Est. 1998 — 27 years of woodworking knowledge
finishing small items
Dennis Taylor (Akron, Ohio)
>what is a good glossy finish to use on small items?..I have xmas ornaments completed and off the lathe, I don't own a Beall system, I did one or two on the lathe with lacquer and then friction polish, but I don't get a good shine, any comments?...different finishes?...Dennis
Re: finishing small items
John Lucas
>Dennis
before I got a decent compressor I tried several different spray on finishes. If I remember correctly Krylon spray on lacquer was what I liked. I believe I tried spray shellac as well. I didnt' like the water based sprays. They tend to raise the grain even after a coat of sealer.
I also had pretty good luck with Hut abrasive wax sticks. I now use Deft Clear Lacquer that I spray from a Harbour Freight touch up gun.
Re: finishing small items
Dennis Taylor (Akron, Ohio)
>On small items, like a bunch of xmas ornaments, I apply 2 coats of lacquer, followed with an application of friction polish, I have some I have applied lacquer to off the lathe, maybe the lacquer isn't a good base coat for the friction polish?..don't get what I would call a glass shine..am I wrong in the mix of lacquer and polish, or should that work...i will check into a HB spray gun, I have a decent compressor, but no spray gun, do have an airbrush, but not a lot of expereince with it...I worry about the spray in confined space...do you mix the lacquer with thinner for the sprayer?..and what is the mix?..Dennis
Easy shine for small objects *LINK*
Dennis J. Gooding
>A very fast procedure is to sand to 320 grit and wipe on a thin coat of thin CA glue with the lathe running SLOW (or stopped) using a piece of paper towel. (A disposable nylon glove is useful here.) Sand the object lightly with 320 grit and, optionally, still finer grits up to 2000. At high speed, apply and buff with a rag, Hut Perfect Pen Polish brown and then white. This finish seems to hold up pretty well with pens and should last forever with ornaments. Dennis
Kill the "y" from my address to respond.
http://www.roundthewoods.com/hooktool.shtm
Re: finishing small items
John Lucas
>Dennis
I have been using Deft Clear lacquer thinned 50/50 with lacquer thinner but that's too thin. It doesn't build very quick but it dries very quickly. Since I shoot them in my basement door with a fan at my back I need quick drying to keep bugs out. I hang 5 or 6 in the door and hit them with a coat and go back to the lathe and turn another part. I spray another coat each time I finish another part.By the time I finish several more the first ones are done.