# Soap bowl finish?



## bobbotron (Jan 7, 2010)

I've created two red oak soap bowl's for my bathroom using a bowl carving bit. It's good fun, they're pretty quick to make and a good use of small off cuts. The soap has eaten the finish each time. The first time I used a thin coat of water and casein based polyurethane, the second time 1 coat shellac than 2 coats oil based polyurethane. The first time I definitely hadn't let it cure enough, the 2nd, the poly had been curing for two days and I thought it was good. The polyurethane is holding up better, but the wood is discolouring where the soapy bar rests, so water is getting through. I'm amazed, I thought oil base polyurethane would be the end of the mater! It was perhaps too cold in the house, maybe that effected the curing rate...

What do you guys suggest for bowl #3? I'm thinking 3 to 5 coats of poly, thinned the first two times to really get it penetrating, and then let it cure for at least a week. It's just Dove soap too, nothing too exotic.


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## bobbotron (Jan 7, 2010)

From here ( Project help for using Waterlox Processed Tung Oil finishes on floors, woodworking, cabinets, countertops, boats ):



> * Soaps will soften any clear wood finish over time. Avoid prolonged contact with hand soaps or shampoos and conditioners. Use soap trays where needed.


I also have some Cold Cure clear (well yellowish) epoxy I could use to paint the bowl but I'd rather not, that stuff is pretty noxious.


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

I saw a chart once, I think it might have been from Lee Valley, about water resistance for various finishes. The best was a 2 part catalyzed finish. Water based varnish scored very poorly.


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## bobbotron (Jan 7, 2010)

Looks like I might have to break out the clear epoxy. I really thought the oil based poly would have done the trick, I've had great results with it in other hard use applications but perhaps I made an error in application, got a bad can of it or it hadn't cured long enough....


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## rayschimpf (Sep 30, 2009)

most epoxy failures are cause by not mixing it well enough or not mixing the right parts.


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## bobbotron (Jan 7, 2010)

rayschimpf said:


> most epoxy failures are cause by not mixing it well enough or not mixing the right parts.


For sure. I haven't tried epoxy yet; so far I've tried an oil and a water based polyurethane.


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

It's hard to beat,.
Resin F-E Fiberglass Resin
it will dry out like a hard rock, you can get a small can of it at the auto parts store for about 12.oo or so..

Fiberglass Evercoat 643 Clear Epoxy Resin F-E Fiberglass Resin & Clot
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## ggom20 (Feb 1, 2012)

Hello!

Just remember that the soap will go on your skin.
The car shop repair resins are not aprouved for health-care.
Tried wooden soap bowls 30 years ago.

ceramics resist a lot better!

Regards


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Looks like time for the item below

Amazon.com: L'Occitane Savon Douche Verveine (Shower Soap, Verbena), 5.2-Ounce Bar: Beauty

http://www.amazon.com/Dana-English-...1?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1331757788&sr=1-1-catcorr

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl...LMbKtgej0qWpBQ&sqi=2&ved=0CDAQ9QEwAQ&dur=4273
==


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

http://www.crunchybetty.com/wonderf...tty+(Crunchy+Betty)&utm_content=Google+Reader

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