BLO and Beal Buffing

[Bruce Schoenleber]

It goes on to talk about it being soft. I wonder if this softness prevents suitable buffing, perhaps smearing the surface on a microscopic levelinstead of polishing it. Guessing here.


JKJ

That may well be the problem in which case a washboarding effect could be the unintended result.

I have read Mr Flexner's book and the chapter on oils at least twice, though it has been a few years. As I recall he had tung (pure) oil and BLO as quite similar, yet with tung oil having better water resistance (though still not much) and BLO more darkening. I don't recall much if any discussion on buffing. As you mention, his book is geared toward general finishing, not the quirkiness of turning.

I too prefer the luster of oil finishes over the high sheen glossy look provided from many coats of WOP, though on some woods the WOP finish can be a head turner. I like both AO and DO products and will mostly stick with them, but my inner ADD just wanted to try out the straight oils. I think I'll take a couple of scraps, prepare one with BLO, the other with tung, three or four coats each over a week or so, let sit a couple of months and then buff.

Thank you for the time and consideration you put into your responses John.
Bruce

[John K Jordan]

Excellent topic.

I'm interested to hear what you learn with your tests, should be of interest to everyone. Perhaps throw in a test with Walnut oil too and even others that people commonly use. Maybe try one with BLO, dry, then top coat with Danish and buff. This could make a nice magazine article! I am wondering if your scraps could be a turned cylinder or one with a series of shallow beads to better represent the compound curves of a turned piece (to see better how the light reflects)

Hey, along with buffing with the Beall, have you ever tried hand polishing? I've done that occasionally, most recently on hard ebony (without any finish at all) using a polish sold for plastics and one sold for metals.

Another surface I really like is an oil finish rubbed down with rottenstone (on a cloth pad dampened with a bit of oil) to get a satin finish. I used that once on a gunstock (following pumice) with excellent results. Pumice and rottenstone with oil will fill pores too. I've rottenstone both with Watco and with Tru-Oil which I understand has a polymerized oil as the base. Tru-Oil is one of my favorites for small turnings but not fast! It can build to a deep gloss also - apparently some guitar makers love it.

BTW, one more thought and I go out to feed the llamas. On a Beads of Courage box I recently tried a finish recommended by several people but new to me: Krylon spray acrylic. As with most turnings, I topped it off with Renaissance Wax. What a disaster! I don't know if I did something wrong like not let it dry enough or used too many coats or what, but the solvent in the wax softened the acrylic and made a big mess. I had to remove it, sand, and reapply. The MSDS says Renaissance Wax contains "white spirit" which I understand is a UK name for mineral spirits. Investigating this is another experiment on my list.

JKJ

[Bruce Schoenleber]

I fear you over estimate me John. I am a man of many afflictions, ADD, OCD and probably not last and certainly not least ELD (Extreme Lazy Disorder).

I have used Krylon Acrylic rattle can, can't remember what on exactly, but definitely as a top coat on something I wanted a little shiny that I had dyed and did not want the colors to smear. Did not try to wax afterward. Guess I got lucky with that. On the many threads regarding Beall buffing, I noticed that quite a few folk use Ren. Wax in place of the carnuba; the claim being better non-water spotting and no finger prints. I do like the Renaissance Wax, but have never buffed it out, just spun the piece with a piece of paper towel, seems pretty sturdy.

I have not tried any hand polishing of bare wood, seems like that may lend itself to oily wood types, teak, cocobolo and the likes, I have no experience with any of those. I mostly use FORD wood and the occasional nice cutoff piece from a hardwood supplier (that is where the Sapele came from which started this thing).

Best regards,
Bruce

[Stephen Walker]

I've buffed it....works fine as long as it is good and dry.
Only reason I can think that they don't "recommend" it, is that it will never build to a glossy finish because of the lack of poly.

[Leo Van Der Loo]

I use the Polymerized Tung Oil (PTO) because it gets harder and smoother than the Tung oil that has not been heat treated, and so the PTO can be buffed much better if a higher gloss is required/wanted.

Waiting to have the PTO harden more does give a better result as I have found to be the case.

[John K Jordan]

I fear you over estimate me John. I am a man of many afflictions, ADD, OCD and probably not last and certainly not least ELD (Extreme Lazy Disorder).
...On the many threads regarding Beall buffing, I noticed that quite a few folk use Ren. Wax in place of the carnuba; the claim being better non-water spotting and no finger prints. I do like the Renaissance Wax, but have never buffed it out, just spun the piece with a piece of paper towel, seems pretty sturdy.

I can identify. I was born with ADHHHDD and never grew out of it. With PP (Perpetual Procrastination) and 13 projects always going at once I'm surprised I get anything done. Keeps the kindergartners entertained.

I apply Renaissance Wax with a small cloth then buff it by hand with another cloth. I do know people who use it directly on bare wood as a soft finish.

JKJ

[robert baccus]

Almost all high quality guitars are finished with SS & lacquer and buffed with auto compounds to the gloss wanted. Easy and durable.