Chippygeoff
Established Member
When we have spent hours making something and after we have admired our handy work it’s time to apply the finish and it is at this stage that the finish we choose can literally kill it or make it become a thing of beauty highlighting the grain and the colours in the wood. Some time ago, maybe last year I submitted an article on wood finishing. This time I would like to take it up a notch or two to the next level.
It must be a couple of months ago now that I bought the Beall polishing system. It originated in America and is now sold over here through the Toolpost. I have now had lot’s of practice and since I have had it I have used it on hundreds of items and it just seems to get better and better.
Basically it is just a grinder with a couple of arbours and a total of three polishing mops. They are for three different compounds. The first is Tripoli, then White Diamond and then Carnauba wax. The system can be used on bare wood with good results but for a really super finish it is best to use cellulose sanding sealer and then end result is like glass, a super hard wearing shine that is very durable and looks very professional. I mentioned cellulose sanding sealer in particular because it dries very quickly and the finish can be applied ten minutes after applying the sealer.
What put me off this system a few years ago was the fact that using the 8 inch mops required a grinder that ran at 1725 rpm, or thereabouts, most run at 2800. I could get a grinder that would foot the bill but the cost was through the roof, a bit like Hegners are today. When I read up on this system more recently I discovered that I could use an ordinary grinder running at the higher speed but instead of using the 8 inch mops use 4 inch mops and it would achieve the same results.
One of the secrets of achieving such a wonderful finish is the preparation of the wood. When I have finished cutting something on the saw I have used wood that has come straight from the planer. I don’t bother doing any sanding at this stage because when I have finished an item it is going on the belt sander and will be sanded both sides, side one is to remove any imperfections and any residue from the masking tape and side two is to remove the fuzzies as well as making the underside smooth removing things like planer marks etc.
When the wood has come off the belt/disc sander it is quite acceptable if I am going to use a wax polish finish after dipping the item in teak oil first but if I am going to use the new polishing system I will hand sand the item. I know it is time consuming and I normally hand sand a dozen items or more at a time so as well as time consuming it is also boring but it is a job that has to be done to achieve the desired results.
I start off with 180 grit and work my way through the grits till 320 grit and depending on what wood I am using I may even go up to 400 grit. When I am happy I then coat one side with the cellulose sanding sealer and put this down to dry and then do the next item. The sealer dries in ten minutes and can easily be handled after that so when I have coated the last item I can go back to the first ones and start doing the other sides. I normally go for a cuppa at this stage to allow the sealer to really dry.
As with most woods when you put a sealer on it will lift the grain, especially the cross grain. To get the wood silky smooth again I use one of those green washing up pads, it is perfect for removing all those little nibs. When I have de-nibbed all the items I then take them to the polisher and the three stage process begins and as you go through the various stages you can’t help but be amazed at the transformation the wood takes on. For me personally getting this type of finish on the items I display at craft fairs is a distinct advantage as it is a very professional finish and has more appeal to the customers which in turn means more sales.
You can also get a good finish without using the polishing system I have if you are using a wax polish to finish the things you make, I use this method on my name signs as they are not suitable for the polishing system because of the large amount of large cut out’s, if you are not careful an item can be snatched out of your hand and smash to bits if it hits a wall, as has happened in my workshop. To get a really good finish using wax polish though you will still need to go through the various grits of abrasive to get the wood really smooth, but it won’t be as good as the finish achieved on the polishing system.
Another way to finish an item with good results is to use shellac, it is a very good sealer but as I mentioned above, you will still need to de-nib it. It is an excellent base for a wax polished finish but if you apply 3 or 4 coats of shellac then that is also a good finish in it’s own right, not suitable for outside use though.
For outside work I normally use Danish oil and give the item 3 or 4 coats both sides. It is a very durable finish and the best brand I have found is Wilco’s own label brand, you can easily apply 4 coats in a day. The other finish I use after sealing the wood is spray on clear lacquer. I use the sort that is used on cars and get mine off E-bay 12 tins at a time. Again, a very good finish for outside stuff and you can get it is gloss, satin and matt.
