Turned bowl finish

[Charles Boone]

I am finishing an economy bowl for a friend. Got the bowl turned looks pretty good. Started finishing it with friction finish per Capt. Eddie. Bowl finish looks great but end grain will not look right. It is very dull like no finish is on it. Even after several coats it is dull.

[Grant Wilkinson]

It may be too late for my advice, but I would seal the end grain with shellac before applying the friction polish. What polish are you using?

[Brian Kent]

That formula looks like it would be pretty thin and take a lot of coats, which is fine.

Variables include type of wood - open or closed grain, green or dry, and especially the degree of sanding. If there are problems with the end grain, I would look to rotary sanding to about 600 grit. I would also use de-waxed shellac, sanding between coats until the end grain is filled up, then switch to whatever I want for the final finish (If I am using dewaxed shellac, I sand to 320 or 400 before and between coats, then to 600 when the grain is filled, and go for my finish coats.)

Or, if it is to be used for wet stuff like fruit, I would skip any finish that formed a glaze and go for multiple soakings of mineral oil until it stops absorbing, then do a final sanding with the oil.

And I just noticed this is your first post. Welcome, new friend.

Brian Kent

[Charles Boone]

Thanks Brian, I will try some more sanding to try to fill in the end grain.

[Brian Kent]

Hey Charles, what corner of the country do you live in?