Just finished one of the b's - bank

[Cutting Cathy]

Hello everyone!! Have the day off today!! Columbus day!! It gave me the opportunity to finish a baby gift I've been working on!! This is a Sheep bank made from the book "Wooden Banks You Can Make" by Harvey E. Helm. I have made several of the sheep. We have "baby pools" in the court house I work so I make a bank to put the "pool" money in. Then the new mommy and baby get to keep the bank and money. If you haven't tried making these, you should!! They really aren't as hard as they look!! As for the sanding/shaping I use a flex drum sander that makes it really easy!!

from the front
Sheep bank.jpg

from the back
Sheep bank from the back.jpg

from the side

Sheep bank from the side.jpg

from the top
Sheep bank from the top.jpg

I still have a little trouble finishing it!! Some day I will learn the finer points of finishing!! I'm still in the "trial and error" phase!!

Cathy

[Gill]

That's really neat, Cathy. It's nicely cut, smoothly sanded, cute and practical. What more could you ask for? (Apart from Mac to tell you how to finish it .)

Gill

[lucky788scroller]

It looks pretty kewl!!! Mac could tell you how to finish it, hes a pro he says! dale

[Minnesota scroller]

Looks good from all angles, but my big questions is HOW THE HECK DO YOU GET THE MONEY OUT?

[Steviegwood]

Hi Cathy, like Mike said how do you get the money out. You surely don't have to make lamb chops do you? (chuckle) Steve

[Cutting Cathy]

I forgot to show that!! On this particular bank you have to behead the poor little guy to get the money out. The coin removal hole is cleverly hidden there:

Coin removal hole.jpg

Coin removal hole2.jpg

It seems that each bank is different when it comes to the coin removal hole. Some of them are downright ingenious!!

Now if Mac is out there, please tell me how would you finish this?? I have applied 2 coats of Deft satin brush on finish. Sanded between coats with brown paper sack. Just don't know if I'm really happy with it. I have some Minwax polycrylic that I want to try sometime. The water clean up is what interests me with it!! Anyone have experience with it??


Cathy

[MacS]

Finishing the bank

Cathy

The easiest finish to apply on wood is a paste wax, these waxes come in a natural and in assorted colors.

(You can take a coloring crayon, and give it a test on a piece of scrape wood to get an idea of how it looks and works, paste waxes are much softer to work with.) THIS IS ONLY A TEST

The "key" is not to apply heavy coats, apply a thin coat, and then buff it up with a soft cloth, and then repeat the process.

A small mechanical buffing machine can be used, a "dremel" would be ideal. You will find that most scratches or rub marks can be buffed out. To repair, remove, or to replace the wax, you can use either one of these solvents mineral spirits/ paint thinners, or white spirits can be used to strip the wax off the wood.

Another option, is to use any of the drying oils, like Tung Oil. Boiled Linseed Oil, or any of the ready for use oil finishes, all of these drying oils add "color to the woods," they are wiped on and then wiped off, and then allowed to dry, lightly sand, and then repeat the process until you are happy with the results and the look. These same "oil finishes" can then be aerosol coated after a few days of drying. The results are profession looking, and they are very easy to do.
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Cathy,
I think, you would be better off using fine sandpapers then the brown paper bags on the brushed coatings. I would also use a satin lacquer aerosol for the final coating rather then brushing it on, you will get a much better finish. I personally, prefer Lacquer over the Polyacrylics, but that's a personal choice.

Be sure, that you make up complete start to finish samples before you try it on your projects.

Think Twice, And Finish Once....

[CanadianScroller]

This is an awesome project! I love the shape of the head and ears!
You have really done a nice job on this.

Carl

[MacS]

A simulated wax finish

Cathy,

I did this with a blue crayon, to show you what it looks like, the paste waxes come in the natual and in wood colors, so, your adding color and coating in each application.

As I mentioned in my previous post, the paste waxes are softer then the crayons, but if you needed a special color you could use the crayons, and then use the natural paste wax to complete the work.

Just another option to consider.

[Jediscroller]

Very nice work Cathy! Little banks like that are what got me started selling stuff.

[MacS]

Wax Finishes

Cathy,

Here, is a Green wax finish, you rub the wax in, and then buff the wax up.

You, could also try using the soft wax shoe polish to make up a sample.

Wax finishes are very popular in the UK.

[Gill]

Wax finishes are very popular in the UK.

I'm not sure where you get this information from, Mac. I'd say that most woodworkers in the UK prefer to finish with oils.

Gill

[MacS]

Oils

Gill,

My information comes from "finishers" that are in the UK, I also, get it from many finishers who came to the USA from the UK. I also, got my information from "Liberon" the maufacturers of finishing materials in the USA, UK, and in AUS.

To Cathy, here is another option you might want to try, they are called "Gel Stains," these are basically, heavy pigmented oil stains with pigmented paste colorants and a drying oil, they are known for not blotching the woods.

I hope this information is helpful to you.
Good Luck

[Marcel in Longueuil]

Well Gill,

Shame on you for not finishing your pieces.

Still your friend,
Marcel

[MacS]

Gill

Gill,

I just got this e-mail back from a friend at AkzoNobel in the UK, which is one of the largest manufacturers of finishing materials in the UK and the world.
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Hi Mac,

we have a resurgence in Pine furniture in the UK, which is often supplied with a waxed finish, as people want the look of cabinets that have been in use for decades. One of their favourites is "Antiquing Wax", which is a brown wax designed to leave dirty deposits in the corners and the pores on open-pored hardwoods.

We market products for the architectural market, so everything is clean and shiny (including a latex wall paint in 10 metallic finishes!).
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Gill,

Although, oil finishes are very popular in the UK, they also sell all kinds of other coatings including Lacquers, Precats, 2K Polyurethanes and Polyesters.

Gill, maybe, you ought to give the "wax finishes" a go....I was only trying to give Cathy some ideas of fast and easy ways on finishing. I never got a reply back from her, so maybe, I'm just wasting my time on this forum.