Tacky finish

[Richard Avram]

I recently turned a wine glass from cocobolo and I finished it with a wipe on poly but it just wouldn't seem to cure completely. I let it set for almost a month and it still felt tacky. I thought that I had put on a very light coat and I have never had this problem with anything else. Is it something peculiar with cocobolo or maybe just exotic woods in general? I finally buffed it out with micromesh and I'm going to try just a very small amount of wax and rebuffing.

 

[John Altberg]

Richard,

I am going to guess that the oils in the cocobolo are interfering with your finish. I have only made small turnings from cocobolo, such as pens, bottle stoppers, shaving brushes and razors. I have used micro mesh on them with no finish. After much use, these items are even shinier than when first coming off of the lathe. The shaving items have been exposed to soap and water with the same outcome. I would be tempted to do the same with your wine glass.

 

[Richard Avram]

Richard,

I am going to guess that the oils in the cocobolo are interfering with your finish. I have only made small turnings from cocobolo, such as pens, bottle stoppers, shaving brushes and razors. I have used micro mesh on them with no finish. After much use, these items are even shinier than when first coming off of the lathe. The shaving items have been exposed to soap and water with the same outcome. I would be tempted to do the same with your wine glass.

Thanks John, that's what I was thinking too. I took the finish off, buffed it with the micro mesh and then buffed it with a pad and just a residue of wax. It shined up beautifully and feels great too so that's where I'm going to stop.

 

[John King]

Shellac

Next time try sealing wood with a coat of 100% wax free shellac before applying wipe on poly. - John