Varnish Tree

Question: Is it absolutely necessary to season tree trunk wood before making a table out of it? I want to make a table out of a tree trunk, maybe just a portion of the trunk, or just a slice of it. Is it absolutely necessary to season the trunk before sealing it with a polyurethane or varnish? I don't really want to wait a year for the thing to dry out.

Answer: You want the moisture content low. Thats why it has to dry.

Question: Is a sealant necessary after cutting dying tree limb during spring? We have a cherry/crab apple tree that hasn't had healthy leaves in a while. There was a branch that looked like it was dying, so since it was hanging near some wires, we cut it. Is a sealant necessary? Will bugs get at it if we don't? Could we use some left over varnish to cover it?

Answer: You want to seal it, but not with varnish. A small can of sealer made for tree trimming should be used. You should be able to find it at a nursery. It will keep insects out that besides boring into the rest of the tree can carry fungal spores that can infect the tree.

Question: I found a small dry tree and I want to decorate it, how can i make the tree's wood more resistant? It's a small dry tree and i want to decorate it and hang things on it... but the wood is a bit fragile and i want to apply some varnish or something to make it a bit more resistant but... i don't know... Help me please! =(

Answer: try spraying with gold or silver paint

Question: where can i get one of those tree clocks? they are tree trunk slices in all shapes and sizes, heavily varnished with gold roman numerals for the numbers.help?

Answer: Try this site.... http://pebblez.com/stone-wall-clocks.html

Question: help!! I spilled tea tree oil on table? I spilled it on my moms antique cedar chest and a magazine stuck to it and now i think the varnish/ finish/ stain is coming off how the hell do i clean it helpp!

Answer: baby oil to remove magazine. paper towel excess. furniture spray & rag.

Question: Want to paint on a terracotta pot...any suggestions on how I can do this without it cracking off? It is just a plain plant pot quite large. I want my kids to decorate it for our first wedding anniversary...sort of like a keepsake.Want it to be protected.Was thinking enamel paints and clear varnish when its finished. He really wanted a japanese maple tree so i bought him one for his wedding pressie which is what is going in the pot

Answer: A Patio/indoor/outdoor paint will suffice. There's no need to varnish. :)

Question: Acrylic varnish VS polyurethane to seal acrylic on glass? I used water-based acrylic paint on a pre-made, glazed ceramic ornament. Has a finish as smooth as glass. In retrospect I would have went a different path with my material choices but now I am in LOVE with the design and want to preserve it as best as possible. My internet searches have mostly returned with two choices: a spray acrylic varnish or a spray polyurethane. Which would be most appropriate for a Christmas tree ornament? Or is there a better option I don't know about yet? Thanks in advance!

Answer: I'd probably use a clear polyurethane like my favorite Varathane (indoor-water based, Gloss) and either brush the finish on or actually dip the whole ornament then drip-dry**. The brush-on application will give a nice thick finish but dipping will be even thicker and won't have to worry about bubbles that can result from using the wrong kind of brush or method of applying. If you want to read more about the dipping method, or avoiding bubbles, or Varathane or other brands of polyurethane, check out this page at my site: http://glassattic.com/polymer/finishes.htm I wouldn't use a spray myself because they often don't give a very even coating, require more coats, and still may not give as clear and glossy as shine as the plain liquids. (Normally acrylic paints won't stay on ceramic or glass or other very smooth surfaces very well, but if they're sealed *all over* or in other ways so they also create a "mechanical" hold on the ornament in addition to an adhesive hold, they should be fine. And actually acrylic paints probably wouldn't peel either if just used all over, etc., but their surfaces won't be as tough and resistant to scratching and cloudiness from later moisture as polyurethane would.) ** If the ornament is too large to dip into the can, etc., you can just pour the finish over the ornament while it's suspended (over something, then pour excess back into container), then do the same technique as with the dip method to remove the drips.

