help with holly

Re: help with holly

Jennifer@Indy.USA

>Hi Bill,

I've always had any holly I've turned go yellow with finishes I normally use like Danish oil and toung oil so I started bleaching it and then using a spray krylon or Deft to keep it bright white.

Jen

Re: help with holly

Barbara Gill, Remlik VA

>I have been handling some large holly roughed out bowls with denatured alcohol. The result has been good. No cracking, white color is retained. If you are interested in quickly drying some 3x3" for ornaments, boxes, etc. you might also be interested in my post below about walnut rolling pin blanks.

Since holly does not have much grain character I have found that a thin water base poly that will soak into the wood will retain the color without yellowing.

Re: help with holly

DWFII

>But what do you use for final sanding? I mean most of the sandpaper or steel wool in the finer grades will discolour light coloured woods. 1000grit wet or dry will leave a dark smear in the wood, won't it?

Even when cutting back laquers or other finishes 0000 steel wool will leave tiny crumbss that can lodge in pores and so forth. 'Course that might not be such a big deal with fine grained holly although it surely is a problem with coarser woods.

What do folks use once they get past say, 600 grit?

DW

In the High Desert of Central Oregon

Re: help with holly

Ron in Drums PA

>One of the reasons I don't use steel wool is the problem you mentioned. After a few years I've even seen these little particles start to rust under the finish.

Re: help with holly

DWFII

>But Ron, what *do* you use?

DW

In the High Desert of Central Oregon

Re: help with holly

Ron in Drums PA

>Sandpaper.

On bowls I sand to 400 then apply my first coat of finish, knock the nibs off with 600 lubed with MS, then second coat of finish, knock the nibs off with 800 lubed with MS, third coat of finish, knock the nibs off with 1000 lubed with MS. polish with white diamond, then wax. Sometimes I need to add more then three coats.

I never had a problem with sandpaper staining the wood.

I admit on flat work I sand to 220, finish, then wax with 0000 dipped in MS.

Re: help with holly

DWFII

>Ron,

Thanks for the response.

But...sorry for all the questions...what kind of paper are you using that goes to 1000 grit and what is MS?

DW

In the High Desert of Central Oregon

Re: help with holly

Ron in Drums PA

>I buy from Klingspor at www.woodworkingshop.com. I like their paper better than Industrial Abrasive, but they are more expensive. I'm sure others will disagree about the quality, but that's ok, it works for me.

Klingspor only has paper up to 1200, I buy 1200-2000 paper from a local auto paint supplier.

On Russ's advise he says brown kraft paper is close to 2400. I use brown kraft on rare occasions.

MS is mineral spirits

Re: help with holly

William Duffield, on the Cohansey

>Instead of steel wool, I use Scotchbrite or equivalents. It is made in several grits. I also never use steel wool on oak, for example, turned or otherwise, because it reacts with the tannin, and leaves little black spots. For most of my turnings, I finish with a mixture of shellac and walnut oil, but for light colored woods, like dogwood (I haven't turned any holly, which is lighter yet), I use Zinsser SealCoat instead of their common orange shellac. Since the walnut oil also darkens the wood, you could use mineral oil instead, it just doesn't give as much protection because it doesn't polymerize at all, but it is clear.

Note that someone now makes a padding lacquer, which should be more convenient to apply to turnings than a spray or brush lacquer, but I haven't tried that either.

I also have experienced SiC w/d paper leaving stains from the abrasive on light colored woods, but there are other abrasive papers with lighter colored abrasives, e.g., alumina, that will work better.

Re: help with holly

MikeinCapeMay

>Rust caused by steel wool is a common problem with brightwork on boats too, especially in a saltwater environment. Use bronze wool.

Re: help with holly

bill dotten

>thanks folks I will try some test pieces with emphasis on thin water based poly and DNA.

Thanks again Bill