Heat on a Trivet?

[Capt Weasel]

I did the Trivet that was in a recent SSW issue for my wife. She loves it but now wants me finish it as in staining etc. She also told me that a Trivet is used as a hot plate sometime to put a warm pot or pan on after removing it from the stove. Being a male homosapien I did not know this. I thought is was a nice celtic knot thing-a-ma-jig. Anyway, I cut it as described in the mag using 1/4" oak. Question is, how to I finish it so it'll handle the heat? Will stain by itself stand up? Coat or two of laquer, poly etc? The BB bottoms will be fine its just how to get the oak to last and not burn up. If I get that solved it might be a cheap x-mas for me

[MacS]

Finishing a trivet?

Hi Capt,

Naturally, your wife is right, but the problem is how "hot" will the servers be that are placed on the top of the trivet, and what would be the best coating to apply. I would think, in the commonly used single component coatings it would be Polyurethane and Vanish.

In the 2k coatings you could probablly use a store bought 2 part epoxy glue, and thin it out with either lacquer thinners or acetone and then brushed it out.

I would wait at least 3-4 weeks for a full cure of all the coatings before using the trivet.

You still have prenty of time for that Xmas gift.

[Woodbutcher68]

I've made and sold a few trivets and use some of mine here at home.
DO NOT USE POLY!
The heat will melt it and you'll have a mess on your hands, not to mention an unhappy wife.
Use a couple of coats of tung oil. Let it dry overnight between coats. It will darken the wood a little, if you stain it, leave it a little lighter. Also, appliying tung Oil once or twice a year will keep the wood from drying out and cracking.
I got my info from the Fall 2003 issue of SSW.

[MacS]

The heat is the key

If the heat will melt Poly it certainly will melt the Tung Oil, you cannot compare Poly to Tung Oil.

The heat of whatever item is placed on the trivet is the key, don't take it directly off the stove or oven and place it on the trivet, allow it cool for a few minutes.

You, maybe better off not coating the top of the trivet at all, when not in use just turn it over to the unused finished side.

[GrayBeard Phil]

Capt Weasel:

1st, ask your wife if she knows someone who has, and uses, a wooden trivet. Then go look at it (them.)

To my amazement all three I looked at were stained from hot food. Found that one had many lasagnas (tomato stains) hot from the oven placed on it.

Point is they looked used and the stains did not distract from the usefulness. Kinda like the difference between a house and a home. Trust me on this, a trivet is to be used. Your pride will get a boost from a well used trivet you had given to someone.

The three I looked at seemed to be finished with an oil based finish, but it could have been a dull thin lacquer coat.

My two cents.

Phil

[MacS]

Oil or lacquer finish

Neither oil or lacquer is as durable or as heat resistant as Poly.

I would suggest, using no finish at all on the side you will be using, and any finish you prefer on the other side.

On the unfinished side, use that side for the heated pieces, and when your not using the trivet, turn it over to the good side for show.

[Marsha]

Fellas, I hate to butt into your argument here, but anyone who has any wood in a kitchen should know that it should only be treated with mineral oil, ordinary mineral oil that you buy in any drug store. Wooden spoons, bowls, rolling pins, wood cutting boards, hot trivets, etc. should only be treated with mineral oil.
Heat Tray.jpg
This is a hot tray I use every single day, to remove pots from the stove and the oven. It is only treated with mineral oil and I've been using it for probably 4 years now. You can see by the pic, it is not scorched from the heat, and it's made from pine. If I spill something on it, I simply wipe it clean with a damp cloth, let it dry and apply more mineral oil. The mineral oil soaks in and stops everything else from soaking in. I don't think I would put any kind of finish on the trivet, just rub some mineral oil into it.
Just my 2¢ worth
Marsha

[MacS]

Ir's Tung OIl for food utensils..

Marsha

It is an "oil" that is put on all "wooden utensils", but the oil is not "mineral oil," as that oil can go rancid if left on and not cleaned periodicly, it is "Tung Oil" that is the oil that is reccomended for "utensils" because its a drying oil. This would apply to trivets too.

If it works for you, keep using it.

[ozarkhillbilly]

Mac, I take a seat and listen to your expertise on wood finishing and have picked up quite a few tips. But I've never heard of it being O.K. to use Tung Oil on wooden utensils that come in contact with food, but hey I might learn something new here, but everything I did a search on said mineral oil is what is used or recomended.
And no where did I find a statement of mineral oil turning rancid, but just the opposite was stated, that it does not. What I understood from my search was, most woodworkers today use USP-grade mineral oil because it is (1) edible (2) tasteless and (3) the cheapest pure food-grade oil you can buy. Vegetable and olive oils are not recommended because they turn rancid. Mineral oil, however, is a petrochemical product. As a wood surface protector it does come in contact with food. When you see the words "food safe finish" in a description of a wood product, this generally means mineral oil has been used.

Mac, please, can you direct me to a link that will tell me otherwise regarding the use of Tung Oil on wooden eating utensils? We are talking health and safety here. Otherwise I'm sticking with the Mineral Oil
Below are just a few of the links to where my info was obtained. With the 3rd link specifically stating Tung oil is TOXIC! Water proof yes, food safe no........

http://www.steoil.com/msds_sheets.asp

http://web1.msue.msu.edu/msue/imp/mod02/01500122.html

http://www.academytips.com/finishing/index6.htm

[david]

[QUOTE=Marsha]Fellas, I hate to butt into your argument here, but anyone who has any wood in a kitchen should know that it should only be treated with mineral oil, ordinary mineral oil that you buy in any drug store. Wooden spoons, bowls, rolling pins, wood cutting boards, hot trivets, etc. should only be treated with mineral oil.
Heat Tray.jpg

I have been reading the thread on tung oil vs. mineral oil so I asked my wife. She has been in the food service business for about 45 years.. She said it should be mineral oil as the only safe oil to use on food utensils. She oils her wood items with it especially after cleaning them and sanitizing them.
Didn't mean to butt in.sorry.

