Mirror gloss finish?

[Bill Leonard]

Recently I was given the pleasure of going on board a Hinkley yacht. Very high dollar sailing vessel. I was absolutely dazzled by the "brightwork" (cabinets and wood trim). The gloss was so intense that you could literally shave from your reflection in the mahogany table top.
My question for you smart guys is How is this done? What technique or procedure produces this kind of result?

[Phil Phelps]

You can shave from the reflection of my Strat I refinished a couple of years ago. No secret. Automotive finishes, hours of wet/dry sanding, and polishing to a mirror finish. That's hard to do with egg 'n dart moulding on a raised panel door. At least for me. If you had a dust proof spray booth you'd bypass a few steps.

[David Thompson 27577]

Like Phil said, if you use automotive finishing methods, it's amazing how glossy you can get.

Build up numerous coats of lacquer -- sprayed is best, but you can also do it with brushing lacquer.

The start with maybe 400grit wet/dry sandpaper. Be careful not to sand through to the wood at the corners or on profiles. And use a block (or a cork block) on the flats.

Work your way up through the grits not skipping any, til you get to 2000. Note that it doesn't take much work at each grit, but each is needed.

After the 2000 grit, use an automotive polishing compound on a soft rag. Again, it won't take much time.

Of course, flatness of the underlying material is critical, since the shine will exagerate any fluctuations.

Good luck

[Tony Bilello]

I'm not sure, but I think Phil is refering to the 2K urethane finishes. Usually runs about $150/gal for the cheaper stuff. It lays real flat.
HInkley is one of the most expensive yachts, if not the most expensive. They spare no expense.

[Phil Phelps]

I'm not sure, but I think Phil is refering to the 2K urethane finishes. Usually runs about $150/gal for the cheaper stuff. It lays real flat.
HInkley is one of the most expensive yachts, if not the most expensive. They spare no expense.

Tony, I flipped through the color books at English Color. Picked an off white of a Porsch that I liked. It was probably a Dupont product. I think it was a pint at about $50. About three coats of color and then I started with clear coats, maybe four. It was the first time I used auto urethane on a guitar. I've done the same thing with industrial lacquers but they are really soft. You have to be very careful not to sand too far. It's a slow process any way you go.

[William M Johnson]

I live in Wichita (The Air Capital of the World) and had the same question becasue the cabinetry of jets is also high gloss. I took a tour of the plant that makes the cabinets.

It is done with lots of ladies standing at a carpet covered bench polishing the polish, respray, polish, respray, polish etc.

Lot's of eblow grease