I've tried the finish described in Tom Wirsing's February 2018 article. I love the way it makes some woods look, especially cherry. The only thing I am not satisfied with is the sheen. I'd like it to be a bit shinier than a dullish looking satin finish, which is the best I have obtained so far. I don't have any Abralon pads so I've been using wet/dry sandpaper. I've gone up to 2000 grit after 3 or 4 or 5 applications with lower grits. Is that the problem? If not, should I buff it with something, or use wax? Any suggestions?
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Tom Wirsing Finish
- Thread starter Steve Streck
- Start date
Visit your local automotive paint supply store and get some polishing compounds. NOT rubbing compound which is too course. If you use them on porous wood, look for a brown colored polishing compound. I don't know what a Tom Wirsing finish is, but you will need some kind of film to polish or change the sheen. Hard to polish oil finish.
The finish is equal parts tung oil, mineral spirits and polyurethane. Does that help?
The best shine you are going to get with that finish is to make sure you are using a gloss poly. That mix is a very soft finish and will not "polish" out.
OK, thanks. I did use gloss poly. I've never used wax on a turned piece, but plan to try. Can I put wax over this finish?
I would call that mixture of poly and tung oil as a variant of Danish oil. You can enhance the shine by waiting a couple weeks for the finish to cure, and then buffing with both tripoli and white diamond wheels. I routinely buff danish oil finishes to a pretty high gloss. For that matter, even pure tung oil or pure walnut oil finishes respond well to buffing. Another option is multiple coats of the combo, or subsequent coats of poly by itself (or thinned poly) prior to buffing.
Did he mention the reason he adds tung oil to the varnish? I assume it's not raw tung oil? Adding 1/3 thinner to that must make it like oil as Michael says.
I used Hope's 100% tung oil. I assume it is raw but the bottle doesn't say one way or the other. I've used Watco danish oil overthe years and this finish is similar to the Watco.
You can use wax on any finish. Note if it is a high gloss it will tone it down. I use Renaissance. It is more costly but a can lasts for years. It is prefered by museums as it resists fingerprints.
Thanks, Gerald and everyone. I actually ordered some Renaissance wax. I'm going to try that and also try one bowl with a few coats of wipe on poly to see which I like more.