Sanding sealer re-visited

[mmayo]

I apologize twice that this might be old news or in the wrong section, but sanding sealer is my new best friend.

I bought this can to seal a vintage bass guitar and fill the grain. The luthier asked me to sand down the body and apply sealer until the body was smooth and well sealed. The can stayed idle until I moved and I used it as a first coat on some small projects. The results were great and I cut my number of coats in half and still achieved the same results. I tried a Mylands product on wood pens once and got tons of white dust in the grain. It could not be removed or sanded out so I stopped using it. This stuff is far cheaper, works and leaves dust that blows off easily. I just coated this huge project with it. The grain popped immediately.

My wooden pens may get some when I have the time to let the turned blank sit overnight after applying the sealer.

 

[KenV]

Shellac is good stuff. Be sure to give it a good top coat as shellac does not like water.

 

[mmayo]

I plan to sand with 400 grit and coat with 4-5 coats of a wipe on very good system 3 spar varnish. Thanks

PS I visited your state last year and was humbled over and over again. One day I saw over 100 bald eagles, it became kind of a joke - there is another one. Jokes aside, a spectacular state. The glaciers were amazing and we saw Denali for three days clearly, a rare treat I hear.

 

[jttheclockman]

I use it all the time. Dewaxed shellac. Good product.

 

[low_48]

Technically, you are not using sanding sealer. You are using a wood sealer. Sanding sealer is usually lacquer with zinc stearate added for the easy sanding. It is usually softer than lacquer because of the additives.

 

[bmachin]

Some interesting and informative articles on sanding sealer and shellac:

Michael Dresden: When to Use Sanding Sealer / Rockler How-to

Bob Flexner: Shellac as a sealer? It

Jeff Jewitt: Shellac- A Traditional Finish Still Yields Superb Results - Homestead Finishing Products

Probably not particularly relevant to pen turning, but all three of these guys are right at the top of the list.

Bill

 

[mmayo]

Proof in the finish pudding. The wood sealer and five thin coats of wipe on spar varnish made it glossy and smooth.