Refinishing Butcher Block

[happymachinist]

So I've had this nice maple butcher block top (36" x 20") for a cart or what have you.

Some time ago it got oil spilled on it, motor oil I'm guessing.

I'm wondering what my options for finishing the top with a preservative are. I've sanded for a while and the oild stains are still present...I'd rather not have to sand off 1/4"

It will be strictly utilitarian doesn't have to look all that pretty just somthing that might "play nice" with whatever oil is in the woods pores and add a little protection.

The bottom has holes drilled in it from a previous life, so I'm kinda stuck using this side.

Thanks!



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[DCarr2]

do you plan to use this in connection with food?

 

[happymachinist]

Nope, workbench...more motor oil? I wish I had someone close with a wide drum sander, I'd have an 1/8" or so removed and re router the edge.


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[happymachinist]

I should add that it was cleared when the oil made its way to the surface, it seeped into the wood through scratched in the clear.

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[matt_i]

I would consult millworks locally, you can probably find one with a wide belt sander that would take this on for a reasonable fee. The commercial models are pretty fast!

 

[turbowoodworker]

I will presume this is 1 1/2" thick, but it only matters if it is much thinner. Most cabinet shops can sand it for you on their big drum sander in a few passes. I'm not sure how keen they will be on potentially contaminating their sanding strips with oil that may be on the surface but it is worth a phone call.

Another alternative is a hand plan. It is such a small piece that a plane could be very quick. I just flattened and freshened my wood shop bench (maple and walnut) with two hand planes, and it is 98"x32". Shoulders are a little sore but it was good for the soul.

 

[rsanter]

If you are ok with the looks and just want to protect it, then I would start off with using an oil based stain or perhaps a polimerized oil like a wasco English oil.
Then clear it with a marine type varnish or polymer

Bob

 

[happymachinist]

If you are ok with the looks and just want to protect it, then I would start off with using an oil based stain or perhaps a polimerized oil like a wasco English oil.
Then clear it with a marine type varnish or polymer

Bob

Yeah, this is what I'm looking for. Like I said it's a utilitarian piece doesn't have to be pretty, I just want to add a little bit of a protective layer.

As I mentioned I don't really have any cabinet shops around, I live in a small town. The owner of the cabinet shop we used to have passed away a couple years ago.

I don't have a hand plane, I've always admired all the old vintage planes some of you have but have never ran across any. Are the new planes worth a hoot? What type or size would a job like this require?

Thanks again

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[Kaizen]

do several coats of oil. and all around on all sides. this will get all sides to the same moisture. then seal all around it all 6 sides. add a couple more on the usage side.
trying to handplane off even an 1/8 inch will result in aggravation and gouges. just oil it up so it all looks oiled and seal it. if this was a countertop i'd give different advise.

 

[csp]

This is not a job for a rookie hand plane user. You'll just gouge it and create low spots.

 

[turbowoodworker]

Small piece like this can be planed with a 4 1/2 or 6 plane but it has to be sharp and tuned. No gouging if set up right and start shallow and slow.

 

[Zeke]

Use some acetone to get out the existing oil. Get a good scraper (go down to the breakfast joint and beg one off the cook) and go to town scraping. If you don't know how to sharpen and scrape, it's all on YT. Then use tung oil for a finish. You'll end up with what looks like a nice butcher block. If that's not your target, then use whatever you want.

 

[KenC]

acetone, or better yet naptha. But, cover the spot with a heavy,really heavy, coat of oil-dri, then soak with acetone/naptha and cover with something to keep it from evaporating for a couple of hours. Remove the cover let it dry. the solvent pulls the oil to the surface and the oil-dri soaks it up.

I've had good results with this on lots of old kitchen tables and such. (retired antiques guy)

 

[csp]

Small piece like this can be planed with a 4 1/2 or 6 plane but it has to be sharp and tuned. No gouging if set up right and start shallow and slow.

Sure it can, by someone with experience of how to set up a plane properly and with some previous practice.

It's all a matter of your frame of reference. The OP probably doesn't have as much experience as someone with a username of turbowoodworker.

 

[happymachinist]

Well as some of you have mentioned my hand planing experience is limited, after reading up on planes and watching some YouTube videos I decided to go a different route.

I got my hand held belt sander and straight edges out and proceeded to slowly sand the slight cup and oil stains out.

Before I started and a couple times during I soaked a rag with lacquer thinner in efforts to soak up some if the oil (didn't see the recommendation to use acetone until afterwards)

After the belt sander I switched to my random orbital sander and sanded out to 220 checking often with my straight edge to keep the butcher block as flat as possible.

There are a couple scratches remaining but it looks better than I planned.

Here it is before and after stain, haven't top coated it yet.






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[Firebrand]

Nice effort and results! Many ways to skin a cat, but only one way to eat it; one bite at a time.

 

[jon72vega]

Well as some of you have mentioned my hand planing experience is limited, after reading up on planes and watching some YouTube videos I decided to go a different route.

I got my hand held belt sander and straight edges out and proceeded to slowly sand the slight cup and oil stains out.

Before I started and a couple times during I soaked a rag with lacquer thinner in efforts to soak up some if the oil (didn't see the recommendation to use acetone until afterwards)

After the belt sander I switched to my random orbital sander and sanded out to 220 checking often with my straight edge to keep the butcher block as flat as possible.

There are a couple scratches remaining but it looks better than I planned.

Here it is before and after stain, haven't top coated it yet.






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happymachinist,
That came out nice!

 

[Fixed]

That looks awesome. Kind of makes me want to do something like that for one of my work benches.

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[rlitman]

...Before I started and a couple times during I soaked a rag with lacquer thinner in efforts to soak up some if the oil (didn't see the recommendation to use acetone until afterwards)...

For the purposes of this thread, they're the same. Your excellent results clearly show.

Nice effort and results! Many ways to skin a cat, but only one way to eat it; one bite at a time.

Mmmmmmm, General Tso's Chicken.

 

[happymachinist]

Just a little update, broke out the cup gun and hit it with some exterior grade polyurethane. I laid down two medium heavy coats and let it dry 24 hours between. Any benefit of adding more?

Almost too pretty to use now..oh well.

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[77thor]

All that for just a work bench?

 

[skippy24]

All that for just a work bench?

Exactly. I would have jut bought a can of poly at Home Depot annd wiped on a few coats. It's a workbench top.

 

[PFSard]

Almost too pretty to use now..oh well.

It is a thing of beauty. Hopefully, you'll get over that feeling quickly.

 

[Coolabah]

All that for just a work bench?

Haha I agree but have done way similar myself. Its just that sometimes you can't help yourself - it becomes all about the journey rather than the destination. I bet the OP actually forgot for a while that it was destined to be a workbench, just got caught up in "hey if I do this ... then that ... then would this be better ... oh that worked ....etc " !! Nice job OP, you obviously had fun !