Packaging wood toys after finishing.

[Packard]

I have already finished producing about 20 wood toys to donate for next Christmas.  A local charity takes care of distribution.  They insist on “unwrapped, new toys”.

My plan is to put these toys in a clear plastic bag (2 mil) and heat seal.  I want to protect the surfaces from shop dust and any finger prints.

I’ve been applying Sealcoat shellac finish.  It is labeled as “non toxic” and it dries fast and odor free.

My question is when is it OK to seal the pieces in the poly bags?  My worries are about out gassing and perhaps the toy “gluing” itself to the bag because the finish was not adequately cured before putting in the bags.

So how long do I have to wait after the last coat of finish to place the toys in the poly bags?

 

[cdconey]

I would think that when the finish is odor free you should be safe to place in a bag. Where I am at it is very dry climate so shellac dries within 24-48 hours. 

I would be more concerned about humidity captured in the sealed bag and what it may do to the wood toy and finish over time.

They make some heat shrink bags which are food safe.

Could you place some desiccant in the sealed bag or pin-holes to allow the humidity to equalize?

 

[Packard]

I could place them in the bags and not seal them until next November.  I hadn’t thought of that until right now.  I’ll have to think on that. It would solve the moisture-trapped-in-the-bag issue.

Thanks for the reply.

Packard

 

[rvieceli]

[member=74278]Packard[/member] while might just be me being overly cautious, I would wait at be least a week before I put them in bags. There’s probably a difference between dry to the touch and fully dry.

Ron

 

[Packard]

Well, I know that my 20 year old poly coated items are substantially harder that my month old pieces, even though it seems everyone say that they are fully cured after 30 days.

I’m going to seal in a few and see how they behave.

Thanks for the replies everyone.

 

[Cheese]

I agree completely with Ron. I was going to answer this query yesterday before I became engaged with an electrical issue in the garage.  [tongue]  Most finishes continue to harden over time which means there is some outgassing involved.

My suggestion yesterday was 7-10 days, then placed in un-sealed plastic bags which are placed in bankers boxes with covers. The open plastic bags prevent moisture buildup and the bankers boxes help control dust and offer some protection if an accident happens. The boxes also breathe and become a convenient method for storage over the next 9 months.

I really like the Dachshund... [cool]

 

[Packard]

Thanks. I have some banker’s boxes. I’ll do that.