Simple non CA shiny finish

[mmayo]

I have posted about this before, but I felt the need to stress the ease of this finishing method. It uses General Finishes Wood Turners Finish (WTF), 400/1000 grit sandpaper and a Beall Buffing System. There are no obnoxious fumes and eye watering vapors with this finish, it has almost no odor. WTF is a floor finishing compound that was modified to use in pen turning and it is cheap at around $13. It is very tough and will resist hand oils etc. If you try it notice how hard the small paper towels are after they dry.

Turn your wood blanks and sand to 400 or 800 grit
Clean with DNA and let dry
Apply 6-8 coats of WTF with 1,000 grit sanding between each coat. It takes mine about 15 minutes to dry between coats.
(I watch TV or work at the Gallery N Gifts and time is not critical)
Sand lightly after the last coat with 1,000 grit
Buff using all three buffs on the Beall buffing system

The result is an absolutely smooth to the touch finish that still retains the grain pores of the wood and a very nice permanent shine.

The photo shows the shine of two smooth wood and one open pore bocote seam rippers.

 

[BeeAMaker]

I've just started using WTF and started thinking WTF??
I really like it! - WTF!

First attempt was this little bud vase, I used 2000grit between coats, got about 6 to 8 coats and it is hard like CA without the mess, fumes, and glued fingers. If you keep the coats thin it dries in about 2 minutes between coats.

 

[keithncsu]

WOW!! These two pictures/techniques tell me I'm doing my Dr. Woodshop's finish wrong (it is the same as WTF). I started using it after figure out I have a CA sensitivity. Never could get it to come out as shiny as I wanted. Then tried the Solarez route but couldn't get it quite perfected. So I went back to CA with lots of fan and ventilation action.

However, seeing these posts I think I'll give the other a try again!! I definitely wasn't sanding between coats. But I also wasn't letting it dry at all. I was just running them back to back after letting each one get heated up really good.

 

[keithncsu]

**sorry, double post**

 

[mmayo]

If they are the same, try again. I'll stick to the general finishes product. I have lots of bottles of various products that DID NOT WORK imo. This is a keeper. I have 30-40 pens finished with it, numerous seam ripper, bottle stoppers and shave kits. It rocks as a respiratory system safe system. I still do CA for my premium pens or when the blank defects require filling with something clear or mixed with sanding dust.

My nose thanks me

 

[TonyL]

I am not sure, but I do not think they are the same. I hope some one can answer this. Separately, here's Ed's video on the WTF: https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=Ed+brown+wood+turner%27s+finish&&view=detail&mid=0A0760DCFC5E6E59A5C60A0760DCFC5E6E59A5C6&FORM=VRDGAR

 

[keithncsu]

If I recall from some old posts on here, the "Dr." makes his same stuff under the generic name as sort of a private label for Woodcraft/etc. But I could be wrong.

 

[mmayo]

I use and like the stuff Ed used in his video. I too use about seven coats, but usually not on the lathe. Sometimes it is nice to do some procedures away from the lathe. I managed two seam rippers and five pens "at work" at the Gallery N Gifts. Wait time usually depended on customer flow or phone calls. The pens look great even before buffing, but will be spectacular after the Beall treatment. My advice buy a Beall on lathe buff and love it.

 

[ajollydds]

Keith, here is a great tutorial. It's time consuming, but if you follow it you should get the results you're after.
Doctors Wood Shop Pen Finish Tutorial

http://www.penturners.org/forum/showthread.php?t=110276

 

[BeeAMaker]

Another I did last night using WTF

 

[theHullTurn]

That looks nice! How durable is this finish after everyday use? Does it hold up well?

 

[BeeAMaker]

That looks nice! How durable is this finish after everyday use? Does it hold up well?

I've only just started using WTF, so only time will tell. However WTF was originally created for hardwood floors so I think it will be fairly durable.

 

[mmayo]

Nice and smooth.

How about these? Seven coats of lathe and buffed with the Beall.

 

[mmayo]

Tough like floor finish that has to have foot traffic

That looks nice! How durable is this finish after everyday use? Does it hold up well?

The stuff is tough and the shine persists unlike shellac, wax, walnut oil, BLO/CA etc. I'm sold when the item does not require CA.

 

[Brotherdale]

Has anyone had success with WTF on stabilized burls? i have tried it 2 times now. The first unsuccessful I blamed my self maybe I didnt get it clean enough before applying the finish. I tried again today and again I have shiny and dull spots. I made sure this time I cleaned several times with DNA.
I have used it successfully on hardwoods.

 

[mmayo]

It works on stabilized wood for me

Has anyone had success with WTF on stabilized burls? i have tried it 2 times now. The first unsuccessful I blamed my self maybe I didnt get it clean enough before applying the finish. I tried again today and again I have shiny and dull spots. I made sure this time I cleaned several times with DNA.
I have used it successfully on hardwoods.

The shave set above is all stabilized with stick fast stabilization method. It turned very well and was very quick to show a shine with General Finishes WTF. For me it was easy with no dull spots. I guess I wish all wood I turned was stabilized. I let each coat of WTF dry for 2-5 minutes before sanding or applying the next coat. Some are faster than me.

