oil is an example of an oil-based finish with quite a bit of poly, but not enough to call it varnish. Adding oil to poly will give you a product similar to Tru-Oil.

Tru-Oil works fine, but it has a couple issues... It is frequently "old" right off the shelf and is prone to curing and thickening issues.

Sushi was great, but I ate way too much!
art

Thanks Sitka.
Sushi? No way unless its baked or fried.

Art: this is not my plan, this was recommended to me by two well known Guild members.

"There are a couple potential problems with your plan, IME&O. First, buy oil-based finish in small quantities. It does not keep well and will cause curing issues and eventual hardness issues if "aged."

Never had any ageing problems when I store cans of finish, but then I learned long ago to store cans on the top and give it and air seal, only air in the can is the gap. That is nothing new as folks have been doing this since metal cans came out. Storing paint cans that hold oil base paints.

Did you notice I wrote after the gain is filled? This is a much faster way, doing the "French like Polish" to apply the coats than a brush, you'll spend less time knocking down each coat between applications.

This has worked vary well for me, that I do it no other way now.

I have simply seen more ridiculous finish applications from Guild members than all other woodworkers combined. Were it not for the incredibly forgiving nature of oil finishes they would be far more obvious.

French Polish is a finish system that has been well understood for centuries. How and why it works is pretty clear. Oil is used as a lubricant in regular French Polishing. The how and why are understood. Using just oil is not much different from the rubdown given to oil finishes after some curing has occured.

Sanding slurry finishing is the best example of a common guild headshaker. No one has ever shown me a test board with a slurry finish next to a straight finish that was not screamingly obvious.

I have read many systems from many guild members and know more than a few. I have never heard of any using an oil based French Polish.

Turning the cans of oil upside down is not the issue and does not stop the aging of oil. When oil starts to polymerize the linking is very gradual. It requires oxygen and generates heat in the process. When air enters the can it displaces the nitrogen blanket the finish makers usually put in the can.

It is impossible to stop the introduction of oxygen, so some manufacturers use a variety of "stablizers" to slow the linking. They act as oxygen scrubbers but need to evaporate fairly soon after swallowing the oxygen or they can do bad stuff to the finish.

Using old finish is one of the most common mistakes folks make and it can really bite them when the result is a gummy finish that will never solidify. Oil is too cheap to risk a stock finish on when there is no need...
art

OK, you must be correct and I bow to your wisdom. What a fool I have been to come on a form and express and opinion and take a chance it might be in conflict, to yours.


FOAD:
Sitka deer

I too have used an epoxy base coat/grain filling operation before switching over to "oil" for the balance of the finishing schedule. Works pretty good and I suspect it goes a long way toward sealing the wood. I used West System 207, mainly because we always had some kicking around the shop.

375
WOW!!!!!!!

Okay, if that is what you want to say... I was gentle... Your background (lack thereof actually) in finishing is obvious. What you are suggesting to folks is not going to help them. I do not feel I jumped on you or your lack of knowledge here previously.

I was not questioning your opinion. I was questioning your application and storage methods. Note I did it in drive-by fashion without taking the time to explain why you are wrong.

I said nothing about the chemistry of finish to explain why oxygen is bad in the can... nothing about why oil French Polish makes no sense... No, I just drove by and called you names and swore at you... Or did I?

Feel free to correct anything wrong I have posted here. Feel free to go back through almost 7 years of me posting finish information here and see what you find. Maybe it will come to you that with your knowledge base you should be asking advice... not giving it.
HAND!
art

gnoahhh
I know I should know West 207 but I think it is a thinner product with some UV stablizers used as a sealant? Not sure if I have used it before or not. I know I have tested it for weather-proofness and it does seal the wood better than just about anything... Only Superglue is in the same class for watertight...
art

Yeah, Art, West System 207 is a lot thinner. Perhaps as much as 50% of the viscosity of their 205/206. UV protection is excellent- it was developed (and used by us) as a first coat sealer for exterior marine wood headed for a varnish schedule. I've used/witnessed it's use on (literally) tons of teak and mahogany and I honestly feel it extends the life of a marine exterior varnish finish. Downside, I suspect it would be a bitch to remove if one needed to go back to bare wood. Another downside is cost. Yet another may be, depending on one's point of view, it's color which is decidedly yellow and darkens as the hardener oxidizes with time. As with other epoxies, go with light coats to lessen the chance of gassing-out bubbles forming as it cures.

I've used CA to soak into soft wood inside of the heads of old shotgun butts, but never as a sealer for the whole exterior of a new stock. Is it a viable thing?

When mixing any kind of "oil" finish, I just mix up what I figure I'll need for that project, I just can't seem to find any truly air tight containers that stay that way for repeated opening and closing. Tried the marbles in the bottom of the can trick and the nitrogen aerosals, but nothing beats just mixing a little bit at a time. (Another reason to mix your own. That pint can of Minwax brought home from Home Depot and used to do a stock or two will have probably soured before the third or fourth one. Even though it still smells and feels the same as when new, the polymerization has started and it won't be as effective as when new.)

Well, sorry for running on!
Gary

CA has been used by quite a few Guild members and it makes a very acceptable finish all by itself. Paul Dressell uses it quite a bit. He warned me the stuff shrinks the wood several thousandths and edges need be held a little proud.

So I tried it and it does pull the wood down, or in, but seems like it does it more at corners than on flats if that makes sense. I have been meaning to use it for a stock and just do not have the guts, yet...
art