[MacS]

Tung OIl VS Mineral Oil

Mineral Oil, is a non "drying oil" which means it never dries, although it it food safe that means it can be taken as laxative or used in medicines, ect. in this case we are talking about using it on "wood" that will come into contact with food, hands, and in other places where contamination may be found, utencils must be handled and come into contact by human hands, because, this oil never dries " so it can get rancid, maybe not from the oil itself" but can easily be contaminated and then passed on".

Regarding, 100% Tung oil, it is food safe, it is the same oil that is used in the "salad bowl finish" that are sold by finishing suppliers. Some manufacturers add mineral spirits, which will evaporate quickly, but because it is in the Tung Oil it has the "warning," this warning applies to all coatings, once the solvents have evaporated, and the coating are cured, the coating is safe. Examples: its the alcohol in shellac that is dangerous, once it evaporates and cures the shellac is safe, this applies to lacquers, polyies,and varnishes.

You may not be aware of this fact, Shellac is the enteric coating on medicinal pills, its on candy coatings like M&M and many other candies, its used on fruits and vegables to "shine em up."

I think, you should keep on looking for some other links on Tung Oil, just the fact alone that Tung Oil is a "drying oil", and that it seals the wood and leaves a coating, whereas, the Minieral Oil never dries. I prefer using it myself, instead of Mineral Oil.

Just don't add the minieral spirits and it is 100% safe, if you prefer to thin it out for wiping, then add the minerial spirits and wait until it passes the nose test. which means, once there is no smell, its safe.

Let me throw this out to you, to give you some food for thought about Mineral Oil.
Do you ever remember, seeing a "wet" finish on new furniture, cabinets, or any wood utencils..... As I stated, Mineral Oil never ever dries, whereas, Tung Oil does.

Any, of you who prefer using Mineral OIl continue doing so, I will continue using Tung Oil, as it dries to a safe finish with less chances of becoming contaminated.

[MacS]

What to use?

David,

Your wife works in a business were food is key, and where the pieces are constanly being used, and then washed. In her case, Tung Oil would not be my choice either, because it could not handle all the washing, and it would not be practicle to spend the time coating the pieces.

I wonder, why they even use the mineral oil if the pieces are constanly being wash, unless its for protection so the woods don't get spongy?

In finishing, and in most other business' one material does not fit all, just look at all the coating availiable in finishing.There is a place and purpose for each one.

Another factor, I did not mention in my last post, is that Mineral Oil is very cheap in price in comparision to the price of Tung Oil. Another factor, is most people don't know about Tung Oil, and that may include your wive's boss, and many other people on this forum.

[CanadianScroller]

Things are heating up

As always with finishing there is never a single way of doing something.

In this case I am not sure if foodsafe is 100% required. I usually do not eat of the trivet.

I have used the vegetable oils to finish wood and will never do it again. They became dusty and I believe the technical term is YUCKY.
I have used tung oil and mineral oil.
I have also use Danish oil with success, all three are food safe.
Some linseed oils contain heavy metal dries which should be avoided.


One thing to remember about tung oil is that it comes from a nut. People with nut allergies should be aware of this, specially when used on food handling products.

Like I said before though I don't eat food from trivets.

Here are a couple of links you my find useful
Food Safe Finishes
The Folly of Food-Safe Finishes
And finally a PDF file on finishing.

One of the wonderful things about this forum is we have a huge font of knowledge that everyone can contribute to and then we can all walk away with our own personal choices.

Carl

[MacS]

Toxic Tung Oil?

Carl,

Here is a "food safe non-toxic Tung Oil", it happens to be on one of the links you had listed the last link.

http://www.shopsmith.com/ownersite/itemfind.htm?item=945402

If you leave out the Minieral Spirits, and use only 100% Tung Oil, its non toxic and food safe. Once, there is any petroleum distillate added to any product its considered "toxic."

[MacS]

Heating up !

Yep, "If one cannot take the heat, then stay out of the kitchen."

Carl's post, and my answers in brackets.

As always with finishing there is never a single way of doing something.

In this case I am not sure if foodsafe is 100% required. I usually do not eat of the trivet.

( Carl, is that a joke, we are talking about utencils)

I have used the vegetable oils to finish wood and will never do it again. They became dusty and I believe the technical term is YUCKY.
( thats because they are not drying oils)
I have used tung oil and mineral oil.
I have also use Danish oil with success, all three are food safe.
( And, what were your opinions of these three oils, I think, Danish oil contains a solvent, if it does, then it cannot be listed as food safe)
Some linseed oils contain heavy metal dries which should be avoided.
(Carl, only the ones that are listed as BOILED LINSEED OIL, all those that are listed as PURE LINSEED OIL do not contaian metallic driers)


One thing to remember about tung oil is that it comes from a nut. People with nut allergies should be aware of this, specially when used on food handling products.
( I never heard that mentioned)

Like I said before though I don't eat food from trivets.
( Good for you, Carl)

Here are a couple of links you my find useful
Food Safe Finishes
The Folly of Food-Safe Finishes
And finally a PDF file on finishing.

One of the wonderful things about this forum is we have a huge font of knowledge that everyone can contribute to and then we can all walk away with our own personal choices.

(A word to the wise, don't beleive everything that you read, and writing don't make it true. Read all you can, and then you be the judge, there are three sides to every story, yours, mine, and the truth.)

[B][/