Alternative Buffing Methods and Shellawax Cream

[treefrog]

Hello,

I am slowly learning what is working and what does'nt.

First choice is to read and believe the sales pitches on websites next is to use your experience with trial and error methods.

I have used the Ubeaut Shellawax cream and this stuff works really well when applying it on turned items and using the lathe to turn the object and cloth to polish the object.

Uisng the swansdown mop on a grinder and the shellawax cream was a disaster and will not be using these 2 products together. I found I was left with a bit of spider webbing through my work which would dry and stay in spider web lump forms.

I then used the Intergrain Tung Oil and this worked better.

With the amount of cotton fluff all over my face and my burl platter does anyone know any alternatives to the swansdown mop which does not shed so much cotton. Working with Brown Malle Burl this stuff gets stuck on the spikes of the Burl and its not fun taking it off.

I have read through the instructions just in case if anyone is wondering.
If you have any other methods or Ideas or alternative oils and creams and mops please I could use please let me know.

Thanks


Joe

[dai sensei]

Did you break in your swansdown mop? Or perhaps not enough. I didn't on my first mop and ended up with the fibres all over the work. You need to break it in using rough sand paper first to get rid of the initial loose fibres.

With the cream, if you use too much, I have also had problems with ripples. In those cases I use the Shellewax and it tends to fix the problem, thinning out the lumps.

Both cases, it was me, not the producthttp://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/images/icons/icon11.gif.

Cheers

[treefrog]

Thanks for the reply.

I am not blaiming products but looking for other alternatives.

With the Shellewax do you mean the liquid?

Thanks

Joe

[Auld Bassoon]

Did you break in your swansdown mop? Or perhaps not enough. I didn't on my first mop and ended up with the fibres all over the work. You need to break it in using rough sand paper first to get rid of the initial loose fibres.

With the cream, if you use too much, I have also had problems with ripples. In those cases I use the Shellewax and it tends to fix the problem, thinning out the lumps.

Both cases, it was me, not the producthttp://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/images/icons/icon11.gif.

Cheers
I have to concur with Dai Sensei,

I thought that I'd run the bugger in (bit's of swansdown mop from here to Brighton I reckonhttp://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/images/icons/icon10.gif) but is wasn't enough. Had to reach the CBDhttp://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/images/icons/icon10.gifhttp://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/images/icons/icon10.gif After that, it works really well.

uBeaut polishes and waxes are the way to go. (not that I'm especiallyhttp://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/images/icons/icon7.gif looking for a discount for my next order...)

Cheers!

[dai sensei]

With the Shellewax do you mean the liquid?

Yep.

[treefrog]

Hi Guys,

How did you break in the mop.


I used sand paper on the edges but thats it.

Joe

[TimberNut]

Joe, if you get any good ideas, let me know!!!
I do a lot of lattice-work and spirals and the like, on my work, and am still looking for a finish that compliments them properly.

As most of my work has holes / spirals / cracks running right through very thin walls, or other uneven surfaces on them, it makes applying a decent finish difficult.

I was advised to soak such 'holey' pieces in Tung Oil or similar and then buff. This worked ok for a couple, but I have several that have detail work so fine, there is very little timber left. If I went near them with a swansdown, the wind alone would break the fine parts - forget touching it to the work !!!!!

So far I think my only solution is a spray finish, but one latticework bowl has hundreds of holes about 1/8th inch diam all over it. Any spray finish I can think of will just fill the holes. And that'd be a bugger to fix. I have shelved the piece till I get a decent finish on it, but am stuck!

All suggestions welcome!!

[treefrog]

Hi Ian,

I will let you know of my outcomes.

I am an experienced and trade qaulified cabinet maker and have a bundle of experience using thinners based laquers or poly utyheranes using the legnedary Iwata Spray Guns..

I have mastered this spraying technique however being spiritually connected in the past 12 or so months I find it hard to punish myself and the earth with the overspary and smelly fumes that I leave out for the Earths Lungs to absorb.

For some this sounds silly for others this will make sense. However I might need to resort to this if I dont get what I am looking for. Will keep you posted.

Joe

[dai sensei]

Hi Guys,

How did you break in the mop.


I used sand paper on the edges but thats it.

Joe
When I got my mop off Neil at the wood show he gave me a piece of what looked like 1 grit sandpaper (I can't remember what grit it was, but it was big). I didn't realise what it was for until I got home and read the instructions.

I used it all over the mop (on the face, sides etc), then used 40 grit. It was trial and error then using it on scrap wood until it appeared to settle down. Perhaps Neil (the other one) will see this post and give more detail.

Other finishes - Danish oil, Wipe on Poly, 2 part Resin finish (to look like glass, or cut back with EEE for softer finish).

Hope this helps.

[Sir Stinkalot]

I have tried to run in the mop with sandpaper and also a hacksaw blade .... still getting heaps of fluff that goes everywhere. I would be interested to know how much work you need to put into it before it stops puting white fluff everywhere. Perhaps I am just making more with the hacksaw blade.

[treefrog]

Sir Stinkalot I am bamboozled as well.


Cheers for now

Joe

[dai sensei]

Here is a threat on the mop with comments from others in this forum with more experience then me (just ignore the hijacks).

http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/showthread.php?t=14112

Hope it helps.

[treefrog]

I finally broke in my swansdown mop.

There should be an option where you can pay $10 extra and have this broken in for you. I put this mop in the grinder and and let it run and rubbed the mop with 32 grit sand paper for about 8 minutes then left the grinder run and had a shower. Just be careful because you will fill up with cotton.

Hope this helps

Joe

[RETIRED]

:D Snowed in the city tonight? :D

[rsser]

Treefrog, sounds like you put on a bit too much Shellawax.

I've had good results with Danish oil on mallee burls if they've got voids; just paint it on as per instructions. After several coats buff with a soft cloth if you want a higher lustre. Organoil hard burnishing oil also works but raises the grain after several weeks.

Obviously wipe-on finishes fill up cracks and voids and look lousy - some guys use wax and then melt it into/out of the holes with a hair dryer or heat gun. There is also a special rotary brush on the market that's used to buff up the piece and pull the deposits of finish out. Haven't tried either of these so can't make a judgement.

Finally, if you have used wax then it can be buffed up with a 7" lambswool bonnet on a rotary sanding disc (assuming few voids). You do this smearing on the thinnest layer of wax and while soft work across the piece as if you were sanding. It quickly piles up excess wax if there is any but you just keep working it til the heat spreads it out. I used to do all my bowls this way having learned it from Bernie Kiyabu - but now find it too much bother. If I want a higher lustre than DO buffed I use ubeaut's Trad Wax on top just wiped on and polished with a soft cloth.