General Wood Turners Finish techniques

[Joe Burns]

I have experimented on a pen a couple of months ago with the General Wood Turners Finish and liked how easy it was to apply. Much easier than CA.

I turned an olive wood pen blank today and applied 20 layers of the wood turners finish. I really like how it is turning out. Since the directions don't really say, and there hasn't been a lot discussion on the finish on the board I thought I would open a discussion and pose some finishing questions for everyone who has tried the finish as I let the blank cure overnight:

1. Should I take the blank straight to the buffing wheels and then assemble?
2. I have some scratch remover, Hut plastic polish, and EEE cream; Should I apply any or all first before going to buffing wheels?
3. I have some Abralom 2000g, 4000g pads. Should I use them on the blank before going to buffing wheels?

Any thoughts or ideas is greatly appreciated. This is for a Jr. Gent pen that is being donated to a charity for auction.

Joe

 

[oneptbuk]

There is a video on the Exoticblanks.com website that Ed put together with GF Woodturners Finish. Very helpful for me and worked well on the bottle stoppers I used it on.

Wood Turners Finish - 2 oz

 

[raar25]

I do EEE, Hut and then buff.

 

[Joe Burns]

I appreciate it everyone.

Dave I have seen Ed's video before. Its the reason I was trying the finish. It tells you how to apply the finish but not what to do afterwards.

Raar, I followed suit today and it worked great. It comes out almost as good as a CA finish and much easier to work with.

I did post the assembled pen under the show off your pen forum a few minutes ago.

Joe

 

[ed4copies]

After what you see on the video, I waited for several days for the finish to "cure", then buffed it on a tripoli-dressed wheel and a white-diamond follow-up wheel.

This gave me a very high shine.

 

[Joe Burns]

Appreciate it Ed. Its a great product. I believe its going to become my go to finish for wood pens instead of CA.

Joe

 

[ed4copies]

I will try it on some olive wood as soon as I get time---see if I can see why it got dark.

Looks GREAT, I just want to tell people what to expect!!

 

[Joe Burns]

Cool. I probably went over kill and did 20 layers. Waited overnight then used:

light use of Abralom 4000 pad.
Then EEE
Then Hut's plastic polish
Then used the buffing wheels.

Joe

 

[mdburn_em]

Cool. I probably went over kill and did 20 layers. Waited overnight then used:

light use of Abralom 4000 pad.
Then EEE
Then Hut's plastic polish
Then used the buffing wheels.

Joe

I think you went
Forward
Backward
Forward
Backward
with that process

 

[raar25]

Joe may be right about going backward, I do EEE after 600 grit abralon which I am told is the equivalent of 2400 grit. So you may be able to cut out a couple steps. From my experience using the above technicque after 600 grit gives me a glass like finish on nearly everything and no scratches under 10X. Note I buff lengthwise using a plastic buffing compound.

 

[yaroslaw]

I've received 2oz of WTF from Exotics (actually, as a gift, as I asked about it after payment for the rest and before shipment, thanks Ed!).
Tryed on few pens, still not comfortable with it.

So my questions are:
1) what to put UNDER WTF? Shellac sanding finish, thin CA, BLO/other oil?
I do not like the idea to put "water" straight on wood, and water does change color of the wood very differently then oils or CA. BOW darkened, for example.
And I would like to avoid CA, because - OK, if we start to use CA, why then switch to WTF? I would use CA from start to end then, would be faster (can sand and buff same hour, not waiting overnight).

2) What applicator to use? I tried paper towels (useless, tears in seconds) and cotton material from old napkin. And I have BIG ridges. As with bad CA application. So then I need to wait overnight to start sanding them... Too much time... And still it can go wrong and cutting through the finish.

So need your advice in that. Yes, I've seen Ed's video.
And just few days ago I've got comfortable with CA/BLO finish (after switching a brand, actually), so I'm still total newbie

 

[ed4copies]

I've received 2oz of WTF from Exotics (actually, as a gift, as I asked about it after payment for the rest and before shipment, thanks Ed!).
Tryed on few pens, still not comfortable with it.

So my questions are:
1) what to put UNDER WTF? Shellac sanding finish, thin CA, BLO/other oil?
I do not like the idea to put "water" straight on wood, and water does change color of the wood very differently then oils or CA. BOW darkened, for example.
And I would like to avoid CA, because - OK, if we start to use CA, why then switch to WTF? I would use CA from start to end then, would be faster (can sand and buff same hour, not waiting overnight).

2) What applicator to use? I tried paper towels (useless, tears in seconds) and cotton material from old napkin. And I have BIG ridges. As with bad CA application. So then I need to wait overnight to start sanding them... Too much time... And still it can go wrong and cutting through the finish.

