60% Helmsman / 40% Mineral Spirits

[ed morini]

Eric,
I fully agree. I also feel that as long a we are working wood there will be a constant condition of the wood either gaining or losing moisture, that's just the nature of the beast. I think sealing helps prolong the stability of the wood, but that only goes so far. Even with a totally hard sealer the wood will still react to its environment eventually. I know most epoxies take five coats for "waterproofing" but I have seen some dramatic failures. I view sealers as means of getting a good footing for the subsequent coatings.

As Quint says in Jaws: Hooper?...turn a plug of wood, throw the wood in in the water?...Farewell and ado my fair Spanish ladies.....

Ed

[Muskyslayer96]

Eric,

I use a similar formulation with turpentine instead of MS (won't gel on you).
After I soak mine I hang them outside for the rest of the day and then in the shop on a cloths drying rack with a fan on them....just some moving air will rapidly speed the drying. As for the smell of the turps....I have some that were sealed over a year ago that I haven't finished and I can still smell it

Anybody want to come to Wisconsin and help me pack up both the wood shap and the finishing shop for a move...no hurry, I have 16 days to find a new house and get everything moved
ha......freaking out a little
Best
MS