Tack cloths/rags?

[Izaskun]

Hello,

I was talking to a work colleague the other day about tack cloths for paint preparation and wood work, does anyone here use them frequently? what types/brands can you recommend me?

Also, how would you commonly call it? tack rag or tack cloth? thanks!

 

[Doug B]

I don’t tend to use tack clothes much these days mainly because most of the finishing I do is with oil but when I do buy them I get them via a mate in the automotive trade as they are way cheaper than those for woodwork.

 

[user22161]

Get mine from local decorating supplies shop, can't remember price. Plenty on ebay - tack rags | eBay

 

[Myfordman]

I use the starchem ones readily available on ebay.

 

[Droogs]

3M/Starchem or whatever toolpost/SF have in stock

 

[Nick.]

We always called them tack cloths - ha but that's 30 years back when I worked painting narrow boats in Brum.
240g flattening 1st gloss coat on a DA sander / air blast dust off / wipe all over with white spirit, then 'tack cloth' all over before final gloss coat.
Amazing how much the cloths picked up even after the full white spirit wipe.
Anything less than a mirror finish with no bits/brush strokes on it and the foreman made us do it all again - him included.

 

[Chippysu]

They are great but what are tack cloths impregnated with? I started using them on my last job but concerned they may have contaminated the surface as the top coat (high gloss solvent based,) had thousands of tiny bubbles when I laid it on.

 

[Droogs]

Cheesecloth and usually beeswax

 

[Ollie78]

I get them from car paint places in bags of 50.
Can't remember the brand but they say they are "the original" tak cloth or something.

Use them with light pressure only, for removing fine dust especially between coats.

I normally use a microfiber cloth first, at this point you think you have removed all the dust but soon find that is not the case when you use the tack cloth.

Ollie

 

[Droogs]

In an emergency if you don't have any you can make your own if you have linen cloths and a tin of beeswax polish and for little spots I have used blutack as well

 

[Stevekane]

In an emergency if you don't have any you can make your own if you have linen cloths and a tin of beeswax polish and for little spots I have used blutack as well

So the Beeswax doesnt prevent say varnish application? Im amazed!
I dont really do any fine furniture work, mostly pine and often reclaimed stuff, but I varnish bits for my boat and just use a damp cloth, rinse it a couple of times and nib between coats and I seem to get a pretty good finish,,but beeswax sounds very interesting.
Steve.

 

[Droogs]

It is such a miniscule amount and is applied as it is woven direct to the thread. For each kilo of cloth it is less than a gram of was

 

[Ollie78]

So the Beeswax doesnt prevent say varnish application? Im amazed!
I dont really do any fine furniture work, mostly pine and often reclaimed stuff, but I varnish bits for my boat and just use a damp cloth, rinse it a couple of times and nib between coats and I seem to get a pretty good finish,,but beeswax sounds very interesting.
Steve.

This is why you do a light wipe, floating it over the surface a few times rather than scrubbing it.
If you really push the cloth into the surface you could feasably leave a bit of wax, though in practice this is pretty unlikely, be careful when doing smaller mouldings etc.

Ollie

 

[Stevekane]

Got it, makes sense now, and I guess if they were kept in a tin they would keep for quite a while, I wonder if you can buy small amounts? many thanks for the info.
Steve

 

[Ollie78]

They sell packs of 5 or something in Brewers.

 

[pgrbff]

I would find it strange if tack rags for water based finishes used beeswax. Surely would interfere with the finish.

 

[recipio]

I gave up on them a long time ago - why risk spoiling the finish on your masterpiece.? Compressed air is far better.

 

[pgrbff]

I gave up on them a long time ago - why risk spoiling the finish on your masterpiece.? Compressed air is far better.

I'd like to use compressed air but neither of my compressors are oilless so I'd be a bit concerned about contamination, even with a filter/separator.

 

[recipio]

I'd like to use compressed air but neither of my compressors are oilless so I'd be a bit concerned about contamination, even with a filter/separator.

I have a separator in the line for oil and never had any problems. You could wipe down with a panel wipe product to remove any possible trace of oil after dusting. Its very gratifying to see the dust blow out of the actual grain of the wood. !

 

[gregmcateer]

But doesn't using compressed air mean the dust is just floating around, ready to resettle on your wet finish?