New Mash Paddle

Here is my new mash paddle that started out as a 30" piece of Acacia hardwood flooring gotten from the show room for free. I just asked if i could take a sample home before i started looking and the salesman didn't have any problems with it.The holes were made with a 2-3/8" hole saw and I used a round over router bit to finish.

Well... cant beat really nice FREE hardwood! Nice score.
I wonder how many "free" samples the flooring industry is going to give out in the next week! haha!

Beautiful! Nice work.

We're actually putting in a new floor and got a 4" sample.

that is a beautiful piece. does it have stain or something on it, or is it naturally that color?

Thanks Jonk, it took a bit of work to get the tongue and groove off the edges and sand the grooves off the back of the board with a belt sander, but I really like how it turned out.

Huaco, the way I see it, all those pieces of flooring they have out for display aren't going to be sold anyway since they are already out of the box. So I figured the worst they could do was say no.

Pinback, no there isn't any finish on it, that is the natural color of the wood. I am thinking about finishing it with some pure tung oil, but it's probably one of those things I will get around to later.

Tung oil is supposed to taste really bad... FYI...

Great idea! I have some leftover rosewood flooring at home...you've inspired me.

Looks awesome, btw.

Thanks for the heads up. I have heard that and I have heard of people using tung oil without any problems. From what i understand, tung oil cures in 24 hours to a food safe finish. I guess a little research is in order.

...and make sure it's pure tung oil, not tung oil finish. The former is essentially polyurethane thinned heavily with mineral spirits, made to give a finish similar to that of tung oil. That would definitely taste bad.

ok, found out a little about tung oil.... seems to be foodsafe, it just takes a long time to cure properly.

Pure Tung Oil Finish - Wood Finishing - All Natural Finish - China Wood Oil - Real Milk Paint ®

PROPERTIES AND CHARACTERISTICS: A Pure Tung Oil all natural finish is water and alkali resistant offering a protective barrier. A Pure Tung Oil finish will not darken with age as other finishes will. It resists marring, penetrates well, remains elastic and unlikely to check. Tung oil builds quickly, consolidates the wood surface and builds a transparent matte finish. Pure Tung Oil finish will not mildew or bleed like linseed oil when dry which makes it an excellent candidate for outdoor finishes. It should be kept in an airtight container with minimum air space. Pure Tung Oil contains no thinners or driers and has a light nutty odor. A Pure Tung Oil finish mixed with Citrus Solvent is a all natural organic finish that is environmentally safe and food safe.

USE: The surface should be dusted to remove all loose particles. For better penetration the oil should be thinned one to one with Citrus Solvent. Any filling or staining (water or alcohol stains work best) must be done before the oil is applied. The first coat of thinned material should be a liberal one. Apply with a natural bristle brush or sponge brush. Allow this application to sit for 40 minutes so the oil can soak in. If it completely soaks into the wood, apply another coat. Continue to apply coats until wood is saturated and stays glossy for a minimum of 40 minutes but can be 1 ½ hours. If eighty percent of area stays glossy the wood cells are saturated. Then wipe down the surface with clean rag material. Continue to check for any seeping in the next few hours, and rub this off as well. Let soak in completely over night between applications. Do not allow standing oil on the surface over night. Any standing or puddles oil should be wiped away with clean rags. For woods with very dense pores. Thinning with two parts Citrus Solvent to one part oil will help it absorb better for every coat. Pure Tung Oil will take 7 to 10 days for a minimum cure and 15 to 30 days for a full cure.

FDA: Pure Tung Oil is approved for food contact by the FDA.

Just plain old mineral oil would protect the wood. I use it on the fretboards on my guitars and it works great. Totally odorless and flavorless too.