Disaster Strikes!!!! (long)

[Ken Shoemaker]

I built a small sofa table of QS red oak wet sanding BLO to 600 grit. It's smoooooooooth. I then used Maloof poly/oil finished expecting to put on 3-4 coats. I then wiped the whole piece down with MS before I put on the first coat.

The first coat of poly/oil flowed on fine. This morning I got up to a section of about 6"X4" of the top looking very dull. It appears that the poly turned to a waxy, smearing, mess.

I'm very reluctant to think I might have gotten something on the wood prior to finishing because I was so aware that could happen. I even wiped it with the MS before hand.

I used 4-O steel wool and rubbed it down good and finally applied another coat about an hour ago. The area in question has shrunk to about 2X2.

QUESTION: What happened? (Numerous expletives deleted!)

[Don Baer]

Ken,
I just finished using the same finish on the pedistal table and I found that the way to apply it is wipe it on liberaly wait a little bit then Rub off all of the excess, other wise it will do just as you described.

[Ken Shoemaker]

Don, Thanks for the help.

What do you think?: I might let this coat dry for a couple days then lightly sand to 320 grit. Then do as you say???

Thanks again.... Ken

[rick fulton]

Ken -

Keep wiping. I wipe it all off with a clean rag several times within the first few hours after putting it on. Particularly with open grain wood such as oak. It may seem like 90% of what you put on comes off, but the protective finish is really in the wood not on the wood.

Buff it with 0000 steel wool before applying the next coat. Each coat will just be a very thin film. After about 6 coats you will have an unbeatable finish.

rick

[Mark Singer]

Ken,
I just finished using the same finish on the pedistal table and I found that the way to apply it is wipe it on liberaly wait a little bit then Rub off all of the excess, other wise it will do just as you described.

That is true of most oil finish products

[Don Baer]

Like Ken said. Buff between coats with OOOO steel wool. Then reapply. I don't think you need to wait a couple of days. Depending on temperture a few hours seems to be enough.