Need glazing advice

[r1v3th3ad]

So, as many know, I spend a majority of my day(everyday) in bed, with being limited by pain from my injuries from that damned auto accident nearly three years ago. Lately I've spent a bunch of my time playing on neopets and Hearthstone. I want/need a hobby to fill my time and want to work with my hands.

I literally spent half my life working the family contracting business,  consisting of mostly painting and carpentry. I do beautiful works with restoring woodwork with varnish...it was my hobby two summers ago before my pain got too bad. My parents were ready to throw out their 1960s end table and with my two weeks (short sessions because of pain) of sanding and then doing the varnish by candlelight (I really did my most stunning work in varnish coats in the dark with the reflection of candles showing the detailing I needed for grain and solidity of coat). Now my parent's plan to keep it indefinitely at its beauty (said better than when bought new). I had also restored my dad's Amish made porch swing, that was in bad shape, with this method.

Onto where I am tying thisinto hookah. Again, I need to do something with my hands to keep me busy and pain wont let me do what I love.

I am entertaining getting into wood whittling but also doing some of the work with power tools. In example,  I want to take a large section of a downed black cherry tree on my sister's property and machine it down a bit to make a nice walking stick. I would then use hand tools to put my intricate designs/patterns across it (probably pagan themed or ancient egypt themed) and coat it out in varnish...finished product would replace my walking cane (I'm 28 and had to swallow my pride and use a cane to walk).

For hookah,I'd like to attempt whittling bowls for fun (not necessarily ever try to sell them). If I get the hang of it, after whatever bowl models I create I would do intricate detailing on the outsiders, like Celtic knots, the Green Man, or hieroglyphics. 

My problem is my lack of knowledge with necessary compounds/glazes for woodwork withstanding the heat of charcoal. I would want it to be clear coat and to be able to have a heavy enamel. If it wasn't for hookah and was just decorative, I would be vanishing or schlacking/lacquering the bowls. I don't know something that would do this, I am ignorant in this matter.

I was theorizing the use of ceramics glaze. I don't know if this would work with wood and/or adhere to the surface. My idea is that I would fill a small container with glaze,  leave the bowl submerged in this for 24 hrs at a time (to thoroughly absorb into the dry wood grain), and seal it with no air in the container and airtight (so no chance of the glazing product starting to cure).

After the 24 hr dip/soak, I would tenderly air dry (hanging it), sand out imperfections, and repeat process over and over again until it is at a thickness I approve of. Once it has reached that final stage, I would do proper cooking the bowl to do full cure of glaze. After, Imay have to do touch up with sanding or whatever it takes. This is all in theory, with me not being knowledgeable in this topic.

I came up with the idea from a process we used for doing large wood fences, waterproofed for long term. We built our tubs, did the short term dip/ soaks, dried, sanded, and repeated again and again. The fences would go 15 + years withstanding weather,  looking beautiful,  and not needing recoated/maintenance. 

So, what can/should I use to glaze wood hookah bowls?

Who knows if I will Really will get to this with my limitations,  but there is a great chance because I hate just laying there on the PC or watching tv/movies.

If do get to this,I'm probably gonna secure some sections of that black cherry tree to do so(would have to cut sections away from it and then bring it indoors for a while to dry first, its been laying in her yard two years or so).

Thanks for input. Love you guys. I'll check back to this thread in a few days. Apologies for typos,  on my two years cracked glass Samsung Galaxy S3(too poor to get it fixed lol)

#bringbacktoplesstuesday

[r1v3th3ad]

...thanks. I'll crawl back into my hole

[Bawhee]

Sorry man, aside from offering my condolences for your shitty situation I really don't know anything at all about working wood... Have you tried a woodworking community like the woodworking subreddit?

[Skoozle]

I'm more ignorant about wood and wood coatings than you, but my guess would be that it would take a substantial amount of heat to cure the type of coating you are looking for; which probably wouldn't be good for the wood. Probably why you don't see wooden pots and pans.

Have you considered making hookah stems instead?  You could focus more on the artistic side of it than the materials properties requirements.

 

I hope you find some relief from your pain. Best of luck to you, Buddy.

[Guest]

How is your wood/glazing project coming along?