Smokin

[GBusardo]

Last night I was turning a teacher's pen, Zircote, Curly Maple and Bloodwood. MM to 12000. Halfway through MM I noticed the open pores or the zircote were filling white. I kinda figures it was the maple dust, even though I took care not to get the MM I used on the maple on the zircote. I know from experience, that if this happens, I can EEE polish/wax the blank and it will clean the pores. I then used MM again to 12000. I planned on using Myland's 3 step on the pen. I applied the sealer, no problems. I started using the friction polish on the bloodwood and maple, no problems. I applied the friction polish to the zircote and as I started to burn it in, it litterally burned. This happened real fast. The wood was charred and the rag was burnt. I thought it had something to do with the EEE polish. I resanded the blank and finished it with no problems. Any ideas?? I have burnt the rag with CA before, but not like this with friction polish.

 

[redfishsc]

Could be the solvent used in EEE. If it has a lower flash point than, say, friction polish, that may be the culprit. Not sure why only on the zircote though. I've yet to play with that delicacy.


BTW you can make EEE in a DIY paste. Just take some tripoli, grind it up in a spare blender with water. Let it settle out in the bottom, pour off the water, and dry the remaining mud on a paper plate for a day or two. Add in some mineral spirits or your favorite cheap paste wax in a 50/50 mix. I'd assume you can do this with white diamond also for an even smoother polish (not that it compares to mm 12,000 but should make a nice paste polish).

 

[GBusardo]

Thanks Red, It has to be the EEE because I only used it on the Zircote to the white specks out. I haven't been using the EEE as much as I used to since I bought the MM. Which gives me motivation to post another question that has been bugging me. Thanks also for the info on making paste.
Gary