Finishing w/ Minwax Clear Gloss Poly

[dankc908]

I have seen numerous posts concerning finishing a pen with Minwax Clear Gloss Poly. I am thinking that this might solve 2 potential problems for me. The first is that I have some redheart I bought on sale at Rockler. I think this poly will solve the problem of redheart fading due to UV exposure. Second problem is that it is too cold in my shop to use the BLO/CA finish I've been using. Will the poly work in this regard?

I am, also, wondering how people apply this - lathe off? lathe on? How long does one wait to apply the next coat? Should I have bought the "Wipe On" poly or did I buy the correct one ("Fast-Drying Polyurethane")?

Sorry for so many questions, however, I have a number of wood blanks ready for turning and I'd like to try this finish if it will work. I would appreciate any and all ideas re: this.

Many Thanks!
Dan :embarrassed:

 

[Mack C.]

I have seen numerous posts concerning finishing a pen with Minwax Clear Gloss Poly. I am thinking that this might solve 2 potential problems for me. The first is that I have some redheart I bought on sale at Rockler. I think this poly will solve the problem of redheart fading due to UV exposure. Second problem is that it is too cold in my shop to use the BLO/CA finish I've been using. Will the poly work in this regard?

I am, also, wondering how people apply this - lathe off? lathe on? How long does one wait to apply the next coat? Should I have bought the "Wipe On" poly or did I buy the correct one ("Fast-Drying Polyurethane")?

Sorry for so many questions, however, I have a number of wood blanks ready for turning and I'd like to try this finish if it will work. I would appreciate any and all ideas re: this.

Many Thanks!
Dan :embarrassed:

Hi Dan; Here it is in the library; everything you want to know about finishing with poly. Written by a Canadian penturner by the way!

http://content.penturners.org/articles/2008/minwaxfinish.pdf

 

[mredburn]

I use 1/4 in all thread rod from the hardware store to finish my blanks in poly. I cut them to length so they only hold one blank. I make small bushings from delrin or other plastic bushing I can get at the hardware store. then i make up a board with 5/16th holes drilled in it to hold the home made mandrels. Drying time will depend on tempature. Brush on polys are reg polys just cut down with minieral spirits. You can cut yours down if you want to try it thinner or faster drying. You will have to apply more coats. If im having a problem with the poly drying I put them in an oven warmed to 125 degrees turn the oven off and let them sit in the oven as it slowly cools down. If you try and spin the blanks as you apply the poly, the edges of the strip of towel leave little ridges both on the lead and trailing edges. You can apply it while spinning at the lowest speed you can by cutting your shop towel to the width of the blank. Fold the towel in half the long way, dip it in poly and apply to the blank gently. this applies poly across the entire blank at once. this is a medium thicknes, to thick and it will run but you dont want to wipe it all back off. This coat will allow you to fill open grain woods and voids. I sand most of the first coat off to level the surface. I have filled large voids this way over several applications. it does take more time. Mike

 

[tgraytn]

So it takes 4 hours drying time between each coat?

Thanks!

 

[Rmartin]

Poly creates a nice hard finish, but in reality, it takes as much as 30 days to fully cure. Wipe-on while turning would take many many coats. Maybe 3 or 4 coats would equal 1 CA coat. Spray on or dipping would be the way to go. Time to cure is the only draw back.

Lacquer is not as hard, but will fully cure much faster, maybe within a week. Lacquer is also much more forgiving when adding layers even after sanding. I have had great success using spray gloss lacquer. Yellowing is not as much a problem with today's lacquer. Depending on the weather, coats can be applied every 15 minutes. But it needs the time to cure or it can be scratched easily. That's why I switched to CA, but I don't get the really knock out shine as I did with lacquer.

One last thought, you might try a plexy-glass finish. Goes on much like CA, but I don't think it's as weather sensitive.

 

[JimB]

Dan - I use the same poly you mention. I am rarely in a hurry so the dry time doesn't bother me. I apply all coats by hand off the lathe. I usually let the first coat dry 24 hours and then very lightly sand by hand to remove any ridges. Each coat after that I let dry 12 hours and usually light sand the first 3 or 4 coats but don't sand after that. I'll MM to 12000 the last coat on the lathe. I then clean up the ends.

Basically I'm using the same process that the tutorial here on IAP shows with a couple of small variations. I have not done many pens this way but the ones I've done I have been happy with.

 

[dankc908]

Many thanks to all of you. You have, definitely, pointed me in the right direction.

Dan

 

[GouletPens]

I hate to burst your bubble, but there's not really anything more practical than CA. Bottom line is if your shop is too cold to apply CA it's certainly going to be too cold to apply lacquer, plexi, or poly. You need to warm up your shop! If that's just not an option for you, you could always use a heat lamp pointed at your blank on the lathe to keep the piece warm, and keep the CA (or whatever) near another (safe!) heater, so at least the material will be warm enough to use if the whole shop is cold. You could build a small box, drill a hole in the top and use a halogen lightbulb to keep the inside of the box warm....that would be if you're doing lacquer or poly. Bottom line is, if your shop is too cold to apply CA for 30 minutes how in the world are you going to keep the lacquer or poly warm enough to cure for over a week straight (or more)? You just have to warm up your shop.

Also, I can tell you, throw out the redheart. It doesn't matter what kind of finish you put on that crap, a couple of weeks in the sun and that thing will lose all of its red and become a nasty, ugly brown. It's one of those woods that seriously looses it's color, and it's certainly not worth fighting for. If you want a good alternative (although, it's a little tougher and is slightly less stable) is bloodwood, aka 'satine'. I fell in love with redheart when I first started turning pens, must have made 30 of them, then to my horror I found out the all turned to sh**. Even the ones I had sitting in my shop with no sunlight exposure all turned brown. It's just what the wood does.

 

[jttheclockman]

Also, I can tell you, throw out the redheart. It doesn't matter what kind of finish you put on that crap, a couple of weeks in the sun and that thing will lose all of its red and become a nasty, ugly brown. It's one of those woods that seriously looses it's color, and it's certainly not worth fighting for. If you want a good alternative (although, it's a little tougher and is slightly less stable) is bloodwood, aka 'satine'. I fell in love with redheart when I first started turning pens, must have made 30 of them, then to my horror I found out the all turned to sh**. Even the ones I had sitting in my shop with no sunlight exposure all turned brown. It's just what the wood does.

I would not be so fast to dismiss Redheart. There are different spiecies of redheart or at least they come from different countries. Mexico is the normal place. Yes I agree some redheart does turn a dull brown but if you get something with some nice grain and black streak and some light colored sap wood it can be a striking wood. Also I found that if I use a marine varnish on it I have very little change in color. Here is a cross I made about 6 years ago and it still has its redish color and it sits on a table. Granted it is not in direct sunlight but normally that would have turned brown. Brian mentions bloodwood as an alternative and yes the red color will last forever if that is the color you are after but you will not get much grain deflection with it. Also mentioned "satine", this is a bloodwood and is now sold as such but if you want true red and true bloodwood you need to find some South American redwood and that will blow away any Satine redwood for sure.

I included a photo of the cross I mentioned and it is hard to take a photo of an item that has brass on it. The cross is made from redheart and red oak and the lettering and symbols are high polished brass. There is red stained glass in the cutouts in the steps also. All this was cut with a scrollsaw. Just thought I would throw this in there to show an example of the redheart.