Question: Friction Polish

[John Nicholas]

I am using Friction Polish to finish some hand mirrors. I have used Hut Crystal Coat in the past and it has worked well. I have been pleased with the results.

The results I am getting on these items is very good, I am pleased with the end result. Getting there seems to be more :mad: than I remember it used to be.

I am applying the finish on the lathe about 500 RPM with a paper towel. The mirror backs are what I am doing at this time. It goes on and covers the walnut. I do have to stop the lathe and apply some with the grain to make sure all the pores are filled. The grooves also need some work like this, but I don't think that is much of a problem. I then buff with another paper towel.

It doesn't seem to buff out like it should. I end up waiting 24 hours to apply the 2nd coat. Part of that wait is my schedule.

Any ideas? Technique or product? Something else?

John🙂

 

[Bill Turpin]

Try adding some solvent

Most friction polish is shellac based, so add some denatured alcohol. Over time the solvent evaporates. The oil or whatever in the mix my be starting to oxidize. If that is true get a new bottle. Your time and the finish quality is worth way more than $10 of old stuff! 🙂

Bill Turpin in WNC mountains

 

[MichaelMouse]

If your friction polish is shellac-based it doesn't have a very long shelf life. Freshly home-mixed stuff is good for six months to a year, commercially stabilized stuff claims three times that long. Characteristic of old shellac is extended curing or complete lack of same. Just stays tacky or gooey.

If you're putting it on thick it will take longer to dry and then cure than if you put it on thin, of course. Principle behind French polishing is thousands of thin coats drying almost instantly. I like to use a base of a couple coats of rag-applied shellac followed by a quick level and dewhisker, then go to a 1# cut for the polish. Don't dawdle, and use only enough oil as it takes to keep the pad moving and you should be able to spirit off next day.

It's a mindless task you can perform while sitting in the ready room or your living room watching TV, and it doesn't goo up the chuck and lathe.

 

[john lucas]

As someone who makes a lot of hand mirrors I will caution against using alcohol based finishes. I found that mirrors stored in the bathroom were subjected to sprays to clean the larger mirror. If this gets on the hand mirror it leaves marks. I changed to lacquer and the haven't had any more complaints.
Now to answer your other question I have found 2 solutions to streaks and cloudy detail lines. For the streaks I put just on or 2 drops of finish on the towel (I use Bounty it seems to work better). Then I run the lathe at fairly high speed and touch the offending areas with this. The small amount of finish seems to help soften the bad areas and helps them blend in with pressure from the paper towel.
for detail areas I use toothpicks to get down into and polish these areas. Don't use the colored ones. I use very light pressure. It helps clean up the globs that tend to fill in these areas. This works OK for shellac based wipe on finishes and extremely well for stick applied finishes such as the Hut abrasive finishes.

 

[S. Clark]

It's a mindless task you can perform while sitting in the ready room or your living room watching TV, and it doesn't goo up the chuck and lathe.

TV is even more of a midless task.

 

[rsser]

Friction polish finishes vary acc. to timber species in my experience and I no longer use them as a matter of course for that reason.

Eg. as an alt. with open-pored wood a hard wax often works well. For elm and oak (Euro species) I've had great results just using http://www.ubeaut.com.au/waxtik.htm .

 

[JerrySambrook]

Expiration Date

John,
There is an expiration date on all containers of the Hut Crystal Coat.
I have found that there is very little time left in the container once that date has gone by

Jerry

 

[Gretch Flo]

western, Mass

Jerry-where? I will be visiting Greenfield, Ma in a week (home town), Gretch