Question: How to tie a disc swing to a tree properly? I'm making a disc swing for my son--I'm planning on using a slip knot to attach it to the tree, but I'm not sure what kind of knot to use to hold the swing on the rope. The hole I made in the swing is larger than I would've liked at 1.25" and the rope is about .75", the disc has a 14" diameter. I have a little time as I have just finished applying the third coat of spar varnish to the disc. A disc swing is a round disc (made of wood or plastic, mine is wood) with a hole through the center. The rope goes through the hole and you tie the other end to a tree like you would a normal swing. You sit around the rope and hold on and there you go.

Answer: make sure that you have a cross bar under the disc to tie to. Then, find an old Boy Scout handbook or just google "Timber Hitch". As long as you are not using nylon or polypropylene rope you should be alright. Slip knots are called that for a reason. dont use one. if you are using slick rope use a timber hitch but leave about four feet of tail on it and go back to your main line and throw on a series of half-hitches. And be nice to the tree, put a chunk of carpet or a few layers of old innertube on the top of the branch. Also, make sure the branch will take the strain.

Question: how to make table top from tree trunk ? just had a tree cut down, would like to make tables. can anyone tell me how to treat wood before staining and varnishing? know a site to get info? ever made one?

Answer: That's quite a task your picking young lady. After the tree dries for a "year or two" not, months. You have to be able to cut horizontal pieces, like a mill would. So, that means your going to have to have someone do this for you unless you have a "Buzz" that will make three or four foot cuts. The wood has to be soaked in a solution of a clear "anti-freeze" this has to completely soak the wood so when it's dried, it will not split or crack. This entire procedure will take about three years. A good way to do this and, I have, is find someone that deals with wood like this and make a swap. I did this with Red Oak that was four foot across, we had four big twelve foot long pieces and traded for two that were ready for cutting. Good luck.

Question: I have had ringworm for over a year and the doctor can't, help can you ? I have tried all the anti fungal creams and pills no joy. I have tried lime, mustard seeds, tee tree and Lavender oil, I have tried clear nail varnish and remover. I am now considering using bleach, If you have tried it did it work and did it damage your skin worse than the ring worm? I realised I am in the wrong category but nobody seems to be answering in skin conditions section and I know there are a lot of people in P&S.

Answer: fake and gay. any doctor would have recommended you to a dermatologist

Question: could you help I have had ringworm for over a year ? I must have tried all the medication the doc has and it still isn't going. I am very careful and nobody in my family has caught it. I am seriously considering using the bleach remedy as nothing else is killing it. Has anyone else used it did it make it better ? did it damage your skin? lime, tee tree, avocado, mustard, garlic, nail varnish or vinegar do not cure the itch.

Answer: Ringworm is a fungus (not actually a worm) and normally will disappear with an antifungal bought from the chemist. Yes be careful as it is contagious but it is a concern it hasnt gone after a year. Are you sure it is ringworm? You may need to see a dermatologist and find out why it isnt going away.

Question: About 15 years ago I bought some Christmas ornaments made of biscuit dough and I would like the recipe please They are cookie cutter hearts and houses. Their top surface is very gently rounded, almost flat, and they are about half an inch thick and an even light brown colour. They have a hole with ribbon through to hang in the tree. They definitely look like they are made of foodstuff and not craft clay or anything, yet they are not salt dough and they have not been glazed or varnished. They have not deteriorated in 15 years and not been attacked by biscuit beetle or bugs. I keep them in a glass jar. There is royal icing piping on them in patterns of snow flakes and dots and swirls. They came in cellophane bags when I bought them AND WOULD YOU BELIEVE, THE CELLO BAGS WENT YELLOW, HARD AND CRACKED AND SELF DESTRUCTED AFTER ABOUT 3 YEARS, so I put them in fresh cello bags every few years. I would love to make some more. The labels came off them years ago and got lost. I bought them in a department store. They are about 5 inches across. Dear ViSaja I clicked on the link, thank you. In Australia, white glue that is used in school by kids, is called KLAG. I suppose it would be equal to Elmer's. After reading your answer, I bit the bullet and went to the jar and with trepidation, tongued one of the hearts. No taste of salt at all, could taste flour, and had aftertaste of maybe GLUE. I will try the recipe, thank you. After I wash my mouth out!!!! Joanne, thank you for your link. I joined that site.

