wipe On vs Regular Poly

Re: wipe On vs Regular Poly

Dave Paine

I use the Minwax Wipe-on-poly for many of my turning projects. It is essentially a version of regular poly thinned with solvent. I do not know the % of solvent.

I have not tried wiping on regular poly, but I would expect a lot of issues with streaking. I think too viscous.

I have read where folks have made their own wipe-on-poly by mixing regular poly and solvents.

The Minwax wipe-on-poly is a very thin coat, due to the amount of solvent. Takes many coats to build up a film. The benefit is no streaking, no drips. Just takes longer.

Re: wipe On vs Regular Poly

Lyle Jamieson

The key is the wipe off part. I use regular poly when I am in a hurry. It will not penetrate as well but as long as you wipe it off before it starts to set, or get tacky, it can work fine.

Re: wipe On vs Regular Poly

Stuart Johnson

Thanks, I have enough wipe on satin for two or three more coats and was going to switch to gloss for my last couple but only have the regular. It sounds like it will work as long as I don't let it sit too long.

Re: wipe On vs Regular Poly

Dick Coers

Letting it sit, means less than a minute if the conditions are right. You may have to rewet the piece with poly as you start to wipe it. The rag will drag if you wait more than a minute. I would add some mineral spirits or naphtha to the regular and you will be happier. I actually think you can leave a little more film in the piece if it is thinner. Full strength will require a little more pressure to wipe it off.

Re: wipe On vs Regular Poly

Bill Jacksonville, NC

Easy way to start making tour own wipe on oil finish use small glass or plastic kitchen measuring cup and work with ounce scale. Mix one ounce of finish to one ounce of mineral spirits stir don’t shake. If have a big or bunch of projects you can increase your ounces of both resin/thinner.

Thing to remember about wipe on oil finish two coats should equal one coat of film finish. Whether using poly or varnish want to start with a 50/50 mix of resin (poly/varnish) & solvent/thinner. If want a faster film build cut back on solvent/thinner. The more solvent/thinner longer it takes to get a build of film finish.

If buying a commercial wipe on finish read contents on label don’t want to see more than 60% solvent. If not sure check product MSDS or SDS.

Minwax poly contains 70% solvent!

http://www.minwax.com/document/MSDS/en/027426409002

http://www.minwax.com/document/MSDS/en/027426409101

If buying a water based/borne wipe on product don’t recommend thinning with water use full strength.

A note on sheen

Ellis Walentine

Stuart, the conventional way to build a satin finish is to use gloss product until the final coat or (if you're wiping it on) two. Otherwise the silicates (or whatever the flattening agents in the satin product are) will progressively obscure the wood. So, if you want the final sheen to be glossy, I advise using gloss from the get-go. Save your satin for something that wants a satin sheen.

Regarding wiping varnishes, as folks have already mentioned, they are just diluted regular varnishes, so you can make them yourself and find the consistency that works best for you. I always used to use Waterlox Transparent, because I liked the consistency. It handled well and had a nice medium high sheen. I also liked it because it doesn't have any polyurethane resins in it, which means it loses out on abrasion resistance but it doesn't have the plastic look that you get with poly finishes, and it's easier to repair if necessary. If this nuance of appearance is interesting to you, you could save the poly for floors and counter tops and table tops, where it will resist abrasion better.

Sorry if I've digressed a bit here. It all seems related to your question.

Ellis

Re: A note on sheen

Stuart Johnson

Well I had that backwards. I thought the satin filled the pores and then the gloss gave it a sheen. Luckily no damage done. I thinned the gloss and it went on very easily. Thanks for pointing me in the right direction.

Going forward what brand of varnish / poly seems best for mixing my own wiping finish?

Minwax Wipe-on Poly

Geoff Whaling

Stuart,

I have been using Minwax Wipe-on Poly for well over 10 years on my small turnings, spin tops etc with both the gloss & satin. It is a good product but it can be a very time consuming process if you wish to build a high gloss finish. Wood turners tend to apply several coats which is not how the manufacturer intended the product to be applied.

A couple of the issues I face in the tropics,

Each coat of Minwax takes progressively longer to set before I can apply another coat. So a deep high gloss finish may take many weeks. Its a bit like shellac as the new coat softens the last coat.

Keying the finish to the timber can be problematic if you sand to very high grits, removing sanding dust is paramount. I typically use a tack cloth on larger pieces. "Sand to obtain a smooth, uniform surface. Remove all dust."

Sharp transition detail especially edges tends to wick the Minwax to a higher build coat in that region and takes much longer to cure on those edges/corners.

The new style opening on the container means the product now lasts longer than 6 or 8 months.

Lastly the stirring vs shaking the Minwax - I shake because you cant fit a stirrer through the containers opening. ;-)

"Shake Minwax® Wipe-On Poly container thoroughly before and during use to eliminate settling on the bottom of the can." http://www.minwax.com/wood-products/clear-protective-finishes/wipe-ons/minwax-wipe-on-poly

ps I still use Minwax Wipe-on Poly occasionally but my preferred finish is now NC lacquer applied with a small detail spray gun or an airbrush - faster & less hassles, but more capital outlay, & skill required.

Re: A note on sheen

Ellis Walentine

I'd suggest using General Finishes Seal-a-Cel. It's already just about thin enough straight from the can for wiping. Try different dilutions to find the best combination of build and ease of application. For projects where you want a thicker film, try brushing the first two coats then leveling with stearated paper on a Styrofoam block. This will save a lot of time and coats of wiped finish. Save the wiping for the final coat or two and apply sparingly, extending it out until it's almost dry.

Ellis

Re: A note on sheen

don stephan

Love the results I get with Pratt & Lambert 38 gloss varnish, mixed 50-50 with mineral spirits. Getting harder to find it though

Re: A note on sheen

Bill White

I am using Old Masters wiping gel with good results. No run, drip, etc.

Bill