Application marks with satin WOP

[Barry McFadden]

I'm hoping someone can help me out with this. When I turn a platter around 12" I apply WOP on a bit of cheesecloth while turning the lathe by hand or setting it to around 50 RPM. If I use gloss WOP I get a beautiful finish no problem. When I use satin WOP I always seem to get circular application lines that just don't seem to even out. The can of WOP is only about 6 weeks old so I don't think it's aged beyond use. Should I thin it with mineral spirits to try to make it flow better? I don't really seem to have a problem with a smaller bowl, only on a larger platter. Any ideas?

[Allan Ferguson]

Try a higher RPM 100-200. You have a lot more surface to cover. It is no fun having to sand out the ridges.

[John K Jordan]

Another option might be to use the gloss finish then rub it down to a satin finish. Wet sanding with 600 or 800 paper and/or rubbing with fairly coarse pumice (on a pad like that used for french polish). With different abrasive fineness you can get whatever level of satin/matte you like.

I haven't tried this with polyurethane but I've used it with other finishes, lacquer, TruOil varnish.

JKJ

[Kyle Iwamoto]

No offense intended, but did you read the instructions? Mine says to let sit and wipe off. I too had that problem if I let the finish sit and NOT wipe off. And I did note that using gloss, it did't do that....... Took awhile to figure that out.

[Prashun Patel]

Stir it well before applying. The flatteners in satin settle easily.

You can also try thinning with a little more mineral spirits. That helps me to avoid swirl marks when applying wop on flat work.

Wipe on poly does not need to be wiped off; I disagree with that point. Kyle, are you using wipe on poly or watco danish oil?

[Kyle Iwamoto]

Minwax WOP is what I use. I never wiped it off before, but the satin does seem to be less forgiving about those swirls. I guess the flatteners are better in the gloss. Try wiping off the satin, it makes you put on more coats, but I sand after every other coat, to get the bulk off the wood and fill the pores. I noticed that if I wipe after, I don't have any of those pools, sags and ridges to sand off. I end up at about 10 coats of WOP if I wipe or not. Maybe less if I don't wipe, since the coats will build and fill better, but the sanding takes a lot more time. Just my $0.02.
Not fond of Danish Oils, since I like the ability to buff to a high gloss. And yes, shake well before use.

[Len Mullin]

Minwax WOP is what I use. And yes, shake well before use.

Kyle, you should not only shake it well before using it, you should also stir it quite often while using it. It has a bad tendency of separating and settling to the bottom

[Barry McFadden]

Thanks for the suggestions guys...
Kyle....checked the can..no instructions to wipe it off...says let it dry for 3-4 hours.
I think I'll try thinning it a bit and see what happens

[Len Mullin]

Barry, personally, I don't think you are agitating the finish often enough, and it's getting a chance to separate and settle to the bottom. The finish should be shaken well, before you start using it. Then it should be stirred quite often while using it, if you don't do this the ingredients will separate.
Len

[Barry McFadden]

Barry, personally, I don't think you are agitating the finish often enough, and it's getting a chance to separate and settle to the bottom. The finish should be shaken well, before you start using it. Then it should be stirred quite often while using it, if you don't do this the ingredients will separate.
Len

Thanks Len but I shake it well before I apply it. I use a bit of cheesecloth and apply it with the bowl on the lathe while turning by hand. The whole application takes seconds and I only pour some of the WOP on the cloth once so I know it's not a settling problem.

[John Keeton]

Barry, you might try wet sanding with WOP. I often do that starting with 220. Keep the piece wet, get a slurry, wipe off with a paper towel while the lathe is spinning. Move up thru the grits doing the same. After 400, buff with a paper towel at a faster speed. This will usually produce a very nice base finish. Then, apply successive coats with a piece of blue shop towel or cosmetic wedge sponges. I use satin and buff to a gloss and prefer it over gloss for laying down better. I do wet sand my finishes with 600 and 1200 after 5 coats or so, and repeat after another 5-6 coats prior to then buffing.

[John K Jordan]

...Try wiping off the satin, it makes you put on more coats, but I sand after every other coat, to get the bulk off the wood and fill the pores. I noticed that if I wipe after, I don't have any of those pools, sags and ridges to sand off. I end up at about 10 coats of WOP if I wipe or not. ...

Concerning multiple coats: If wanting a satin finish I was told years ago to apply gloss coats then satin only as the final coat. The explanation given was applying multiple coats of satin finish may reduce clarity in the result. But again, I have zero experience with wipe-on-poiy.

Of course, this may not matter much if the primary reason for the multiple coats is to fill the pores!

JKJ

[Kyle Iwamoto]

Concerning multiple coats: If wanting a satin finish I was told years ago to apply gloss coats then satin only as the final coat. The explanation given was applying multiple coats of satin finish may reduce clarity in the result.

Hmmm.... This is interesting. I may have to back to gloss. I try to minimize the amount of flammables in my garage, so I try to stick to a single finish... Thanks!

[John Keeton]

For what it is worth, I have heard for years the same about gloss vs. satin, but honestly I have never been able to tell the difference. Could be old age and failing eyes, though!:)

[Kyle Iwamoto]

Thanks! More good info... I can't tell either. Since most of our local woods are on the darker side, maybe this isn't an issue. I should buy some gloss and do a test run......