Answer: The dough you are talking about is made of white bread and elmer's glue, believe it or not. You should be able to google the recipe now. Good luck.

Question: Why do strads sound so good? I have heard it is because of the glue he used, because of the varnish he used, and because the trees he used grew during the little ice age. My question is: are any of these proven, or are they just theories? Are there any other theories out there?

Answer: so far as I know, all of these factors are still considered to be theories. There is also a theory out there that he was possessed by a spirit that gave him occult powers over the components he used to make the instruements. One thing is certain, Stads do sound better than most other stringed instruments of the era.

Question: stopping wood from splitting? from the high quality of the answers in the boating section i have come to consider the members of the boating fraternity exceptionally knowledgeable, and so i ask this question. I have some slices of tree trunk approx 45cm in dia and from 5 to 20 cm thick. I wanted to dry them out sand and varnish them, but as they dried they split. is there a way to prevent this and still allow the timber to dry. we cut down a 50 year old plum tree in my mother in laws back yard, when we did this i used the chain saw to cut slices out of the trunk. this batch is now firewood, but we have another one to cut down.

Answer: You will not get many overtly stupid answers in this section at least. Timber in the round will split like a mongrel if just left to it's own devices. In some cases the differential between long ways and cross ways shrinkage is so huge that it's gonna happen no matter what.... You are trying to remove at least a third of the volume of the timber from green, but not allow the cells of the tree to shrink - it's a big ask actually. Drilling holes at the end of a crack in wood won't help I agree - that is a stress relieving engineering fix used with solids such as metals, ceramics, glass and so on. Timber achieves a certain stability after a time, some species much better than others but every time you cut it it the locked in internal stresses must find a new balance. There is no such thing as bad timber, just an appropriate use. The only way to prevent this is to replace the volume of water within the cells of the timber with something else. When stabilising timber for art furniture at master craft level I applied natural oil mixtures at least twice a day, for months. I base my finishing oils on Tung and other natural oils proven over the centuries. Linseed oil is a drying and oxidising agent so don't use that. Any oil is better than none, but anything that can go rancid is not useful for this. I cut sections from solid up to 8' thick in the round, which allowed me to make sections at least 3' deep before running into the heart wood, longer if slanting the section. This avoids many issues but not all, in general you would try and quarter timber from the round and strap it back into it's original form to air dry. It takes about a year per inch of thickness to naturally air dry timber at the quickest. There is no short cut that does not require chemical displacement of cellular moisture or cooking of the timber in a kiln, with dry heat, microwaves or steam like a piece of broccoli. The result of force drying timber is much less stable wood. So what does this mean to you as you already have the sections cut? I think your only choice now is to get oils into the timber for a while - until you can't get any more in. Penetrol is actually not bad for this if you can't get a pure penetrating oil, oil finishes that use plasticisers or synthetic additives (typically polyurethane) for a 'quick' gloss - they won't penetrate past the first coat. When the timber won't take any more, let cure for long enough to allow polymerisation to finish and then sand back as planned. If the sanding is hard to do with the abrasive clogging quickly then you have not waited long enough! As the timber is now loaded with natural oils it is simple to get a good finish with only a couple or three coats of varnish. Good luck, and have fun. :)

Question: dose anyone like the smell of these things? 1.sand 2.petrol 3.cut grass 4.rain 5.marker pens 6.nail polish remover 7.bleach 8.paint 9.tea tree oil 10.vicks vapour rub 11.burning rubber 12.burning wood 13.when u blow out a match 14.alcohol rub 15.varnish