It must be a couple of months ago now that I bought the Beall polishing system. It originated in America and is now sold over here through the Toolpost. I have now had lot’s of practice and since I have had it I have used it on hundreds of items and it just seems to get better and better.
Basically it is just a grinder with a couple of arbours and a total of three polishing mops. They are for three different compounds. The first is Tripoli, then White Diamond and then Carnauba wax. The system can be used on bare wood with good results but for a really super finish it is best to use cellulose sanding sealer and then end result is like glass, a super hard wearing shine that is very durable and looks very professional. I mentioned cellulose sanding sealer in particular because it dries very quickly and the finish can be applied ten minutes after applying the sealer.
What put me off this system a few years ago was the fact that using the 8 inch mops required a grinder that ran at 1725 rpm, or thereabouts, most run at 2800. I could get a grinder that would foot the bill but the cost was through the roof, a bit like Hegners are today. When I read up on this system more recently I discovered that I could use an ordinary grinder running at the higher speed but instead of using the 8 inch mops use 4 inch mops and it would achieve the same results.
One of the secrets of achieving such a wonderful finish is the preparation of the wood. When I have finished cutting something on the saw I have used wood that has come straight from the planer. I don’t bother doing any sanding at this stage because when I have finished an item it is going on the belt sander and will be sanded both sides, side one is to remove any imperfections and any residue from the masking tape and side two is to remove the fuzzies as well as making the underside smooth removing things like planer marks etc.
When the wood has come off the belt/disc sander it is quite acceptable if I am going to use a wax polish finish after dipping the item in teak oil first but if I am going to use the new polishing system I will hand sand the item. I know it is time consuming and I normally hand sand a dozen items or more at a time so as well as time consuming it is also boring but it is a job that has to be done to achieve the desired results.
I start off with 180 grit and work my way through the grits till 320 grit and depending on what wood I am using I may even go up to 400 grit. When I am happy I then coat one side with the cellulose sanding sealer and put this down to dry and then do the next item. The sealer dries in ten minutes and can easily be handled after that so when I have coated the last item I can go back to the first ones and start doing the other sides. I normally go for a cuppa at this stage to allow the sealer to really dry.
As with most woods when you put a sealer on it will lift the grain, especially the cross grain. To get the wood silky smooth again I use one of those green washing up pads, it is perfect for removing all those little nibs. When I have de-nibbed all the items I then take them to the polisher and the three stage process begins and as you go through the various stages you can’t help but be amazed at the transformation the wood takes on. For me personally getting this type of finish on the items I display at craft fairs is a distinct advantage as it is a very professional finish and has more appeal to the customers which in turn means more sales.
You can also get a good finish without using the polishing system I have if you are using a wax polish to finish the things you make, I use this method on my name signs as they are not suitable for the polishing system because of the large amount of large cut out’s, if you are not careful an item can be snatched out of your hand and smash to bits if it hits a wall, as has happened in my workshop. To get a really good finish using wax polish though you will still need to go through the various grits of abrasive to get the wood really smooth, but it won’t be as good as the finish achieved on the polishing system.
Another way to finish an item with good results is to use shellac, it is a very good sealer but as I mentioned above, you will still need to de-nib it. It is an excellent base for a wax polished finish but if you apply 3 or 4 coats of shellac then that is also a good finish in it’s own right, not suitable for outside use though.
For outside work I normally use Danish oil and give the item 3 or 4 coats both sides. It is a very durable finish and the best brand I have found is Wilco’s own label brand, you can easily apply 4 coats in a day. The other finish I use after sealing the wood is spray on clear lacquer. I use the sort that is used on cars and get mine off E-bay 12 tins at a time. Again, a very good finish for outside stuff and you can get it is gloss, satin and matt.
