Wooden mugs

[wheelockhunter]

Think I mave have finally settled on a hobby/project. Thinking about making wood mugs. The mugs themselve I don't think would be the hard part. I am wondering how to keep the liquid that would be used in the mugs from ruining the wood and of course noot being toxic.

Any thoughts?

Also how period correct would these be? just curious, thanks.

 

[Black Hand]

Beeswax, Paraffin wax, food-grade mineral oil, vegetable oil etc. However, all of these will leach into the liquid if it hot. Cold liquid should pose no problems. Try your local kitchen supply store and find what they sell to treat wood salad bowls or cutting boards......

 

[Norskie]

Brewer's pitch. I think I saw it in the Jason Townsend catalog.
Moose

 

[skunkskinner]

I used brewers pitch in my rum horn,doesn"t seem to have any taste to it.

 

[Harddog]

I guess I don't know why anyone would want to line a wooden drinking cup or mug??

In the old days people used wooden plates, bowls, spoons, etc. and didn't worry about lining or coating them with anything. What about wooden buckets, barrels and firkins, they were not lined with anything.

I have carried a small unlined, uncoated wooden tumbler in my kit for maybe 15 years to drink coffee out of and it is just as good today as it was when it was new.

Randy Hedden

 

[BrownBear]

I haven't tried it yet, but I picked up an interesting tip on wood curing from an old timer. He cuts his rounds to length from green wood, gives them a week or so to start drying at the ends, then dips each end in hot wax and allows to cure and dry for a couple of years before turning. Don't know if that explains the difference, but we've never had any of his bowls or vases crack in all the years we've had them.

If this is a standard method that everyone already knows about, I'm just exposing my ignorance. Sure sounds worthwhile to me though.

 

[paulvallandigham]

The problem with using Wax on the inside of a mug is that it can and will melt with hot drinks, like coffee. It floats to the top, but doesn't make the coffee taste any better at all!

I think using some kind of thinned epoxy resin to coat the inside of the wood mug would be the best way to seal the wood, and not impart any flavor to drinks. It would be easy to clean, too. Apply the finish to the inside while its still in the lathe, so you can spin the mug slowly while applying the finish evenly to the bottom, and then to the sides, would be the way to do this, efficiently.

 

[hawk]

Paul, I've seen goose calls sealed that way .very effective moisture barrier.

 

[Claude Mathis]

I guess I don't know why anyone would want to line a wooden drinking cup or mug??

In the old days people used wooden plates, bowls, spoons, etc. and didn't worry about lining or coating them with anything. What about wooden buckets, barrels and firkins, they were not lined with anything.

I tend to agree. None of the wooden spoons in my kitchen have ever been "sealed" and they last for years. I have several wooden bowls, plates and cups that are not sealed and they're fine.

 

[paulvallandigham]

It depends on the woods. Most of the wooden spoons and dishes seen now, and in the past were made from pine, or poplar, or birch or sugar maple. They are very serviceable over many years. The wood kills bacteria be absorbing the water from the cells of the bacteria, and only an occasional cleaning with a mild bleech and water solution is needed to keep them in shape. Rubbing in vegetable oil will keep the wood from drying out and acquiring splinters.\

There are woods with tannic acids and other nasty ingredients that won't improve the flavor of your coffee. Black Walnut is a nice wood for turning out cups, for instance, but you don't want to drink coffee out of it. Or hot tea, etc. The tannic acid will leach out into the coffee from the wood. That is why I suggest the epoxy or plastics finish to the inside. You get the beautiful figure of the wood on the outside, and a serviceable coffee mug on the inside!

I have a mug made of horn, with a wood plug. I can drink cold water out of it, but putting hot water with anything in it makes the drink taste like old socks smell!