Answer: yeah i can say i like them all

Question: Want to hear some clean Christmas jokes? These are just jokes. They are not about you or anyone you know. So do not get mad at them. If you do not like them, then go look for some you do like. Thanks Why is Christmas just like another day at the office?  
You end up doing all the work and the fat guy in the suit gets all the credit. ====== How did the chickens dance at the Christmas party? 
Chick to chick! ==== Christmas is just plain weird. What other time of the year do you sit in front of a dead tree in your living room eating candy and snacks out of your socks? ======= Santa's Outfit How do you know Santa has to be a man? 
No woman is going to wear the same outfit year after year. ======= Christmas Mistletoe Jokes Where does the mistletoe migrate to become rich and famous?   Holly-Wood! Romeo: What would it take to make you give me a kiss under the Christmas mistletoe ? 
Juliette: An anesthetic ======= You are so hideously ugly, that at Christmas, we hang you up and kiss mistletoe instead. ============= Before you find your handsome prince, you've got to kiss a lot of frogs under the mistletoe. ===== Q: Mum, can I please have a cat for Christmas:
Ans: No.  You'll have turkey the same us the rest of us. ===== Q: What's the most popular Christmas wine? 
Ans: 'I don't like Brussels sprouts!' ======= Q: Why do Canadians find turkey so popular at Christmas?
Ans: Because the weather warmer there. ===== Q: Why would you invite a mushroom to a Christmas party? 
Ans: He's a fun guy to be with. ====== Q: What did the Spanish fireman call his twin sons? 
Ans: Hose A, and Hose B. ==== Q: Where do sheep get their hair cut? 
Ans: At the baa baa shop. ===== Q: What happened when the snowman annoyed the snowwoman?
Ans. She gave him the cold shoulder. ======= What kind of tree do fingers grow on? 
A palm tree. === What do you call a penguin in the Sahara desert?  Lost. ==== What do you call a woman who stands between two goal posts?
Annette ==== On which side do chickens have most feathers? 
On the outside. ===== What do you call a train loaded with toffee? 
A chew chew train. ===== What's furry and minty? 
A polo bear. ====== What's big, grey and wear glass slippers? 
Cinderelephant. ===== How do snails keep their shells shiny? 
They use snail varnish. ===== What must you know to be an auctioneer?  Lots. ====== Did you hear about the man who bought a paper shop? 
It blew away. =======

Answer: Hi your Majesty I see you have been pulling the Christmas crackers again ha ha ha you are a star...xxx

Question: Plants that clean the air , how ? and alot of questions.? Basically all those plants absorb some gasses from air or clean it , but what do they do with those gasses? where do they put them ? what do they do with them ? If it has a certain place it puts those bad gasses in , can I put a tube and take those bad gasses? PLEASE CHECK MY OTHER QUESTION ABOUT SCIENCE FAIR Chrysanthemum Chrysanthemum Chrysanthemum in full bloom is excellent at absorbing and removing ammonia from the air. Originally chrysanthemum absorbs nitrogen or ammonia as nourishment because the absorption of proper quantity of ammonia makes the color of the flower and its leaves clear. Put at the entrance of a restroom, it is effective for removing odor, but it likes bright light so it should be moved to windows once in 2~ 3 days. Bowstring Hemp Bowstring Hemp Really distinguished at cleaning the air, it is effective for absorbing carcinogenic substances and formaldehyde coming from construction materials of a newly-built house. It generates anions 30 times more than other plants so it is effective for purifying indoor air. Ficus Benjamina Ficus Benjamina Ficus Benjamina has lots of leaves and beautiful looks so it is good to grow it in a living room. Its many leaves are good for purifying the air and they also absorb incompletely combusted sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide that are generated from heaters or during cooking. Lady Farm Lady Farm It absorbs ammonia and it grows well in a room that doesn’t have lots of light. It stands coldness so it can be placed in a restroom. Spathiphyllum Cannifolium Spathiphyllum Cannifolium It absorbs not only acetone for removing manicure, but also industrial acetone coming from new paints. If you put it by the boiler in a veranda, it will absorb incompletely combusted hazardous gases, such as nitrogen dioxide, so the air will become pleasant. Table Coconut Palm Table Coconut Palm It absorbs chemical hazardous gases coming from paints, varnish, and bonds. It is good to place in a remodeled or a newly-built house. Indian Rubber Tree Indian Rubber Tree It absorbs poisonous gases coming from carpets or wallpaper so it makes the head clear. Its leaves are wide, which is good for purifying the air. It is also active at photosynthesis. Dracaena Fragrans Dracaena Fragrans It absorbs hazardous substances coming from office fixtures and interior decorations, and it purifies the air.

