YoYoSpin
>I was recently asked about the use of sanding sealers on my turnings...here's my response:

Any brand of sealer will do fine. There are two types of sanding sealer...lacquer and water based. I use the lacquer variety, which seems to dry harder and fill in loose gains better than the water based stuff. After sealing the piece with lacquer sealer, I tend to give the turning a pretty heavy dose of buffing using the Beall system. Water based sealers will not hold up to a heavy buff...the sealer will just get buffed away. The down side is that it dries fast and you'll have to work quickly. If you let the sealer dry without a nice paper towel wipe-down, you'll get a lumpy finish...this stuff is pretty thick. The water based sealer can be thinned (with water), and may be better if you're just starting out.

Here's the process...after you complete all sanding, wipe the piece clean. Pour some sealer into a cup or some other small container. Using a small brush, apply the sealer to the piece while its still chucked on the lathe, but with the lathe turned off. Be sure to have a paper towel handy to wipe off the excess sealer. After the sealer is applied and wiped down, turn the lathe on and give the piece a light touch wipe with the paper towel, letting the sealer dry in the process...this will only take a few seconds.

Does anyone have a different view or experience?

best regards and good luck,
Ed Davidson