So need your advice in that. Yes, I've seen Ed's video.
And just few days ago I've got comfortable with CA/BLO finish (after switching a brand, actually), so I'm still total newbie

I always try to start comments on penmaking with the statement: "This is MY way, not the ONLY way or the BEST way, just MY way"!

With that in mind,

I would wait overnight for CA too, I believe that any "finish" coat should be well on it's way to "curing" before it is buffed.
Why not use CA from start to finish? Because it is unpredictable. Several people have shown pens that developed "clouding" weeks or months after they were sold---so I am looking for a more stable finish.
Why would I believe "Woodturners Finish" is more stable? Because it is derived from a floor finish. I think floors get even more wear than pens!!!

What applicator to use?

I used a sponge. Forces you to get a fairly even distribution of the product, which will be likely to eliminate your "BIG RIDGES". I DO sand with 400 or 600 grit before I buff with tripoli, just to make the pen "feel smooth".

To answer all those who will say I "push" WTF because I sell it, I have the advantage of being able to SELECT the products I sell. So, I SELL it because of the number of local turners who think it is GREAT!!!

Good luck with your finishing, no matter what method you decide is best for you!!!

Ed

 

[srf1114]

Good info. I'm looking for CA alternatives as well, my allergic reaction to it is actually keeping me out of the shop for days at a time now.

On a more funny note, I'm thinking you guys like to use the acronym WTF almost as much as the using the product.

 

[ed4copies]

Good info. I'm looking for CA alternatives as well, my allergic reaction to it is actually keeping me out of the shop for days at a time now.

On a more funny note, I'm thinking you guys like to use the acronym WTF almost as much as the using the product.

In my best "Ed McMahon voice": YOU are CORRECT sir!!!:biggrin::biggrin::biggrin:

 

[keithkarl2007]

Does this finish work on amalgam mutt blanks?

 

[yaroslaw]

Ed, 1st question remain unanswered for me.
What do you put under WTF in usual routine?

On video you have shown CA, but you have stressed several times that you use CA because it's burl.
If it is not a burl, so what? You mentioned blo, but my main question is - do you need to seal the wood before WTF? What sealer do you use for regular routine, when you do not need to reinforce the wood?

I'd like to use wtf instead of CA, because CA is eyes irritating when cures (I do not have dust extractor, so I always use chemical respirator to keep away dust - and chemicals - from lungs).

Thanks!

 

[TerryDowning]

In my experience (admittedly once on a bowl) WTF being water based will raise the grain if no prior sealing is done. (BLO, CA, whaever else). No big deal really, just sanded smooth and pressed on with the next coat. Not sure how that would play out on a pen though, I have yet to try WTF on a pen.

 

[ed4copies]

I have asked for an opinion from General Finishes---will let you know their reply!!

 

[KenV]

General Finishes sells a "sanding sealer" which I have been using since before they consumed Convergent Technologies (I think that is the name of the company that sold Enduro finishes).

Good stuff that goes under several GF coatings includung the Enduro line and the Pre-Cat finish.

It is an effective sanding sealer, but just got WTF this week and have not tried it over the sanding sealer.

 

[yaroslaw]

I've bought something called "siccative" in paint shop yesterday. Used by artist to dilute paints, it is by guess some oil with a bit of mineral spirit (very light odor) and a lot of siccatives (circonium based). Used it with a bit of raw linseed oil (it is a pain to find BLO here...) - and it dries lightning fast, in something like 5 min it feels tacky. Artist at shop said that it dryes a least drying paint in day or two, with BLO - 6-7 days. Waited few hours, lightly sanded and applied WTF. Turned great, and had a nice "oil-popped" color.
Siccative is from some French company. And it is FAST accelerator to CA! Could not find any CA accelerator here in Ukraine, so this is a bonus


With sponge it is more convinient, but I guess it is a matter of how much pressure do you use and how much WTF do you add before each application.

 

[raar25]

FYI, minwax makes a water based sanding sealer that I use under WTF.

 

[ghostrider]

Bumping this one.

How does this work on oily woods like Cocobolo, or Lignum Vitae?

Is a sanding sealer needed?

 

[MikeL]

This is a fairly old thread that I am interested in hearing more about. A question was asked what to put under WTF and I think Ed asked General Finishes for a recommendation. I didn't see the answer. What are turners using as the step prior to applying WTF? Does BLO work good? I am looking for CA alternatives but with the same mirror gloss finish CA provides. Thanks.

 

[mark james]

Just watched Ed's video... Know what I'm ordering this week!

 

[Deadhead]

Below is a link to a thread I started on how I apply WTF.

This past weekend I "stumbled" across a slightly differant way. With the lathe off I wipe it on length wise with a make up sponge; which leaves no swirl marks; I then turn the lathe on at low speed (650 rpms for my lathe) for a minute and during the last 20 to 30 seconds use a hair dryer on low. I'm waiting a few more days and then will buff.

http://www.penturners.org/forum/f28/wtf-update-115048/