Answer: Dude, it's all about chemical reactions in the cell organelles in the plants. For instance, all plants absorb carbon dioxide and transform it into clucose in the thylokoidj and cytoplasm in the cell. It all depends on the type of chemical that the plant uses and has developed during it's evolution.

Question: How do you make stuff out of wood? Well I went to a Wood Furniture place yesterday with my brother and i absolutely LOVED the way everything looked. So I was thinking about making a little simple sign that says my name. But...Where to even start? If you go get a dead log wont it look horrible? But if you get a log from a tree won't it be to soft and stuff? How do those people make the logs so nice so they can start to stain/varnish. We live in the Country so we don't really need to worry about how much wood we need so ya... Answer Please :) My Sign that i want: Flat back Rounded Front DeBarked Use a Router to put my name on the log and then... Stain and Varnish Do they bake the wood or what? If they do bake it can anyone tell me how? It really takes a year? So for now would i be better off going to a Omish Wood seller? And just buy all my wood though there?

Answer: Whatever wood you use, expecially fresh cut, needs to be dried. You need a moisture meter to know how "wet" it is. Trying to dry wood quickly at home is difficult. I air dry my wood for about a year under a tarp, but open on the sides for air flow. I have still had some split or warp after using for projects.

Question: Is this how you make a magic wand? My friends and I made wands a while ago, and I was just wondering if the steps we did to make them are correct. I know my one doesn't work though, because I put a bit of FAKE fairy flag and phoenix feather inside that I got from a book called Wizardology. To make my wand I went outside at night time and got a stick from a Jacaranda tree. I gave the tree a treat and asked it if I could take a stick before I did. Then I just fixed it up by sanding it down and cutting it to the right size. I made a hole down the stick and put in the fairy flag and phoenix feather, and then I etched the wizard symbol for D (taken from the book Wizardology) on the side. I sealed the hole and made my wand shiny with varnish. Is this one of the right ways to make a wand (if there are more ways than one)? And if the fairy flag and phoenix feather were real, do you think it would work? My friends made their wands the same way but they put different stuff inside. One of my friends put a bit of butterfly wing in, and of course it was real, but it was from a dead butterfly. If this is not the correct way, could you tell me the right way then? And as you can probably tell I'm being really serious because I do believe in this stuff, so if you're going to say something offensive then don't say anything at all. Oh wow, look at all the lovely answers. Honestly JSul, you can't tell me to get a life when you're here replying to questions with smart alec answers like that. I know you Wiccan people don't use magic wands and stuff, but you see, I'm not trying to be a Wiccan. I'm just looking for answers to my questions.

Answer: Normally, I would have just passed this question by and chuckled to myself, after the first few lines. But, I read it through and found it interesting. In part, it was correct in the way you asked the tree and left a gift for it. Sanding it down, well, that is a matter of personal preference. Etching symbols, glyphs or other personalized meanngs onto the wand is good. I don't reccomend varnishing or painting your wand, that hinders the flow of energy. Now, you asked IF the fairy flag and pheonix feather were real would it work. Doubtful, I seen one answer refering to a "skilled" wandmaker, and I would have to agree with this. It takes more than just putting two objects together at random without doing research on them and see how compatible they are together. Even if two different aspects would go well together, you would have to find the correct blend and balance between the two to make it work correctly. (Try this, take a piece of chocolate, and dip it in peanut butter and try it, then try a reeses cup, the tastes are different, but the balance between the peanut butter and chocolate are made to compliment each other in the reeses). The other part that intrigued me was the "you wiccan people don't use magic wands and stuff". Personally speaking, and this is for me only, I have a number of wands that I use for different rituals and blessings. So do quite a few of my fellow wiccans. A wand is nothing more than an "extension" of ourselves, it is used to "focus" our energies. As to how I made mine. I started the same, if I could not find a relatively frsh branch or stick that had fallen from the tree, I would ask permission and leave a gift. Following that, i would cleanse the stick, and decorate it with whatever I would be using it for if for a specific task, if not then I would decorate it with rune symbols. After that, I would bless and consecrate the, now, wand, and "charge" it with energies. Allowing it to sit in the light of a full moon or sun, again, depending on the use. Hope this helps some.

