A question for the wood workers.

Gidon Yuval · 10 Dec 2007, 17:03

I know this has nothing to do with modeling but but seeing as there are quite a few woodworkers here I'm going to ask here anyway.
I met a man who has inherited a very old wooden goblet that was in the past used in the traditional Sabbath Eve ceremony when blessing over the wine. He would like to put it back into use and asked me how he might protect the wood from the wine while not ruining the taste of the wine.
Anybody got any ideas?

Csaba, please don't be mad at me for posting this here.
Now, if we had a wood working sub forum........

alan wood · 10 Dec 2007, 17:44

Hi Gideon
No knowledge on that topic. Sorry about that.
cheers
Alan

brad · 10 Dec 2007, 18:02

I would think you'd need a food grade polyurethane, however I think a better place to ask this question would be here; http://www.woodnet.net/forums/

Since I'm a wood worker I read and write post on woodnet. It's a great place.

Hope that helps.

Gaieus · 10 Dec 2007, 20:59

@gidon said:

Csaba, please don't be mad at me for posting this here.
Now, if we had a wood working sub forum........

C'mon, Gidon, you'll get your playground back, don't worry!

@unknownuser said:

I would think you'd need a food grade polyurethane, however I think a better place to ask this question would be here; http://www.woodnet.net/forums/

Since I'm a wood worker I read and write post on woodnet. It's a great place.

So you are trying to transfer traffic to other forums Brad...
Hm...

(Nice reource though - I've been "lurking" there for a while without registering though since I do not even have a saw...)

SchreiberBike · 10 Dec 2007, 23:00

After any finish is fully cured, it will be food safe. I doubt you are considering lead paint, but that might be an exception if it were to crack or peel. Also, even though it would be safe, avoid shellac for a wine goblet because it is soluble in alcohol.

A polyurethane would protect the wood reliably, but to a greater or lesser degree makes it feel like it is encased in plastic. For something used only occasionally, I would probably suggest wiping it with a light coat of walnut oil, letting it stand, then wiping it off. Repeat depending on condition. Then repeat later if it starts to look worn. Walnut oil is available in the US in health food stores.

Charlie__V · 11 Dec 2007, 02:41

Gidon,

My first thought is why not have a suitable insert crafted, perhaps lead crystal or the like.
The lead crystal insert preserves/enhances the wine........& er well...preserves the very old wooden goblet.
Maybe not a purist's solution.....

My 2¢

Charlie

Gidon Yuval · 11 Dec 2007, 08:25

Thanks for all your responses.
I'm going to suggest that he use a polyurethane varnish but on the INSIDE of the goblet only. My thinking is that it would still help protect the wood while preserving the look and feel of the goblet on the outside.
What do you think?

eeva · 11 Dec 2007, 12:18

i have a wooden bowl, which i use as a salad bowl. sometimes i forget to do the dishes and the dressing sits in the bowl for a whole night and my dressings are famous for having very much vinegar. the bowl seems not to mind, there are no stains, but i do treat the bowl with oil (normal vegetable oil) twice a year. i wipe with plenty of oil and the next day i wipe away all the excessive oil.

Sawduster · 11 Dec 2007, 20:19

My concern with putting the polyurethane only on the inside is that it would tend to cause differing rates of moisture movement from the wood on the inside and the outside. I'm envisioning this goblet as having fairly thick walls, 1/4" or more and that difference in expansion and contaction of the wood from absorbing and losing moisture as the seasons change may cause some issues of cracking of the wood.

For the best possible protection and least amount of maintenance, I would apply polyurethane to the entire thing.

Bt the way, Eeva, I see you live in Ludwigsburg. More years ago than I care to admit, I attended High School at the American Army Dependant High School there. We lived in Schwabisch Gmund (not sure of the spelling of those) and road a bus all the way to and from there every day.

eeva · 12 Dec 2007, 07:39

jerry, it is 65 kilometers from Ludwigsburg to Schwäbisch Gmünd (yes, that many umlauts)! that is a looong distance to travel ever day!

but i do think you are right, whatever coating is used, if it is applied to the inside, then it should also be applied to the outside. though i still would use oil on such an old goblet.

on the other hand: with what was it treated before? if it has any other coating, then the oil would not be suitable.

Sawduster · 12 Dec 2007, 12:55

jerry, it is 65 kilometers from Ludwigsburg to Schwäbisch Gmünd (yes, that many umlauts)! that is a looong distance to travel ever day!

And in those days (1970-1971) most of the trip was on winding two lane roads that went through most of the little towns along the way.

smartsizer · 12 Dec 2007, 18:09

A good two coats of polyurethane for the inside. For the outside, there is a product made by Minwax called "Wipe-0n Poly". It is used like an oil finish, and has a similar appearance, but provides more protection. I think this would well-enough satisfy the requirement of sealing the outside to prevent warping or cracking due to changes in the environmental humidity. The Wipe-On Poly doesn't have the "plasticky" look until you get four coats or more. A little burnishing at the end with some 0000 steel wool, and maybe applying some dark shoe polish and rubbing it into crevices will give it a nice look of depth and age.

SchreiberBike · 13 Dec 2007, 03:48

That's one of the things I love about woodworking. So many ways to skin the same cat. (American idiom which has nothing against cats, but which expresses the possibility of having many successful outcomes.)