Waterproof finishes

[Sanderman]

I'm building a fishing net for X-mas. I have bent it out of maple and Brazilian cherry with a walnut handle. I'm looking for a suitable finish that will be waterproof. I would prefer a wipe on as opposed to something thick like poly. I'm open to all suggestions

[MadMark]

You'll not find "waterproof", the best you'll get is "water resistent". Some type of poly is the only thing that is going to give real protection. How much water does it have to resist? The occassional splash? Frequent dips? Long term immersion?

M

[Sanderman]

According to my father-in-law he spends about as much time with the net in the water hauling in the big ones as fishing. But I think some of that has to be attributed to the fact he is a fisherman.

But seriously, I think we can assume an occasional dip as well as surviving the elements in the boat.

I was thinking about cutting some poly down 50%, rubbing it in and then waxing with beeswax.

[Lou_williams]

I think that for this application it is more important that you choose the right glue and construction details than the finish. Mark is right there will not be a waterproof finish, only something that will keep the water from soaking in constantly. I would go with an oil finish using 5 to 6 applications, then wax. Rewaxing after each use should be the best solution.

Make sure that each coat is dry before you apply the next one.

Good luck.