Randy_
Member
Here is Wayne's method for using the Enduro Polyurethane Finish. Thought it might be a little easier to find here than buried where it was.
I sand with sand paper starting with 220 through 400. This part is up to the individual turner as to how smooth and how far you turn your blank. You may need to start with 150 or whatever you feel is better. Next I use Micro Mesh 1500 through 12,000 at the slowest speed keeping the Micro Mesh moving at all times. Remember Micro Mesh will melt.
For the sanding sealer and the Enduro I use Viva paper towel. I cut off a piece of towel about 4" x 6" and fold into a 1/2" to 3/4" x 6" strip. I make two, one for the sanding sealer and one for the Enduro. I also purchased a couple small bottles like CA comes in and I put my sanding sealer in one and Enduro in the other. Its a lot easier that trying to drip from a quart container. I now put on three coats of sanding sealer. With the lathe again running at the lowest speed I hold the folded paper towel behind the slowly turning blank and drip sanding sealer on the top of the blank moving the towel back and forth to even out the SS. The sanding sealer will only take 2 or 3 minutes to dry. After the first coat dries I then put on another just like the first. Lastly with the lathe off, I put a drop at a time on the folded pad I put on the last coat in the opposite direction, from end to end. At this point the sanding sealer will need to cure for in my opinion, at least four to six hours. I let mine cure overnight.
I take the blank off the mandrel and put on another spare mandrel and work on another pen. Now the sanding sealer has cured and I sand with the Micro Mesh starting with 3200 through 12,000. I DO NOT sand all of the sanding sealer off the blank, I am just smoothing it out and polishing it. I now take the second folded pad of paper towel and again with the blank turning at the slowest speed I put on three coats of Enduro Poly. I do this again holding the pad behind the blank and drip the Enduro on top sliding the pad back and forth a couple times to even it out. Enduro dries very fast so be careful to just even the Enduro out on the blank. I put on three coats total of the Enduro Poly each in the same direction with the lathe running at low speed. There will be rings but they will even out later with the finial sanding and polishing.
From what I've found the cure time is a little faster for the poly than the sanding sealer, I only let the Enduro cure for 3 or 4 hours. I get the Micro Mesh out again and starting with 3200 I lightly smooth the blanks, again with the lathe at low speed. I use all of the Micro Mesh grits from 3200 up to 12,000. At this time if you have a beautiful set of blanks that are ready to be assembled into a pen, or whatever it is you are making.
WARNING: For anyone that uses bluesman's TSW 1121 finish, I have found from experience that you need to let the Enduro cure a full twenty four hours. He says that he uses a small amount of poly in TSW and it reacts with the Enduro and dulls the finish if you use the TSW too soon. I have in the past, after waiting 24 hours tried the TSW and other than the smooth slick feel I see no difference. I have chosen to use Renaissance wax after assembling the pen and letting it set for 24 hours. I don't know if you have to wait with the Ren wax but after my experience with TSW I'm not taking any chances.
I sand with sand paper starting with 220 through 400. This part is up to the individual turner as to how smooth and how far you turn your blank. You may need to start with 150 or whatever you feel is better. Next I use Micro Mesh 1500 through 12,000 at the slowest speed keeping the Micro Mesh moving at all times. Remember Micro Mesh will melt.
For the sanding sealer and the Enduro I use Viva paper towel. I cut off a piece of towel about 4" x 6" and fold into a 1/2" to 3/4" x 6" strip. I make two, one for the sanding sealer and one for the Enduro. I also purchased a couple small bottles like CA comes in and I put my sanding sealer in one and Enduro in the other. Its a lot easier that trying to drip from a quart container. I now put on three coats of sanding sealer. With the lathe again running at the lowest speed I hold the folded paper towel behind the slowly turning blank and drip sanding sealer on the top of the blank moving the towel back and forth to even out the SS. The sanding sealer will only take 2 or 3 minutes to dry. After the first coat dries I then put on another just like the first. Lastly with the lathe off, I put a drop at a time on the folded pad I put on the last coat in the opposite direction, from end to end. At this point the sanding sealer will need to cure for in my opinion, at least four to six hours. I let mine cure overnight.
I take the blank off the mandrel and put on another spare mandrel and work on another pen. Now the sanding sealer has cured and I sand with the Micro Mesh starting with 3200 through 12,000. I DO NOT sand all of the sanding sealer off the blank, I am just smoothing it out and polishing it. I now take the second folded pad of paper towel and again with the blank turning at the slowest speed I put on three coats of Enduro Poly. I do this again holding the pad behind the blank and drip the Enduro on top sliding the pad back and forth a couple times to even it out. Enduro dries very fast so be careful to just even the Enduro out on the blank. I put on three coats total of the Enduro Poly each in the same direction with the lathe running at low speed. There will be rings but they will even out later with the finial sanding and polishing.
From what I've found the cure time is a little faster for the poly than the sanding sealer, I only let the Enduro cure for 3 or 4 hours. I get the Micro Mesh out again and starting with 3200 I lightly smooth the blanks, again with the lathe at low speed. I use all of the Micro Mesh grits from 3200 up to 12,000. At this time if you have a beautiful set of blanks that are ready to be assembled into a pen, or whatever it is you are making.
WARNING: For anyone that uses bluesman's TSW 1121 finish, I have found from experience that you need to let the Enduro cure a full twenty four hours. He says that he uses a small amount of poly in TSW and it reacts with the Enduro and dulls the finish if you use the TSW too soon. I have in the past, after waiting 24 hours tried the TSW and other than the smooth slick feel I see no difference. I have chosen to use Renaissance wax after assembling the pen and letting it set for 24 hours. I don't know if you have to wait with the Ren wax but after my experience with TSW I'm not taking any chances.