Finishing
This is the final step in the process. Once the color has been applied I finish it off by applying a few layers of polyurethane to protect the stick from water and scratching.
I typically use the Varathane brand of polyurethane (a product of Rust-Oleum) if I can get it or something similar. Specifically, the kind that comes in an aerosol spray can. For the story on my difficulties in finding this kind of product, click here (you will be directed to the Overview page).
The contraption that you see in the images below is my drying rack for the sticks. I made it out of PVC pipe and basically I use it to hold up the sticks after they have been sprayed. For the short sticks I spray one end and let it dry and then move on to the middle and then the other end. I spray in sections because if I try to spray the whole thing it is difficult to put it down anywhere without the polyurethane getting messed up or other things like dirt or lint clinging to it. For this project I was able to hold up the stick using a simple Tee joint but I wrapped the end of the stick with a paper towel so that the PVC wouldn’t scratch it. I have other pieces of PVC which I can switch out and/or reconfigure the rack to suit the size of the stick. For longer sticks I just lay them across two parallel PVC pipes. I tried a few different objects to hold the sticks while they dried but they didn’t work out so well. For the story on what I tried before, click here (you will be directed to the Overview page).
After three coats of the spray are applied I sometimes use a fine grit sandpaper (1000, 1500, or 2000) and lightly sand the surface. This smooths out the polyurethane a little bit and if I apply another coat it will feel noticeably smoother. If I try this after the first or second coat I risk sanding off the ink because they polyurethane layer is too thin. More coats of polyurethane will give it a smooth finish but too many and it will eventually feel like a piece of plastic. I want to seal the wood but not diminish its texture too much.
Once the spraying is finished, the project is complete.