Mothers' Day Vase/HF

[Lee Alkureishi]

Hi all,

I turned a vase (or is this considered a HF?) for my mother-in-law this coming Mothers' Day - C&C always appreciated!

The piece is Aromatic cedar and pine, finished with General finishes WTF (8 quick coats, sanded 1000/1500, then buffed). Dimensions are approx 5" tall x 5" diameter.

I'm fairly pleased with the way this one turned out. Every project I start, I make mistakes on. But, it seems like the mistakes are always new ones, and they seem to be happening later in the process... I think that's progress!

For this one, the major mistake was buffing the WTF either too soon (30 mins) or too hard/hot. I ended up with white bubbly areas on the top. After much gentler buffing, I got rid of the bubbled areas but was left with a slightly flatter sheen on those portions of the top. Oh well...

Thanks for looking!

[Roger Chandler]

I kinda like that one Lee!

[Eric Holmquist]

Sounds like progress to me! She should like it!

[Eric Gourieux]

That's a pretty one

[Baxter Smith]

Neat vase! It sounds as if you are learning a lot...which is what its all about!

[Bernie Weishapl]

Really nice vase. Learning is what it's about. She will love it.

[John Keeton]

Lee, looks like you are improving rapidly, IMO! Nice work, and nice work on the finish. The WTF will not withstand aggressive buffing - at least not when less than fully cured. If too much heat is generated, it will also crystallize and come off in chunks!!:eek: Once one learns the various idiosyncrasies of the stuff, it is a neat finish!

[Rick Markham]

Looks nice Lee, I think everyone over buffs in the beginning. I could burn holes right through a WOP finish :eek: Steve S. told me to keep the pressure light, and the RPM's below a 1000 and take more time... fixed that problem quick! Now all of my mistakes are in other places :D

[Lee Alkureishi]

Thanks everyone for the comments, much appreciated.

John, thanks for the tip. I think that's exactly what happened. The "bubbly" areas were white, and felt hard & raised to touch. I think it crystallized, and in removing that, I lost a few coats of the WTF, which is why those patches are less glossy now.

At that point, I had removed the tenon from the bottom, so it would have been a fiddle to get it back on the lathe. For my education, how would you handle that for a "perfect" finish? I'm thinking wipe on a few more coats of the WTF by hand, then hand-sand before re-buffing? Would it blend in with the rest of the finish ok? I haven't been as successful with finishes off the lathe so far...

Thanks again

[John Keeton]

Lee, sand back the finish with 600, spray a couple coats of shellac, rub with 0000, then lay on several coats of WTF again. The shellac will help the bonding of the finish. WTF does not like itself after buffing and adhesion can be a problem without the sanding and shellac.

[Lee Alkureishi]

Thanks John - Glad I asked; I figured there might be a trick to it!

[Sid Matheny]

She should love this piece, I do!

Sid

[Jim Burr]

Well done Lee!! Cedar and pine are not...really not easy woods to turn together. Ya did good sir!