Will this finish combination work?

[Roger Chandler]

I want to try something that I have not tried yet..........I would appreciate comments from the group as to whether you think this will work well or not...........

Mahoney's Walnut oil [already on the bowl & dry] step 2: buff with tripoli Step 3: Wipe on poly.......let dry for a day or so Step 4: buff with tripoli and put final coat of WOP...........

What do you think the results will be?

[Eric Holmquist]

I do not see why it would not work, you are putting oil over oil.

When I am going to put poly over oil, I tend to use a linseed based oil like Bush Oil to enhance the grain before the poly. I tend to save the walnut oil for things that I will not follow up on with poly.

[Scott Hackler]

Roger, I don't think I would buff prior to WOP. I would just hit it with some 600 or 0000 steel wool and start applying the WOP. I also apply WOP by applying, cure overnight, flatten and scuff with 600 (or worn out 400), wipe off with a clean cloth and repeat until I have 4-5 coats. Then I let sit for 4-5 days, hit it with the 600 and Beal buff. Works great if you've got the extra days to wait in between coats.

[BILL DONAHUE]

Agree with Scott. Have had bad experience using buffing wheel between coats of WOP. Maybe because I'm leaving something on over the 1st coat of WOP. In the heat and humidity of Pensacola I find it best to wait extra long between coats of anything, even WOP. On something like translucent Norfolk Island Pine where a glass like appearance is desired, I'll even wait 48 hrs. between coats.

[Roger Chandler]

Thanks guys.......perhaps I should use the Woodturners Finish instead...........it is water based, but maybe if I sand the Walnut oil back a bit and then hit it with the steel wool..........maybe that will take enough of the walnut oil off that it will be okay. At least the WTF will dry a lot faster.

Do you see any issues with this idea?

[John Keeton]

I think it is the wax base in the tripoli that can create a problem. I have buffed WOP and applied additional coats successfully several times, but I wipe the turning off with MS before applying the additional coats of WOP.

[Roger Chandler]

I think it is the wax base in the tripoli that can create a problem. I have buffed WOP and applied additional coats successfully several times, but I wipe the turning off with MS before applying the additional coats of WOP.

That is a step I had not thought about, but it makes a lot of sense........thanks counselor!

[charlie knighton]

3. wipe on poly

i suggest you wait 30 days, to let it cure, then sand with 1200 grit

[Prashun Patel]

They say , but i cannot confirm, that steel wool under a water based finish runs the risk of later rusting.

[robert baccus]

John's correct. The "stick" compounds are merely a stick of wax with a bit of compound and would probably go into any oil finish and contaminate it.

[John Beaver]

I'm not sure why you would want to do this. If you don't like the Walnut Oil, try to remove as much as you can, either with solvent or sanding, apply a coat of shellac then poly. Or, use a different oil finish with a varnish blend. The oil needs air to dry, and putting a poly over it will trap the oxidation process.

Tripoli is a blend of Animal fat, Silicon and abrasives. I don't think finishes are going to want to adhere to it. Also, if you want a finish to adhere, making it smoother by buffing, is not ideal. You need to sand a little so the top finish has something to adhere to.

[Roger Chandler]

Thanks for the responses...........at this point, I think I am going to do some sanding and start over with a good wipe down with mineral spirits and apply shellac as John Beaver mentioned...........then go with WOP or perhaps WTF

[Bernie Weishapl]

Don't buff and then apply a finish especially tripoli. Don't ask me how I know this.:mad: Leave your walnut oil, sand or steel wool and then apply your WOP or WTF.

[Roger Chandler]

Don't buff and then apply a finish especially tripoli. Don't ask me how I know this.:mad: Leave your walnut oil, sand or steel wool and then apply your WOP or WTF.

Thanks for the input, Bernie..........I think I already blew it a bit on this one......looks like I will take it back to wood with some sanding and wipe clean with mineral spirits.........then apply the shellac and WOP........

When I buffed, I did not think about the residue left by the tripoli........it has been some time since I used my buffing setup, so I had gotten out of practice and did not think the process through........:o:o:mad:

A lot of the time, I do not need buffing, but this particular bowl just needed a little extra something, and well.......you know the rest! :o

[Reed Gray]

I don't think you can pull the walnut oil finish out of the wood because it has cured. It should be totally cured before you put any other finish over it. I am not a fan of surface finishes on bowls that you intend to use. Water base and shellac are two of these. They will chip, crack, and/or peel off eventually, and then look terrible till repaired until some one strips it down and applies another coat of finish. With the wipe on poly, that is a penetrating oil, and will go over the walnut oil with no problem, and a light scuffing should suffice for surface prep. As others have said, you probably shouldn't have any waxes on the surface, though the solvents in the poly will probably dissolve most wax. If you try to put a surface finish over the wax, you will have problems.

robo hippy

[Roger Chandler]

I don't think you can pull the walnut oil finish out of the wood because it has cured. It should be totally cured before you put any other finish over it. I am not a fan of surface finishes on bowls that you intend to use. Water base and shellac are two of these. They will chip, crack, and/or peel off eventually, and then look terrible till repaired until some one strips it down and applies another coat of finish. With the wipe on poly, that is a penetrating oil, and will go over the walnut oil with no problem, and a light scuffing should suffice for surface prep. As others have said, you probably shouldn't have any waxes on the surface, though the solvents in the poly will probably dissolve most wax. If you try to put a surface finish over the wax, you will have problems.

robo hippy

Thanks Reed............I took the bowl back to the lathe a little earlier, [after I made the post to Bernie] and sanded back the finish with 240. & 300 grit paper, then took some synthetic 3M pads and put mineral spirits on and sanded back with 3 grits of that. The bowl looks and feels great now.

I thought I would allow this to sit and acclimate to the environment and find any equilibrium it needs to find for a week, and then perhaps put the WOP on it as a finish coat. This bowl will be mostly for display.....it is the SJPT bowl made for the Friends of the Wilderness Battlefields foundation. Just wanted to add that final bit of protection before it goes off to the auction.

It still has some finish from the Walnut oil in the wood.......what soaked into the grain and it looks good as is, but I want to do a little more just for giving it that extra protection.

[Thomas Canfield]

I am out of step here, but a turner in HI (Elmer Adams) gave me his finish steps. He buffed with Tripoli after the 400 grit sanding, and then after each of 4 or 5 coats of a 4 part Danish Oil to 1 part polyurethane varnish wiped on/of. He then used white diamond and followed with Renaissance Wax. I do not use white diamond, but follow the other steps. The Tripoli buff really takes the sanding finish up several levels but does impart some red color that is not a problem with darker woods, but not good in light wood. Wiping off the coats and letting them dry can take longer between coats in cooler weather without a drying system (box with light bulb). I find that it works best to do multiple or else it is very time consuming for a single piece. The amount of Tripoli used on the wheel can be reduced to reduce the wax left on the work.