What is the advantage of friction finish?

[John Huber]

I've read several books on woodturning that exclusively talk about friction finishes. Being a curious kind of guy, what is the advantage other than convenience? For example, why not a wipe-off varnish finish?

Thanks in advance for any advice,

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Friction polishes are basically a combination of waxes and shellac. They go on quick and easy especially for a beginning turner. I think ease and speed would be the two reasons for using friction polish.

[George Tokarev]

Not an advantage to me. Never could get the right combination to keep the icky stickies under control. I went back to shellac and muslin, drop or two of oil for a lube. Finish of a thousand coats, all in twenty minutes.

[Pat Salter]

for friction polish I use 1/3rd shellac, 1/3rd alcahol (not drinking kind, the other stuff), and 1/3rd boiled linseed oil. It's great to quickly seal up the wood. it also helps lift fibers to help in sanding. especially with torn cross grain spots.

[Mark Hubbs]

Pat I'd like to try some of your home brew friction finish. Does it dry as fast as a commerical product?

Thanks!

[Tom Keen]

I use the same mixture as Pat. Its especially nice on small objects such as boxes. Surface prep is important. I sand down to 1000. Use a sealer if you want. With a clean, dye free cloth.. something soft like an old tshirt, on the lathe, at a medium speed, apply a light coat.. count to 20 and then with the same cloth and a little more polish apply light pressure...at some point you will feel the cloth start to stick a bit.. thats the friction. The shine begin at this point. Continue with the polish until the piece is "dry". It will feel a little oily. You can clean the oil off with a clean cloth and a tiny bit of alcohol or better yet naptha.

Repeat the process if you want..

Standard shellac will give light wood a slight yellow color.. use garnet shellac and get a darker color.

Good luck,
Tom

[David Walser]

As others have said, I think the primary advantage of friction polish is speed. You can achieve a very nice looking finish in a matter of seconds. For a production turner, this could be a boon. From blank to display stand in one session.

That said, the finish does not stand up well to use. It's softer than lacquer and abrades easily. I first used it on some pens when I was first learning to turn. Within a day or two, the user had rubbed through the finish and was down to bare wood in spots. So now, I don't use friction polish on anything that will be handled a lot: boxes, pens, and bowls, don't get friction polish in my shop. Weed pots and vases might be good candidates for a friction polish finish. Even with these items, I'd most likely use lacquer. It takes longer, but I like the look better and I'm not a production turner. YMMV.

[Glenn Hodges]

I agree with David. Fast is not always the best, I go with lacquer with pieces which are going to be handled often.