Buffing a finial

[Gary Chester]

This is probably a silly question... but what the heck, I haven't talked to you guys for a while.

I have a shiny little HF buffed with the Don Pencil system and I'd like the finial to be just as shiny. It has 3 coats of wipe on gloss poly like the HF, but there's no way it would survive those buffing wheels.

My guess would be to buff it by hand with, what? Johnsons paste wax? Just like all the cast iron in the shop?

I'll bet someone has a better idea...

[James Combs]

Can you post a photo of each for comparison?

My most recent pens using only CA and sanding the final coat of ~4 to 12000 grit with micro mesh seem to be "glass" glossy. You might try that.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Gary,

It might survive the buffing if you turn the finial to the same plane as the buffing wheel. In other words, the finial is buffed along it's length. That is the way I buff fragile things.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Gary - I rub mine out by hand and then apply a little Renaissance wax to protect it. If you want real glossy - then be sure to sand the finial to some higher grits. Hollow forms I only sand up to 320 grit - finials I take up to 1200. Makes a big difference in the finish.

To get the same feel as buffed - I use a small piece of brown paper grocery bag and rub out any small bumps/imperfections left in the finish.

Good luck with getting the look you want! Looking forward to seeing the finished piece!

[John Keeton]

Gary, it won't help you with this one as it is already off the lathe. But, on blackwood finials, I completely finish them in sections - starting at the tip. I sand to 2000, and apply Ren wax on the lathe with just the corner of a paper shop towel, give it a minute to dry, and buff with a dry corner of the shop towel at about 2500 rpm.

Since I started using the blackwood, I have not used anything else except ebony, and it was finished the same way. On the ebony finial with the spalted holly appliques, I applied brushing lacquer with the shop towel after 600 grit as I recall.

I think with other woods, one could do the same, but perhaps use shellac after about 600 sanding, then proceed up through the grits to a buffed wax.

IMO, it would seem that three coats of poly would fill in some of the fine detail on a finial and one might lose some crispness.

[Bernie Weishapl]

I sand my finials generally from 400 to 800. Sometimes to 1200. I use Melamine Lacquer on most that I do. I also like using abralon 1000, 2000, 4000 grit for polishing. Gives a extremely smooth and polished finish. I then apply Ren wax.

[Gary Chester]

Thanks all for the great ideas.

I might be able to get this one back on the lathe, if so, I'll wet sand, use some higher grits and some wax and that will have to do.

I'll be trying some of your more professional techniques on the next one.

Thanks.

[Mike Peace]

Probably too late for this one but UBeauts' EEE compound containing tripoli in a soft wax base works great on small items buffed on the lathe like finials and ornaments. Put on a small quatity and crank up the lathe to 1500-2500 rpm.