Help with finishes please

[Petejohn11]

Hi as a newbie to the world of turning I recently attempted to make a couple of slim line pens out of yew. First attempt was ok second was better I rather surprised myself if I'm honest. My problem is finishing I sanded through to 800 grit stopping in between and sanding lengthways, however I attempted to build up finish with a standard clear lacquer with very little success. I realise this is probably a mine field and everyone has a different way of achieving the desired result. I have watched several demonstrations on YouTube using ca glue and an accelerator, however I seem unable to locate any suitable kits on the uk sites I have searched. Any recommendations or advice would be greatly appreciated. Also could anyone recommend a tools and equipment supplier in the South Wales area. Thank you for taking time to read this. Pete John

 

[mattyts]

Oil is the easiest finish,wipe on,wipe off.

An easy,high gloss finish is friction polish,apply with the lathe still,wait 1 minute then start the lathe up and apply pressure using the cloth with the friction polish on,it's high gloss but not hard wearing,you can counter this by putting a coat of Renaissance wax over the top of it.

 

[Woody]

Sorry but I dont like ca finish I much prefer polish eee shellewax Shellawax and libron woodturners stick

 

[chas_41_uk]

Firstly, hi and welcome to the loony bin. You've opened a can of worms asking about finishes. We all seem to do it sightly differently, some preferring CA and other preferring poilshes and waxes.
I've tried the CA method and just cant get it.
My preferred method is to apply sanding sealer, then go over it lightly with the last abrasive used. Then a couple of coats of friction polish. Recently I have been finishing this off with a coat of Microcrystalline Wax

 

[Kardav]

Hi Peter John and welcome to the 'Mad Hatters Party'.
I personally prefer a CA finish and there's certainly plenty of advice etc. on the net. I actually buy my thin and thick CA from the local Bouyes store, complete with activator.
Hope you get plenty of advice from my fellow reprobates and don't forget to show us your work.

 

[edlea]

HI mate and welcome I generally use a CA technique but I don't use an activator . If it's CA and activator you want then Toolstation do a complete pack at around a fiver.

 

[Neil]

Hi and welcome.

If you use friction polish then you must use a sealer on the bare wood. Friction Polish has a bad name as a non durable finish but this reputation is in the main due to incorrect application although lacquers and ca glue, both of which are messy, are more long lasting. Bare wood draws the waxes out of friction polish unless you seal the wood first. There are a number of ways to do this and the best way depends on the wood. A softer wood like walnut, I use an acrylic sanding sealer - quick drying and clear, and if you use it from a spray can it keeps the grain clean, a wiped on sealer such as rustins makes a bit of a mess of the finish. Like Woody, I use Eee cream, which is a cleaner, and sealer and polishes to a semi gloss finish, but I then use she'll away friction Polish applied with the lathe running. (That's against the recommendation for most friction polishes but I get a better finish from the way I apply it).

Hope that helps, but you will develop your own way of finishing that can depend on a variety of things including the temperature and humidity of your workshop. Stay away from the glue for a while though, get the turning and the sharpening straight first.

 

[billyb_imp]

Hi and welcome.

If you use friction polish then you must use a sealer on the bare wood. Friction Polish has a bad name as a non durable finish but this reputation is in the main due to incorrect application although lacquers and ca glue, both of which are messy, are more long lasting. Bare wood draws the waxes out of friction polish unless you seal the wood first. There are a number of ways to do this and the best way depends on the wood. A softer wood like walnut, I use an acrylic sanding sealer - quick drying and clear, and if you use it from a spray can it keeps the grain clean, a wiped on sealer such as rustins makes a bit of a mess of the finish. Like Woody, I use Eee cream, which is a cleaner, and sealer and polishes to a semi gloss finish, but I then use she'll away friction Polish applied with the lathe running. (That's against the recommendation for most friction polishes but I get a better finish from the way I apply it).

Hope that helps, but you will develop your own way of finishing that can depend on a variety of things including the temperature and humidity of your workshop. Stay away from the glue for a while though, get the turning and the sharpening straight first.

Neil, Sorry to hijack the thread, but hopefully Pete John will find any answer useful.

You mention using friction polish but applying a sanding sealer first. At what point do you apply the sanding sealer is it

• Turn blank to required diameter
• Apply sanding sealer
• Sand through multiple grits
• Apply friction polish
• Apply wax

Thanks in anticipation of ..........

 

[Grump]

I use poundland superglue (CA). Kitchen scourerer (Ajax / Vim) to rub down, then polish up with Toothpaste and if I wanna wax it use a clear boot polish (Kiwi / Cherry blossom).
Cheap effective and long lasting ends there init?

 

[Neil]

Neil, Sorry to hijack the thread, but hopefully Pete John will find any answer useful.

You mention using friction polish but applying a sanding sealer first. At what point do you apply the sanding sealer is it

• Turn blank to required diameter
• Apply sanding sealer
• Sand through multiple grits
• Apply friction polish
• Apply wax

Thanks in anticipation of ..........

Turn the blank, sand through the grits (with the grain and lathe stopped) spin the blank and very quickly hold a bit of yellow nyweb or a piece of blue paper against the blank to get rid of dust and clean the grain, then spray with acrylic sanding sealer or rub eee cream in with the grain and policy off. If you used the sanding sealer allow to dry and then Denis by sanding very lightly once with 600 grit or finer and then apply the friction polish.

 

[Jim]

Welcome to the forums Peter John, clear lacquer is not easy to use, though there is a spray version that may help you?

 

[silver]

Hi and welcome to the madhouse...

Allot of questions, that have all been answered beep fore on the forum. However.

I use many different finishes, it depends on what the customer wants and what I feel like using and the type of material.

Firstly friction polish, as Neil has said, needs a sealer first otherwise the wood will just soak it up. I apply my friction polish to pens with the lathe running..

CA, it's a difficult technique to grasp but once you have it you will be as high as a kite..

EEE I use prior to friction polish on woods.

On acrylics and the like I use micro mesh through he grits to 12,000 then finish with a nice quality car polish.

All toped of with a total covering of renwax

But again you will find your own way and once mastered it you will come out with your own way. In short what works for you stick with it and don't let anyone change your way..

 

[mattyts]

My process which gets a fairly high gloss,long lasting finish is as such:

Turn blank to size,sand from 320 to 600 grit
stop lathe
wipe on sanding sealer
-leave a minute
start lathe
cut sealer back with 600 grit
wipe on friction polish
-leave a minute
apply the friction polish impregnated tissue onto the lathe,spinning,apply moderate pressure,moving side to side until required gloss has been produced
-stop lathe,wait a minute
-start lathe,put a small amount of renaissance wax onto the same cloth and apply,fold the tissue and buff until dry

Heres the kind of finish i get;

 

[bassethound]

Welcome to the Asylum! I More or less use the same method as Grumps but i reckon once you tried a few diff things you will find one that suits you! We are all mad anyway so you will probably be the same in a little while!