Question: Please read this story? [fantasy/young adult/romance]? My jaw muscles clenched as the creature leapt, it's hind quarters retracting then bounding forward powerfully. The smell of sweat bit at my nose, and the whistling of the creatures claws whipped past her ear. Breathing heavily, I edged forward. I beckoned the creature with a shaking arm, the blade in my hand glinting in the filtered light. “Is that all, dog?� I spat, kicking a cloud of dust toward the creature. A low snarl ripped from it's throat as it lunged forward again. This time it managed to knock me off balance. My leg snared on a tree root as I stumbled and I face planted into an overgrown shrub. Always so graceful, I mused, pulling myself out of the bush. The creature hadn't advanced. Instead, it glared at me, head bowed slightly. My heart punched at my ribcage, pumping the adrenaline around my shaking frame vigorously. “Done?� Said the creature, it's voice gravelly and low. I nodded my head hastily and several wiry strands of hair fell in my face. Tucking them behind my ear swiftly, I sheathed my weapon and ambled forward awkwardly. Where the creature had been poised now stood a teenage boy. Sweat glistened on his bare torso and his ripped trousers exposed muscular calves. A mop of dark hair was matted with dirt and as his mouth tugged up at the sides, he exposed a row of pearly white teeth. “Nice work on that last dodge.� He complimented. I looked up and found he was staring right at me. I nodded and swallowed the lump that had formed in my throat. “Thanks.� Looking down at my bare feet, I noticed the red varnish I had applied earlier had flaked off. Everything remotely girly about me seemed to disappear without a hint of ever being present. I looked up and found he was still staring. Awkwardly, I spoke. “Do you think I'm ready yet?� Shaking his head slowly, he picked at the splintered thread of his trousers. “No. A few more days and we'll go see Marcus.� It sounded as if he were reluctant to tell me this. Relief rippled down my spine when a loud howl echoed through the densely packed trees. Anything that provided distraction from this uncomfortable training session was more than welcome. “We better go, that'll be Aaron.� He said, as if I didn't know what had just made the noise. Turning his back to me, he tilted his head back and gestured for me to get on. “C'mon, I'll run back.� Reluctantly, I clambered onto his back and wrapped my arms around his neck. The sleek surface of his back glimmered, muscles bulging under the strain of supporting me. If I thought talking was awkward, then this was just plain hell.

Answer: Wow that was really good, I totally loved it!!! But there's just a few very tiny things I want to point out: - in the first paragraph it says: 'and the whistling of the creatures claws whipped past her ear.' i don't think using 'her' makes since. Who is it talking about? the creature is referred to as an it until he changes into a boy, right? or is it talking about the main guy? anyways its confusing -when you write: 'My leg snared on a tree root as I stumbled and I face planted into an overgrown shrub.' you don't need the extra 'I', saying: 'My leg snared on a tree root as I stumbled and face planted into an overgrown shrub.' - where it says: 'Always so graceful, I mused, pulling myself out of the bush.' I always think of musing as a little deeper or just a longer time thinking, more like pondering than a quick sarcastic thought so you should use a different word than that -ok last thing, there's nothing wrong, but I'm really curious about what this part is all about: 'Looking down at my bare feet, I noticed the red varnish I had applied earlier had flaked off. Everything remotely girly about me seemed to disappear without a hint of ever being present.' Anyways that's just really little stuff. Keep up the great work and good luck!!!!