Minwax Wipe On Poly

[Jim Carroll]

Just a couple of questions in regards to Wipe on Poly as it seems to get favourable results on your side of the pond.

Is there any do's and dont's

Their suggested finish is 220 grit but with most turnings I go from 600 - 1500 depending on what I am doing, does the more burnished finish deter the finish from sticking.

There is oil based and water based is there a preferance.

Can you use it like a friction finish on the lathe or is it best to take of the lathe.

How many coats would be prefered.

Probably more questions but that will do for now.

 

[Scott Hackler]

Jim,

I will respond as a recent new user of that exact same WOP. I have found a couple this out. First, its really thin and although you can apply it "on the lathe" I wouldn't do it as a friction finish. Poly tends to gum up under heat. I also suggest for pourous woods, a sanding sealer coat first of thinned shellac or similar. Then sanded back. You can skip this but you'll end up with a lot more coats of WOP, as it soaks in really bad the first few coats.

I generally have been doing this and although it takes a lot longer than the lacquer I was using, it really adds a hard finish that buffs to a deep gloss.

Thinned shellac, sand back next day, apply first coat of WOP, sand back next day with 600, next coat of WOP, sand back next day with 600, repeat at least 5 times or until your sick of messing with it! I will then let it dry until I can't smell the WOP very much on the piece, then another go with the 600 until the piece is smooth to the touch and completely dulled. Take it to the Beal buffing wheels and with a little time it will shine like glass.

Hope that shed a little light on it.

Scott

 

[MichaelMouse]

The Minwax product is (or was) the highest solids product among the wiping varnishes, so it will build pretty rapidly, though not as rapidly as the high-test version with twice the solids. You may use it as its own sanding sealer on the lathe, if you care to. I know more than a few who wet sand it in as a first coat, clearing the surface afterward with mineral (white) spirits.

Surface prep is fairly standard. You should be able to finish up the turning with P400 along the grain for the first coat, toothing between coats with 400 or 600. You build as much or as little surface finish as you want. I like it for salad bowls with the first coat warmed in on the lathe, the second applied as normal. Seldom use a third, and might even cut back any shiny spots on the second, since I'm not after a surface finish.

It's not really necessary to sand or burnish the surface beyond the 400, and it might even be detrimental. Poor toothing on subsequent coats will produce something akin to lacquer fisheye, and a burnished piece might be as bad. The finish will level itself after you flow on, filling or smoothing scratches. I don't use the satin, but it would hide even a few neglected scratches in the wood itself.

Three coats, first warmed. http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d160/GoodOnesGone/Fast-Cherry-Inside.jpg

Four. http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d160/GoodOnesGone/Upside-Cherry.jpg

It smells to me to be soy-based, and does not amber as much as the linseed stuff.

 

[gary rock]

Jim

Just about every piece that I do, I start off with a coat of Danish oil. After a week of drying, I then start applying coats of WOP. Between coats of WOP, I sand with a piece of worn out 400 grit paper. It has enough cutting power to sand with. It isn't aggresive as fresh paper,but it will do the job of leveling out and getting dust bunnies, hair or what ever finds it's way on to the piece. I usually put at least 5 coats on a piece, most of the time it is usually more up to 10 coats then buff it, if possible, depending on the shape and what has been done on the outside. Such as fluting or bead blasting.
As Scott stated, if the piece is porous such as Cedar, seal it with Shellac. Sand that,(with steel wool, artifical steel wool or worn out sand paper), tack cloth then start putting on WOP. I cut a piece of T-shirt with pinking shears-usuall 2 inch by 3 inch.
Also, if your can of WOP is old, you might want to get a fresh can to use.

Gary:cool2:

 

[Dan Henry]

I use WOP and have found that the Poly sold in QT cans thinned with odorless mineral spirits 1/3 thinner 2/3 Poly works very well and is much cheaper than buying the WOP in the Pint cans and work just as well.

Dan

 

[Bill Boehme]

I have not used it for woodturning, but have use a homemade version of wipe-on polyurethane finish on flat work for about 15 years or so. I used Varathane polyurethane varnish mixed 50-50 with naphtha. For a slower drying finish mineral spirits could be used. I like the naphtha mixture because it is fast drying and can be sanded in an hour and then recoated. The nice thing about this thinned finish is its self leveling property although it is applied in very thin layers and requires about six layers minimum. This mixture works quite well as its own sanding sealer so I never used a separate product. The advantage of regular sanding sealer is that it dries very fast and is very easy to sand without clogging the paper. The disadvantages are that it is a bit cloudy and also soft so that the topcoat does not adhere to it as well as to bare wood.

 

[John Giem]

With regards to leaving the turning on the lathe while finishing it -
I always have problems with runs even with WOP. By leaving it on the lathe, you can leave the lathe turning very slowly while drying. This keeps any 'runs' moving, flattens them out and minimizes those irregularities.

 

[Dick Sowa]

Lots of good advice. I agree with the other comments, and have some more.

I usually buy small cans of poly...any of the name brands will work fine...and thin it 50-50 with mineral spirits. I then dampen a small piece of folded rag with the mixture, and apply to to my turning while it is turning slowly on the lathe. I don't apply so much that it runs...just enough to dampen the surface. I also bring a goose neck lamp up close, with an incandescent bulb to provide a little bit of heat. I keep the lathe turning slowly under the heat. Usually I can recoat the vessel in 20-30 mins. 3-4 coats that way, then let it sit overnight, before applying more coats.

 

[Jim Carroll]

As you say dick some very good advice

I do like your idea of thinning down and using slowly on the lathe, gets an even coat.

Now to get some shed time and try out some of the ideas.

 

[Patrick Miller]

sanding sanding sealer

Thinned shellac, sand back next day, apply first coat of WOP,

Scott[/QUOTE]

Hi Scott-
What grit are you taking the sanding sealer to before your first coat of WOP?
thanks
--pat

 

[Bill Boehme]

All of the common brands and types of premixed canned shellac have a pretty high wax content. It has been part of the lore of flat woodworkers that polyurethane will not adhere very well if applied over that kind of shellac. Not wanting to take any chances with long term stability of the finish, I have always mixed my own ultra blonde shellac flakes which is the most refined variety and has the lowest wax content. Even so, there is still a surprising amount of wax so I have always added the extra step of filtering the shellac to reduce the wax as much as I possibly could. A double layer of coffee filters works quite well, but the filters need to be changed frequently as they will plug up with wax fairly quickly. I have never had any problems with a wipe-on poly finish when using this ultra low wax shellac. By the way, I don't really think that a sanding sealer is necessary or even advisable underneath polyurethane, but my reason for using the shellac was to give the wood the unique color tone and depth that comes from shellac.

 

[Richard Jones]

Ditto to what some others have said about color, i.e., I've found that a wash coat of shellac will preserve more of the true color prior to the WOP.

The lighter the wood, the more the WOP seems to yellow it unless you use the shellac first, altho' the WOP doesn't seem to yellow as much as some other finishes, like DO.

I'm talking de-waxed shellac here, specifically this one: http://www.rustoleum.com/CBGProduct.asp?pid=246

As always, my $.02.......

Rich

 

[Scott Miller]

I am using a mix of equal parts of pure tung oil, mineral spirits, and poly. Applied off the lathe. Normally 3 or 4 coats are needed.