Grace prayer napkin holder for your table. "God is great. God is good. Let us thank him for this food. Amen."
I still receive email asking why I use lemon oil and spray acrylic to finish my scroll saw projects. This project is a good example why I use the lemon oil first. If I had just sprayed this project with the acrylic it would have been difficult to reach all the interior edges with the spray and it woul look unfinished. When I dip the project in the lemon oil bath all the interior cuts are instantly finished. Then I can spray the piece after it has dried and you won't notice any places missed by the spray.
I also get asked how long the lemon oil has to dry before it can be sprayed with the acrylic. The lemon oil soaks deep into the pours of the wood and will seep for several days if it is not sealed. If you do not seal the project with acrylic or lacquer it will eventually dry out and look dull. I seldom wait more than an hour dry time before I spray the project. After I take the wood from the oil bath I use a paper towel to get the excess off the project. I then let the piece sit under a fan for an hour. After the wait I will use more paper towel and an air compressor to dry out any oil left in the recesses. The acrylic is then applied in several very light coats. I only let each coat dry for a few minutes and I buff the project between coats with 000 steel wool to knock off the roughness. Make sure you blow off any steel wool pieces before you spray another coat.
One last tip. Make sure you spray the bottom of the project or the lemon oil will seep out onto whatever surface you place it on. A table cloth will be stained with the oil if the bottom is not sealed.
I am not recommending you use this technique. It's just the way I do it. If you have other preferred finishing techniques by all means use what works for you.
