waterlox flaking? (and preservation)

[alex grams]

I have done some finishing with waterlox, 2 of the base and then about 3 of the higher gloss finish. In one spot i am getting a small amount of flaking (3mm wide and about 2cm long). Very small, but enough for me to notice it.

I suspect that the cause is that it is along the edge of the piece next to some texturing, so maybe some extra got left there and didn't get rubbed in all the way smooth to the wood and left a wet spot with a larger amount of finish to dry.

Would this be a reasonable cause of what is happening? And the best way to fix it is to sand it down a little with 320 or something then just do a little more finishing on that one spot?

Also, what is the best way to preserve the waterlox in the can so it doesn't congeal while not being used? I reapply the inner cap ever time and then put the screw on cap on, but i still get a small amount of congealing on the inside of the inner metal cap each time i use it. I want to make sure that the contents in the can have as long of a shelf life as possible.

Thanks in advance.

-Alex

[Howard Acheson]

I'm a little confused. I've never seen a problem with Waterlox Original like you describe unless there was some sort of contamination in that spot. Film thickness should have no affect on adhesion. I've seen a softness resulting from too much finish but that is solved by just letting the finish fully cure.

How long has the finish been curing?

What is the "texturing" you refer to?

It's a common complaint that Waterlox Original finishes have a short shelf life particularly if they have been opened. Many will decant the finish into smaller containers that are completely full. This minimizes the oxygen that causes the finish to begin to oxide. Some put in marbles to raise the level. Some use plastic bottles that can be squeezed to eliminate any space above the finish. Some use "BloOxygen" or propane to displace the oxygen.

My approach is to just buy the smallest amount I can and throw it out after a couple of months if I have to.

[alex grams]

The texture is just it was in a corner, so I couldn't fully and easily make sure all of the finish was rubbed smooth, which would lead to that small spot being wetter than the other spots and having more finish sitting there. It had cured for at least 2-3 days.

Thanks for the hints on storing it. I think i will get some smaller bottles to store some in. At 26$ for a quart of waterlox, i really don't want to use half of it on a project only to have to throw the other half out because it didn't keep on the shelf.