When applying a finish on the lathe do you guys use a cotton rag or just a paper towel or other?
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What do you guys use to apply finish
- Thread starter Jake Truxal
- Start date
Stay away from cloth rags if you apply the finish while the lathe is running. It is dangerous should something catch. Paper towels work well. I like the paper "rags" you can get at the box stores.
I usually use a cloth rag - lint free
I dont wrap it around anything so even if it catches it wont hurt me - but thats just me - do what you feel comfortable with
I dont wrap it around anything so even if it catches it wont hurt me - but thats just me - do what you feel comfortable with
i've been using paper towels just because they are there and basically free but wasn't sure if using paper towels diminished the quality of the finish in any way.
finish application
About the only thing I apply on the lathe are oils and lacquer. As mentioned if you use a rag make it a lint free one and don't rap it around your finger. For lacquer, which I thin 50X50 with thinner, I use a "dobber" I buy from Tandy leather. It's like what you use to apply liquid shoe polish when you use to polish your shoes. I keep the 50X50 mixture in a small open mough jar, as well as the dobber.
About the only thing I apply on the lathe are oils and lacquer. As mentioned if you use a rag make it a lint free one and don't rap it around your finger. For lacquer, which I thin 50X50 with thinner, I use a "dobber" I buy from Tandy leather. It's like what you use to apply liquid shoe polish when you use to polish your shoes. I keep the 50X50 mixture in a small open mough jar, as well as the dobber.
Well, after careful consideration, and some trying of various materials, I use paper towels. No lint to get trapped in the finish, no cleanup, and ease of application. I don't know about using them for lacquer, but they work quite well with Antique Oil varnish. I tear a full sheet into quarters for the application rag, and use half a sheet in each hand for wiping down.
john lucas
AAW Forum Expert
I use Bounty paper towels. I tried other paper towels when I switched from Cotton rags. The bounty seems to leave less streaking than other towels.
For polishing with EEE, I use a paper towel for application, rubbing, and cleanup, followed by buffing with a clean old T-shirt. Then paste wax, also applied with paper towel. About 10-30 minutes later, buff with paper towel, then the T-shirt again. In all cases, only fingertip contact. Never wrap anything around a spinning object. The manufacturer of EEE suggests that paper napkins are an adequate substitute for cloth rags, a little softer than paper towels.
It depends on the finish. For shellac and other sanding sealers, I just brush it on. For oils (ex: Watco or BLO), and for wipe on poly, I have a box of rags in my shop. I prefer to cut a hunk of an old T shirt...usually 4"x4" or so, fold it in half a couple times to make a small pad, dip it into the finish and apply it to a slowly rotating, or hand rotated piece.