How long to wait for rub out.

Some longer than others.

Mark Nowicki

Depending on drying time and shop temperature.

Re: How long to wait for rub out.

Hank Knight

I think rottenstone is a polishing medium. Rubbing out with it will put a high shine on your finish. Pumice is a bit coarser and may give you the matte finish you want.

an accurate answer and some info

Bill Tindall, E.Tn.

Another: when it is hard enough.

Good idea to carry a test piece through the process to answer these kind of questions on a test piece and not the table.

Have you rubbed out a finish before? I suspect not from the details of your question. If you have not and your aren't willing to learn by spending some time on test pieces I suggest dulling the finish by rubbing the top with a quality 4/0 wool, w or w/o wax of some color. This process is nearly risk-free unless you use wax.

A problem with rubbing out a porous wood is rubbings sticking in any pores that remain unfilled. Porous woods are filled with filler before rubbing out.

pumice and rotten stone application

Bill Tindall, E.Tn.

Indeed rotten stone is a black polishing powder that will put a gloss finish on varnish. It is used after grinding a surface flat to bring the luster back up to gloss. I works dandy on urethane varnish and lacquer as shown on this filled mahogany top.

The black gunge generated in use will also fill any pores that are not filled previously.

Pumice is a white material. It leaves a coarser scratch pattern and hence a duller finish. Pumice is used in grain filler to fill pores and it will do so more or less when used to deluster a finish.

Re: How long to wait for rub out.

Clint Searl

Auto rubbing and polishing compounds in sequence, using a power buffer will make ang degree of flatness/shine you want.

Re: How long to wait for rub out.

Barry Irby

Bill is nearly correct. I have rubbed out a few pieces, and they were finished with shellac. That was maybe five years ago, so the experience has moved into the dim recesses.

The filling the grain aspect is something I hadn't considered. This piece was left with a lightly scalped surface from a scrub plane because that's what DIL asked for. But there are some places that might accumulate some filler. I think I will go with Steel wool.

I do like the surface on the pieces I rubbed out. Very nice to the touch.

Thanks for the help.

Re: How long.

Mark Mandell - Gone Round In New Jersey

Barry,

Since you're using an oil finish, you've got to allow for a full cure before a rub-out. As oil finishes cure they shrink down and thin out on the wood surface. What might start out as a 3 mil coating when initially dry may well end up as a 1.5 mil final film. This becomes specially important with an open pore wood that hasn't been fully "filled". What rubs out to a glass smooth surface may show all the grain again after a month. An unfilled open pore piece may wind up showing little specks of bright gloss at the bottom of the pores while the rest of the piece is satin.

Any rub-out's success depends on leveling the film first. Dust nubbies and faint brush marks (or orange peel from spray) will show up as bright little rings or lines.

One big benefit to the new waterbornes that I spray is their ability to level. I used to rub out my finishes but no more as the surfaces I get now are quite acceptable "off-the-gun".

Dont

Mark Hennebury

Oak and steel wool are a bad mix.

steel wool particles get caught in the pores, when it gets wet you will have a nasty reaction and staining.

bears testing

Bill Tindall, E.Tn.

I am skeptical particles sticking in pores will be a problem with white oak, which isn't nearly as porous as red. I would think that 3 coats of urethane would have largely smoothed them out. But, a valid warning that should be tested.

Like all things finishing that few do, at their peril, the complete finishing schedule should be refined on test pieces.

Me experience....

Tony - Memphis

I never wait! I give it a day or two,then go at it. Let me qualify...I never use pore filler, never after "like glass" finish, etc. I really like the feel of a finish that has been rubbed out with 0000 steel wool and then waxed. Nice sheen too. This works for me with various poly's and so called "oil" finishes, etc. Test out whatever you'd like to do and see if it works. I use a lot of Minwax wipe on - usually after about 4 coats, I am ready to rub and wax. I also steel wool between coats. Oh, and I usually work with mahogany, cherry, and maple. And I use a shop vac to remove dust followed by a tack cloth. For reference, my shop is around 65° ish in the winter and 75° in summer. I run a dehumidifier in summer (set @ 50%). Probably TMI, but I guess my point is that it is not critical. Good luck with it.

I just finished a mahogany project and after the last coat, it felt good, so I didn't bother with the wool and wax treatment.

Tony

question

Bill Tindall, E.Tn.

Mahogany is a porous wood. I have finished it with coatings that build, varnish or varnish-like, then wooled and waxed with black wax. The black wax caught in the pores and enhanced the appearance. Will you clarify your wooling and waxing? Do you have wax accumulating in the pores, for better or worse, depending on wax color and what look you want to achieve? And if not and you have not filled the grain how did you avoid wax in the pores?

Where I am headed is if Barry waxes a porous wood with white wax the result could be unattractive.

Re: How long to wait for rub out.

Dick Coers

I much prefer Mirka Abralon for smoothing and adjusting sheen. You can buy assortment packs on line from bowling supplies. They use it to polish bowling balls of course. You can use them with water or mineral spirits to wet sand. I get the 5” discs to use on random orbit sander. Makes for an extremely even treatment on a table top. I’d wait at least 3 days after the last coat of finish was applied.

Re: How long to wait for rub out.

Don Stephan

If the last coat of finish was gloss, and the pores are not filled, rubbing out may leave thousands of shiny spots in the bottoms of the pores.

Why not apply another coat with the desired level of sheen, semi, satin, or matte.

Re: How long to wait for rub out.

Steve jenkins

Mohawk makes a product called wool lube. Use it with 0000 steel wool and warm water. It will suds up as you rub then buff it with a soft cloth. If needed you can topcoat after using it. It’s not really a wax but results in a very nice hand (feel)