Best finish for Jigsaw please

[martin.pearson]

I stuck this picture on my other post but I could really use some advice on how best to finish it, I can ask on another forum I use but that has mainly US members & a lot of the time they reference brands or products I find hard to locate in the UK. Being quite new to the world of woodwork in general my knowledge & experience are still very limited, finishing is such an important part of any project & is a huge area just on its own. This is where I am currently weakest & need to learn a lot more.

So this jigsaw has been cut on the CNC machine, its for my youngest Granddaughters first Birthday so she is still at the age where she eats everything. Looking for a finish that is safe if she does want to chew on it, I thought a mix of beeswax & foodsafe oil might be OK but not something I have ever tried & also not sure if it will last. I have a few different varnishes but none of them state they are safe

 

[Phil Dart]

Finishes marketed as food safe tend to be oil based and therefore not terribly resilient to the rigours of a 1 year old. THere's a good "toy safe" product out there called Rustoleum, which might offer a bit more protection to the wood if you build up a few coats.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct...p/B00JHENR7I&usg=AOvVaw32luYEqm05sMR3t-ERKheu

 

[martin.pearson]

Will check that out thanks Phil

Yes I have a food safe oil that I use on the plates I make, read somewhere about mixing it with beeswax but since any finish like that need to be re applied periodically I really wanted something like a varnish, none of mine even the aqueous varnishes say if they are safe. Wasn't sure if toy safe covered eating the toys lol
Finishing is such a huge area, difficult to know where to start sometimes lol

 

[Neil Lawton]

Have a look at https://chestnutproducts.co.uk/
The newsletters are good reading and a lot of the products have been evaluated for food safety recently after questions like yours!

 

[martin.pearson]

Thanks Neil, had a quick look & will have a more detailed look latter, I have quite a few Chestnut products but none of them seem to say if they are toy safe. Maybe get more info from the website. I have microcrystaline wax for one thing & found a newsletter article saying that was toy safe so maybe some of the varnishes are as well

 

[martin.pearson]

Thanks once again for the link Neil, on further investigation I found this:

A. We have not had the Spirit Stains toy-tested as we have been advised that provided they are completely enclosed within a toy-tested finish it is not necessary for them to comply with these regulations. The following products from our range have been independently tested and passed the relevant part of the EN-71 Regulations:

Acrylic Lacquer
Acrylic Sanding Sealer (both types)
Cellulose Sanding Sealer (both types)
Melamine Lacquer (both types)
Finishing Oil
WoodWax 22 Clear
Microcrystalline Wax
Shellac Sanding Sealer
Hard Wax Oil
Acrylic Gloss Lacquer
Acrylic Satin Lacquer

I already have about 6 of those but I couldn't see anywhere on them that said they were toy safe but that may just be due to my rubbish eyesight lol

 

[Penpal]

At one year of age finish the Jigsaw how you will and mount it as a picture for the years of destruction to reveal its true nature and purpose when the time comes. I know family deeply appreciate efforts but maintain great care with presents.

They will make brilliant pictures for now.

Peter.

 

[Lons]

Hi Martin

From my experience with my granddaughter when she was a toddler don't put a finish on it at all as she'll just destroy it and very quickly to boot it so leave it natural and if possible make some duplicate puzzles.

I wish I'd made mine out of marzipan so I could help her eat them.

Have fun with your granddaughter, great at that age and she'll entertain you for the next 10 years before she becomes "awkward". Ours is 5 going on 25 and hilarious.

 

[martin.pearson]

Peter, not really sure what you mean, I cant see any reason not to give it to her but obviously I don't know everything so always ready to listen & learn lol

Bob, I have 5 Granddaughters lol, eldest is 21, then 19, 3, 3 & lastly almost 1 so I kind of know what to expect lol

 

[Lons]

Bob, I have 5 Granddaughters lol, eldest is 21, then 19, 3, 3 & lastly almost 1 so I kind of know what to expect lol

You know much better than me.

I think I might have already posted on here: A couple of months ago the big question to my DIL who's a nurse.

" Mummy, where do babies come from" DIL explains, as they don't hide anything from her so after chat little Alice says " hmm that's interesting" and goes on playing, 5 mins later " mummy, I don't understand, how do the tadpoles get inside daddy?" More explanations, " oh I see".

That evening Alice is in the bath and her mum is getting undressed to go in the shower, Alice screams "Mummy, mummy don't do that" " do what" says mum, " don't take your knickers off, all the eggs might fall out, oh but don't worry. I'll watch just in case"

I was drinkng a coffee when she told me that over the 'phone - the stains haven't washed out of my shirt!

 

[wm460]

You know much better than me.

I think I might have already posted on here: A couple of months ago the big question to my DIL who's a nurse.

" Mummy, where do babies come from" DIL explains, as they don't hide anything from her so after chat little Alice says " hmm that's interesting" and goes on playing, 5 mins later " mummy, I don't understand, how do the tadpoles get inside daddy?" More explanations, " oh I see".

That evening Alice is in the bath and her mum is getting undressed to go in the shower, Alice screams "Mummy, mummy don't do that" " do what" says mum, " don't take your knickers off, all the eggs might fall out, oh but don't worry. I'll watch just in case"

I was drinkng a coffee when she told me that over the 'phone - the stains haven't washed out of my shirt!