 

[magpens]

I really appreciate everyone's comments on WTF. . Thanks.

 

[liljohn1368]

Where can I get some of the wtf?

 

[BeeAMaker]

Where can I get some of the wtf?

https://www.exoticblanks.com/Woodturners-Finish-Choose-Size.html

 

[Brotherdale]

Has anyone had success with WTF on stabilized burls? i have tried it 2 times now. The first unsuccessful I blamed my self maybe I didnt get it clean enough before applying the finish. I tried again today and again I have shiny and dull spots. I made sure this time I cleaned several times with DNA.
I have used it successfully on hardwoods.

The shave set above is all stabilized with stick fast stabilization method. It turned very well and was very quick to show a shine with General Finishes WTF. For me it was easy with no dull spots. I guess I wish all wood I turned was stabilized. I let each coat of WTF dry for 2-5 minutes before sanding or applying the next coat. Some are faster than me.

I tried again last night and failed. But I found the source of my problems, I think.
I was had 2 blanks on the mandrel and did one with CA and the other with WTF. I put 8 coats on each let them dry about 30 min. Since I don't have a buffer I decided to start about half way down my MM pads. I was wet sanding like I do with CA.
The finish looked great before sanding then it instantly fogged when I hit it with wet micro mesh.
How should I polish the WTF. Or how long should I wait to wet sand? The hardwood pen used it on looked fine without polishing.

 

[BeeAMaker]

WTF doesn't coat like CA does. Gotta give it a bit of time to dry between coats. Depending on what your doing that can be 2 - 10 min. with 8 coats it should pretty good as is, I lightly sand with 3000 grit between coast. If you want a really good shine, go straight to a high speed buff or use a plastic polish like Mothers or Novus. That usually works for me. Also, I sand the wood down to 2000 grit before applying WTF.

 

[mmayo]

I agree with BeeAMaker, let it dry (each coat and after the last coat). I know everyone wants to finish quickly, but leave it overnight. Sand it with 1000 grit and polish. Expect a bright shine.

 

[mmayo]

More evidence

Here are some freshly finished bottle stoppers. Six coats of General Finishes Wood Turner's Finish. Very smooth and glossy after buffing.

 

[JPW062]

The last coat has to cure over night before you buff or wet sand. It is water based.
With lathe on it will dry sufficiently for another coat in 5-7 minutes IME.

Holds up long term better than anything else I have seen. It doesn't look quite as good coming off the lathe IMO. A shellac/wax finish is still best for pens that are not going to be handled. Quite a few of the pens I have sold sit on shelves in on desks in their boxes.

 

[mmayo]

Wood Turners Finish rocks

Yes I agree, apply all the coats you wish and leave it overnight. Buff and beautiful.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Finish on first one on left very nice. Third one on right not so hot. But 2-3 hours to finish one pen plus turning time? Sorry, but not me cuppa.

 

[mmayo]

It could be the photographer (me), but when I brought that red one into put it on display today it sold in seconds the one on the left a minute later. They were all smooth and glossy everywhere. I left them overnight to dry and gently sanded them with 1200 grit and polished with all three buff on a Bealle System.

 

[Woodchipper]

Lots of good information here. Many thanks! I need to look into the Beal system. Wonder if the wife would like one for her birthday?

 

[JPW062]

But 2-3 hours to finish one pen plus turning time?

6 coats at 7 minutes a piece is 36 minutes. 10 coats is one hour. I put 12 on once and saw absolutely no added benefit. 6-8 is the sweet spot for me as long as I don't mess one up and have to fix it.

The actual process time is about the same as CA. It is lathe time that is killer. I have two lathes and an egg timer. When the timer goes off I put another coat on the finishing lathe which can easily hold a few pieces. Currently two for most kits, but I am trying to get a slightly longer bar that will hold 3 or possibly 4 using no-stick bushings.
If I finish 3 pieces at a time that is less than 15 minutes of electricity per piece. A fair trade for no noxious fumes.

 

[BeeAMaker]

There are pros and cons to both, and I still use both depending on what I am doing.

I like how CA gives a glass "feel" for somethings, but in some cases I want to still be able to feel the grain in wood. Here is a small bud vase I did for my sisters Christmas present. 5 coats of WTF, no polish. It would probably shine up even more if I polished it.

 

[keithncsu]

I think the answer is no, but want to make sure. After you put a coat, while you wait the 5-7 minutes is the lathe on?

 

[BeeAMaker]

I wait 2 or 3 min, I also wipe it on very thin. Multiple thin layers works best for me. I will usually lightly smooth with a 3000 grit wet/dry paper after a couple of coats. Knocks down any fibers that raise up.

I also do it still chucked in the lath with my Vac system on, This pulls air around the object and drys faster. I have done it with the Lath on, doesn't really seem to help dry it, and sometimes it will cause the WTF to ripple if you have it too thick, so I would suggest leaving it off, or lowest speed.

 

[JPW062]

Low speed.
It can dry in as fast as 3-4 minutes, but it is one of those things where if you rush it and it is still tacky you have a real mess. Easier for me to just give it a few extra minutes.