Newbie Question - Finish

[Rusty Elam]

I am brand new to this turning world, just got a Jet 12/36 used about a week ago. All I have done so far is make some square things round and practice beads and coves and tapers to get used to using the tools, and let me add WOW this is fun.
My question though is about finishing. I have been doing flat work for years and mostly spray water based or use hand rubbed oil finishes with varnish.
The guy who talked me into this told me he only used the Hut bars and then followed with the Crystal Coat.
Having tried this on some of my practice work I find it a little lacking compared to the "deeper look" that I get with the finishes I have used before.
So my question is, what do you guys suggest?
I will mostly be making pens, tool handles, and might try a bowl or something when I think I am up to it.
Rusty

[David Walser]

Rusty,

My standard finish (which goes on about half what I turn) is Deft semi-gloss lacquer applied as follows: After sanding, apply Deft with a brush on the lathe in one heavy coat. Allow the lacquer to soak into the wood for about a minute and then wipe off the excess with a paper towel. Then, turn on the lathe and "friction set" the lacquer by holding a clean paper towel firmly against the turning. (The heat from the friction cures the lacquer very quickly.) About this time I usually choose to take a 15 minute break. Then, if I'm looking for a deeper film finish, I'll apply several more brush on/wipe off coats of Deft. Otherwise, I'll cut back the Deft will 0000 steel wool using a quality paste wax as a lubricant.

For a gloss finish: After the lacquer has had a chance to cure fully (two or three days or weeks in most places, about two or three hours here in Arizona), I'll buff the finish using Don Pencil's PL buffing compound.

If I don't use Deft, then I'll typically use Walnut oil, mineral oil, or even paint, as my finish.

HTH

[Brian George]

For opens, I started out using Mylands cellulose sander sealer after sanding to 12000 grit with micro mesh. Afterr first coat of Mylands I used 0000 steel wool lightly and applied another coat of Mylands and 0000 again. Then I went to the friction polish finish with a coat of Renaissance Wax.

I now use 4 coats wipe on poly instead of friction polish. Friction polish turned out to be not tough enough.

For those very high end fountain pens I make I now use 4 coats of medium thick CA glue, sanding between each coat with 400 grit, if necessary, and finishing off with 0000 and Hut liquid polish.

[Mike Minto]

"when i think i am up to it"; hah - you crack me up! in 6 months you'll be taking out a second mortgage to buy a new, bigger lathe! mike

[Bernie Weishapl]

I use about 3 or 4 finishes depending on what I am turning. I use Deft spray can lacquer on small turnings such as mini birdhouses, ornaments, lidded boxes, etc. On hollow forms I use mostly Antique Oil by Minwax. On bowls I use mostly waterlox gloss or General Finishes seal-a-cell followed by arm-r-seal. Friction polish such as Crystal Coat or Mylands Friction polish may be good for pens but on bigger items just won't hold up. 3 yrs ago I made some bottle stoppers and used the friction type polishes. They didn't hold up at all. I refinished most of them a year later with lacquer.

[Kyle Iwamoto]

There's so many ways to finish. My favorite was tung oil, but that just got replaced by Antique Oil, I also use Watco Danish oil, Wipe on Poly as well as the tung oil. Actually, as brought up by someone, it's Minwax tung oil, which is a tung oil blend, not pure tung oil.
The HUT bars work only to a certain degree. I used to use it to put on that fast finish, and drop on a coat of tung oil to deepen the glow. I'm such a cheapskate, I hate to throw away something I bought. I used the HUT bars when I was doing pens. Tried it on bowls, and it works okay, if you top it with oil. If you're in a hurry, that gives a 1 day finish. Hard to finish match the foot though. No vacuum chuck for me.

[Rusty Elam]

Thanks for the info guys, I kind of figured it would be one of those " it depends" things. I just wondered what most people recommend.
As in most things in woodworking it appears to be a trial and error process.
I have read about some people using CA as a finish, but knowing myself I get a picture of me calling my wife on my cell phone with my "free" hand saying go to the store and get some releasing agent.
Rusty

[Scott Conners]

If you are confident in a type of finish you now use, it should work just as well on turnings too. I use mostly what you use as well, and avoid friction finishes except on quick "giveaway" type items such as mushrooms or tops.