FINISHING SECRETS… No. 5
A “Deft” Finish Applied On the Lathe
The following article was published in, “The American Woodturner”, Fall, 1998.
It has been revised to add new informtion and clarify what was already there.
This is a true semi-gloss lacquer finish that I use on nearly all of my turnings. It can be used either “as is”, as a wood grain sealer, or as a base for a Tung-varnish-turpentine blend. Yes, they are all compatible, and everything is available at the local Home Depot, Ace Hardware, Lowe's, etc. The finish is described as being applied while the wood is still in the lathe, but it can also be applied on the bench, but we will have to rub harder and faster.
THE 8 STEPS TO A "DEFT" FINISH
The following steps for finishing are described as being done with the work being mounted on the lathe. The same steps are followed for finishing the piece off the lathe; we will just have to rub faster to achieve the same results.
Step 1
Thoroughly sand all surfaces using any combination of power and hand sanding. Don’t skip any grits, and don't stop bfore reaching 320-grit. Please refer to the "5 Rules of Sanding" for help with this step. Then, with the lathe off, hand sand with either 320 or 400 grit to remove any remaining sanding scratches from the coarser grits.
Step 2
Apply and leave a heavy coat of Watco Liquid Finishing Wax to accent and slightly raise the grain. It also accents any surface flaws.
NOTE:
Any good quality paste wax will do the same thing. I just think the Watco Liquid Wax does it better.
Step 3
Hand-sand with 400-grit wet/dry, with the lathe OFF, while the wax is still wet. Wipe the surface clean. Continue rubbing until any residual wax has dried. Running the lathe helps.
Step 4
With the lathe at 500RPM; burnish the surface with a piece of grocery bag paper.
Wait for the wax to dry before going to Step 5.
Step 5
With the lathe OFF; apply a full sloppy coat of Deft® semi-gloss lacquer. I use a soft artists mop-brush and sometimes a paper towel. I prefer the semi-gloss because it leaves the wood with a more natural looking appearance, and its solids seem to act as a fine grain filler. If you want a higher gloss, use the Deft® Gloss lacquer. If this will be a base coat under another finish, it doesn't make any difference.
Step 6
Wait about one (1) minute, rotating the lathe occasionally by hand. Then remove all of the Deft® with soft paper towels, changing as they become wet and sticky. If the surface starts to dry, dampen a towel with some thinner and continue rubbing. Then give it a final wiping with a clean paper towel. I prefer to use Viva brand paper towels, but get Bounty when it is cheaper.
Step 7
With the lathe running at 500-700 RPM; burnish the surface with a clean paper towel. Generating a little heat helps melt and flow the lacquer onto the surface. The finish will now be dry.
Then, with the lathe OFF, lightly buff the surface with a gray ScotchBrite® pad, fine Bronze Wool, or 0000-steel wool to remove any traces of dried lacquer and circular marks from the surface. I prefer to use Bronze Wool because it cuts better, leaves a smooth scratch-free finish, doesn’t stain light colored woods, and is totally oil-free.
If this will be the final finish, we can apply a second coat by repeating Steps 5 through 7. Just don’t wait before wiping the surface in Step 6.
For a bit more gloss, the surface can be polished with Rottenstone, applied with Lemon Oil or Mineral Oil and a felt pad. Lemon Oil polish is lemon scented mineral oil at a higher price. Clean and polish with a soft cloth (old T-shirts are perfect).
Step 8
Apply 2 coats of a good quality paste finishing wax. I use Trewax® because it is durable, polishes easily, and is fairly resistant to water spotting - all at a reasonable cost.
The piece is finished.
Remove it from the lathe and finish the bottom.
The 1st Secret -
There is no such thing as a “quick finish”.
This one is no exception. While the Deft® lacquer is quickly applied, the surface sanding and preparation will take a considerable amount of time.
The 2nd Secret -
Sanding is inportant. The more we sand, the more we need to sand.
As the surface becomes smoother, the smaller the scratches and blemishes that we can see.
The 3rd Secret -
The entire surface must have the same preparation and finish.
Once a sanding and finishing sequence has been established, all of the steps must be repeated whenever we go back to a coarser grit to make a surface repair. If any steps in the sequence are skipped, that area will stand out after the final finish is applied because its texture and absorbency are different. There is no finish that will accent these surface differences as much as Lacquer.
