Need help with finishing (WOP)

[Dan Cannon]

Hello everyone,

So as some of my other posts indicated, I'm not only new to turning, but to woodworking in general, so I need some guidance...I made a bowl out of a thin piece of wood, so it's very shallow, and thus, less of a utility bowl and more for display. This in mind, I decided to try a gloss WOP finish. So far so good, but no matter how hard I try to find a clean dust free room, I don't seem to be able to get a smooth surface without at least some dust or "fuzzies" in the finish. So far they come out with the light sanding I'm doing between coats, but what happens once I don't think I need another coat??

What should my final step be, it's apparent that I won't be able to leave the WOP untouched when I get it built up enough to my liking. Once I reach that point, is buffing what I need to do to get that nice-to-the-touch surface, or is buffing not enough to remove the fuzzies. I hate to hit it with abrasive and hurt the shine. I don't have any kind of buffing setup, so before I went to woodcraft, I thought I'd check with you all to make sure that's what I should be going for.

thanks in advance!
Dan

[Steve Schlumpf]

Dan - buffing does indeed remove all the little bumps and blemishes in the finish and gives you that glass smooth feel to the piece. The key to buffing is to use a slow speed and a very light pressure or you will burn through the finish. Also - make sure the WOP has dried for a few days (cured) or you will have a gummy mess when you go to buff it!

[Nate Davey]

Thanks for asking the question, Dan and thanks for the answer Steve. I have laid on several coats and was getting frustrated with not getting that glassy finish. Now to let it set for a few days.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Nate - depending on how many coats of WOP - I use a 320 sanding sponge to wipe down the form after 3 light coats of poly. That knocks off the nibs without messing up the finish. If I end up with a total of 10 coats of poly - I would have wiped the piece down every 3 rd time and left the last coat as is. Then after waiting for a few days - buff. Hope that makes sense.

[Dan Cannon]

Thanks for the replies guys. I was hoping you'd be on Steve, your pieces with WOP finish are unreal, and are the reason I wanted to try it in the first place...sounds like I (and Nate) are at least headed in the right direction. I'm doing a light sanding with 600 (or higher) grit between coats for now to knock down the nibs, more for my own personal satisfaction than anything. I was too late for woodcraft, but sounds like I have a few days before I get to buffing this one anyway. Thanks again.
Dan