Deft finish procedure question

Re: Deft finish procedure question

Sean Troy

>Hey, sanding sealer is not need on most woods. If you do use it, you can apply with a brush as you hand turn the lathe . Then burnish it in till dry(very quick)Always sand through till at least 600 grit. Three or four coats of lacqure are fine. I would use spray on for better results on turned objects. Just my opinion. Let it dry for at least several days, then buff. If you use a gloss lacqure, the end result will be a higher gloss finish after buffing. Best of luck, Sean

Re: Deft finish procedure question

Mark Kauder, Phenix City, AL

>Alan,

Deft is a Lacquer. In my experience, lacquer (sealer or otherwise) does not handle the heat generated my sanding on the lathe -it melts and clogs the sandpaper.

I follow Russ's method. I apply the regular lacquer (not the sanding sealer because in contains material that can cloud the grain), let is soak in for a minute or two, the wipe it off with a rag lightly dampened with lacquer thinner. I allow that to dry, then scuff it with 400 grit. I then apply (in my case spray) the lacquer coats - allowing it to dry about 30 minutes between coats - though 5 minutes is probably enough. After 3-5 good coats, I let is dry at least 24 hours, sand and apply the next coats, etc.

Mark

Re: Deft finish procedure question

Wally Dickerman at Green Valley, Az.

>Alan, I never use sanding sealer. See no reason to. I've been using Deft semi-gloss as a first coat for years on some of my pieces. Mostly when I don't want the wood to darken. I also like it as a first coat on soft spalted wood. Students in my classes use it because it's easy and dries to the touch almost immediately. An oil finish applied over the Deft works very well.

I apply a heavy coat of Deft with a bristle brush, and immediately polish it dry with the lathe running, using a soft paper towel. Takes about 1 minute to dry to the touch. If I'm doing an open bowl, I do the outside first, polish it dry, then do the inside. You can then apply a second coat if done right away. I don't use a thinner, and I don't sand it. A key is to polish it immediately after application, before it has a chance to dry.

Wally

Thanks All. I tried it and here's a pic

Alan Tolchinsky

>This is box elder with three coats of semigloss Deft and wax. It was easy to do but the smell. Whoa! Thanks for the great tips. I haven't finished the bottom yet. Is this your preferred finishing method? Alan freezing in Md.

A minute to dry???

Ron Sardo in PA

>It seems I'm having problems with Deft brushing lacquer (semi gloss) this stuff is still wet after 30-60 minutes. Did I get a bad batch? The room temp about 65.

Hope you don't mind me jumping in on your post Alan

Re: A minute to dry???

Alan Tolchinsky

>Ron, No problem. Mine dried on the lathe after burnishing it with a paper towel. The heat from this seems to set it up quickly and you can wax right after. At least that's what I did. Alan

Paper towel!

Brian Roberts

>Wally, you mention "soft paper towel" in your post. This is a good choice for lathe work!! If it ever sticks or catches on anything, it will tear before it sucks your hand in with it (unlike a rag - DAMHIKT)! I don't doubt this has been said before.

Re: A minute to dry???

Wally Dickerman at Green Valley, Az.

>Ron, the key is to polish it dry on the lathe with a paper towel just seconds after applying it. And it does take only a minute or so to be dry to the touch. I've never done it, but I know a turner who then immediately applies Danish tung oil and polishes it in. I wait at least 24 hours to polish in the first coat of an oil finish. I've found Deft to be a good durable finish. I have students use it in classes because an easy, quick drying finish is needed. I tell the students that it's only a first coat of finish, and that they need to use oil or wax or another coat or two of Deft later.

Wally

The true value of this list..

Ron Sardo in PA

>Is when you think you are doing something right all along then one day you see a post that makes you say "Why the heck didn't I think of that!"

Thanks Guys!!!

Re: Thanks All. I tried it and here's a pic

Glenn Hodges

>Alan, that box elder looks super.

Nashville, Georgia

Re: Thanks All. I tried it and here's a pic

Alan Tolchinsky

>Thanks Glenn, I have other bowls with a whole lot more coloring. I really like this stuff. Alan

Deft + enclosed area = cheap high

Joe Pack

>Heck, it was only the trim around a small kitchen bay window - only a couple minutes work. No need for fresh air or mask.

5 minutes later, the world would not stop moving.

I love Deft. It is easy to apply, even with a brush. It is easy to fix if you mess up. It has been my finish of choice since a jr. high shop teacher introduced me to it years ago. I just hope the Feds don't make it illegal because of the buzz you can get in just a couple of minutes.

Ventilate, then ventilate some more!

Re: Deft finish procedure question *LINK*

Russ Fairfield

>Go to the link for a description of the basic "Deft" finish. This is pretty much the same thing that Wally has described.

Then go to Article No.8 for a discussion of using "Varnish over Deft??


A Deft finish

Re: Deft finish procedure question

Alan Tolchinsky

>Thanks Russ, I had already done it after reading both articles and it worked fine. Great articles. Thanks Alan

Question

Ron Sardo in PA

>I read your article #5 last night. I have two questions

1. How many coats do you apply? Last nite I applied three coats.

2. I used semi-gloss and I noticed there isn't as much of a shine this way. How long do you wait before buffing (which I'm guessing will bring up the shine)

Thanks Russ

Re: Question

Russ Fairfield

>How many coats?

Only one (1) if it is used as a sealer for an oil finish.

Two, sometimes 3, if it is going to be the "final finish".

How long to wait?

An oil finish can be applied immediately.

The second coat of Deft can be applied immediately. I would wait an hour and buff with steel wool before applying a 3rd coat of Deft.

How long to wait before buffing or polishing will take some explanation because there are several possibilities.

We can get away with using Pumice or Rottenstone within a few minutes, or as soon as the surface feels dry to the touch; BUT the result will not be as high a gloss as if we had waited overnight until the surface film is harder.

A 2-step compromise would be to use Rottenstone with water immediately after its application when the surface is still rather soft. Then wait a couple days for the surface to harden and then polish again with Rottenstone and Mineral Oil. We will, in effect, have done a rough polish while the film was still soft, and a final polish after it has hardened.

Using a buffing wheel is a harsh way to polish a lacquer film. At anything less than its maximum hardness, the film can be easily damaged, and there is always the possibility of cutting through it into the wood. The best indicator of this is to wait until there is no longer the smell of lacquer thinner on the surface - about 1 to 2 weeks in a well ventilated area. Anything less than this and the film is still too soft for using a buffing wheel. Then I would recommend using the Tripoli wheel very lightly or not at all.

Thanks Russ!

Ron Sardo in PA

>

Re: Paper towel!

John Crissman

>Steve Sinner recommends Brawny white paper towels as opposed to shop towels for the application of Deft to a spinning, lathe-mounted object.

He likes to tear the towel in strips, dunk them in the deft and drag them across his vessels while rotating at a very slow rate (less than 100 RPMs). The torn edge leaves no lines and the Brawny white towels will not leave a linty residue.

I have used them a number of times (even tonight on a plate) and have had very good results.