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Thread: My chess table keeps coming out glossy. How can I get it satiny?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Location
    Waterford, PA
    Posts
    305

    Arrow My chess table keeps coming out glossy. How can I get it satiny?

    I'm looking for some finishing gurus to tell me what I did wrong, and how to straighten it out.

    I built a chess table out of walnut, cherry and padauk, and we want a satin finish on it.

    My first coat was 50-50 mineral spirits and Helmsman matte finish varnish. I let that sit in the house over a winter or two. It was not glossy at all.

    This week I took it back out to the shop to finish it.

    The second coat I applied was straight Helmsman wiped on with a rag. It appeared glossy.

    I used four ought steel wool to smooth it, then applied 50-50 Helmsman matte to mineral spirits with a rag.

    It dried glossy.

    Four ought again, and 50-50 brushed on for the final pass.

    Below is the picture of the top. It's glossy as can be.

    The legs are solid cherry, and are not glossy, but in fact are matte.

    Either I don't know what matte finish is, or I've done something wrong.

    Who can explain why this is so glossy, and just as important, how can I get this to a satiny finish?

    I was thinking of steel wooling again and leaving it that way, but I clearly now have no idea what I am doing. Satiny legs and glossy top is puzzling me. I want everything satin.




    image.jpg

  2. #2
    Not a guru. Can't help wondering if it is just the lighting ,the legs are not getting same light as top. Top is getting direct sun but still showing the squares. Might be more gloss than what you want but not high Gloss. First thing I would do is look at the table in indirect light and see if it is still "glossy". Fine looking table.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Location
    Waterford, PA
    Posts
    305
    thanks a bunch.

  4. #4
    Tony that is a nice looking table.. The spar varnish has a flattener added that optically flattens the finish, the varnish most likely needed to be stirred before starting the finishing process and continually stirred during application so the flattened doesn't fall out solution.. Also seems like the rag application process is problematic with varnishes with flatteners added
    Last edited by Robert LaPlaca; 09-17-2015 at 7:36 PM.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Location
    Waterford, PA
    Posts
    305
    Thanks. I stirred the life out of it before coating, and it didn't take that long too complete, but I will try stirring more.

  6. #6
    If you want to knock down the gloss on a finish, use fine steel wool and mineral oil. Put some mineral oil on the surface, or on the steel wool, and rub the finish. Don't put any more finish on it after you do the steel wool rub.

    Just make sure to use very fine steel wool. In case you're worried about how it will look, put some finish on a scrap piece of wood and try the steel wool on that first.

    Mike
    Go into the world and do well. But more importantly, go into the world and do good.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Location
    Waterford, PA
    Posts
    305
    Excellent. Thanks, Mike. I'll try this instead of coating again.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Location
    Northern Neck Virginia
    Posts
    602
    i use a fine grade scuff pad (ie mirlon) and wax.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Location
    Waterford, PA
    Posts
    305
    Doesn't wax make is shine?

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