Buffing poly wipe on finish??

[lynn smith]

When you buff your poly wipe on finish do you use any buffing compound, polish, or wax?
Thanks

[Steve Schlumpf]

Lynn - I use all 3 compounds with the Bealle buffing system. Make sure you have enough coats of finish on and that they are good and dry before buffing.

[Bill Bolen]

What Steve said + the finish must be cured prior to buffing. It is not cured till you can no longer smell it when up close. Could take a week or two to get to that point. Buff too early and you will likely burn through a spot or three...Bill..

[Judy Kingery]

Lynn,

Ditto what's been said. I often use a wipe-on poly. Be sure it's dry through and through, then I like to buff on-lathe with a secret wax Marvin made. Polishes up to a real nice, deep satin finish, nice and warm, soft to the touch. But sure, you can buff/wax over polyurethane. I've done that a lot and for several years, and the pieces I've kept, the finish wears quite well, no problem.

Best to you,

Jude

[Ron McKinley]

"I like to buff on-lathe with a secret wax Marvin made."

Hi Jude. What's the secret wax that Marvin makes? Who is Marvin? Thanks....Ron

[David Walser]

Lynn,

Don Pencil recently came out with a finer buffing compound than white diamond. It's for use on plastics and film finishes, such as lacquer. That's what I'd use.

Here's a link to Don's website: http://donpencil.com/

[lynn smith]

Thanks for the replies everyone

[Jim Becker]

Lynn, just keep in mind that the reason polyurethane finishes exist is for abrasion resistance...they were originally intended for floors. Therefore, they do not buff out as easily or as well as non-poly varnishes will simply because buffing IS abrasion. You may want to consider trying some other oil based varnish products on your turnings to see what works best for you.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Lynn - Jim is correct but I have found a way to get around that issue. I have found through experience that what Jim said is true - if you start out with brush marks on your turning - chances are buffing will not remove all of it.

The cure - once you are finished applying the poly (I usually try to get 5 to 7 coats) make sure you let it cure for at least a few days. Then - when you are sure it is dry - lightly sand the turning (I use 320 sanding sponge) and make sure you sand out all brush marks or defects in your finish. The nice gloss that the poly gives you to start with will turn to a dull matt finish with the sanding. That is what you want - just make sure the finish looks even - meaning everything is matt with no gloss anywhere!

Next - buff out the turning using all 3 wheels with the Bealle system. Make sure you keep the turning moving so the buffing wheels don't burn through your finish. You will love the way the poly comes to life after the white diamond wheel! Try it and see if it doesn't work for you.

Jim also has a good point of trying additional finishes to see what you really like to work with. They all have their advantages/disadvantages but like anything else out there - there are ways to overcome them!

[Mike Minto]

Casewell Plating also sell extremely fine abrasives and very soft buffing wheels for plastics. They have the lowest prices I've found, too. I've been a satisfied repeat customer of theirs for a while, now.

[lynn smith]

Thanks again,
I don't have a Bealle system at this time.
I use a cloth wheel on my drill motor with the piece turning on the lathe.
So I was think more on the polishing abrasives.
Steve, Thanks for the additional prep info. about sanding the piece before polishing.

[Gary Conklin]

From Caswell Inc.

So, I have been wanting a buffing setup for my lathe. I didn't want all that came with the Beall sys, so this is what I endedup getting, to use with my drill chuck. It was a little cheaper than the Beall sys but not much. Hey every little bit helps...right! BTW who has some tips and tricks for using this?

1x BRBC5 Brown Buffing Compound$5.32
1x CFW10 Canton Flannel WheelHole Size: 1/2"$4.79
2x CW87 Loose Cotton WheelHole Size: 1/2"$5.99
1x WBC5 White Buffing Compound$6.50
3x AA275 Arbor Adapter$4.63

With shipping just over $52.00

[David Walser]

From Caswell Inc.

So, I have been wanting a buffing setup for my lathe. I didn't want all that came with the Beall sys, so this is what I endedup getting, to use with my drill chuck. It was a little cheaper than the Beall sys but not much. Hey every little bit helps...right! BTW who has some tips and tricks for using this?

1x BRBC5 Brown Buffing Compound$5.32
1x CFW10 Canton Flannel WheelHole Size: 1/2"$4.79
2x CW87 Loose Cotton WheelHole Size: 1/2"$5.99
1x WBC5 White Buffing Compound$6.50
3x AA275 Arbor Adapter$4.63

With shipping just over $52.00

That's not a bad price. However, it's not an apples to apples comparison. The Caswell wheels are 1/2" thick. The wheels from Beall are about 2" thick. (At least that's how thick the wheels from Don Pencil are; I believe the wheels from Beall are as thick.) So, it takes about 4 of Caswell's wheels to equal a wheel from Beall. You might not feel you need or want a 2" thick wheel. That's okay. You can save some dough using the thinner Caswell offering. On the other hand, it helps to explain why the wheels from Pencil and Beall are a bit more money. (The 8" wheels from Don Pencil are about $15, which is about what 4 of Caswell's 8" wheels would run.)

[Mike Minto]

i think it also depends on the texture of the buffing wheel you want - the Doumet and Canton wheels from Caswell are much softer than the others mentioned - the finish they leave is superb (as is with the other systems, as well); i just prefer them; i sold my beall to replace it with the Caswell stuff.