Thread: Coating with minwax poly rub on

Hi Les

It must be the oil based as clean up is with mineral turps rather than water. I have used it successfully on pens previously after I got your advice nearly 2 years ago (might be longer as I have no concept of time) on the process. However, these are bigger pieces of timber - compared to a pen. The Euc Burl has worked but the Silky Oak hasn't - perhaps for the reasons I mentioned previously.

Greg all oil based in this country, for yur info I have used it on my internal stairs and on my garden furniture all good best way to go

Greg, I have been using Minwax WOP in both Satin & Gloss for about 7 years with very good results generally on my spinning tops and spindle work.

Occasionally I have had failures where the WOP just will not go off on some timbers. It has not been due to the environmental conditions as other tops from different timbers have all hardened in the same batch coated from the same can of WOP. Generally the timbers have been species with high natural oils. The most problematic issue for me is how the WOP tends to wick towards sharp detail and build up particularly on sharp convex details. It takes many days to dry at times, when that occurs.

Often its the timber, or what has been put on the timber. You didn't use EEE by any chance? Nothing wrong with EEE, just it may not be compatible with WOP???

The other trick I have found is do not apply thick wet coats. Lots of light coats are far more preferable.

Perhaps apply a shellac based sealer first, Ubeaut have one.

Poly is notorious for not drying on certain timbers, we used to get lots of complaints of one-pack poly not drying for days on Western Red Cedar (used to be really fashionable for wall panelling in the 80s). We always recommended a coat of either a shellac based sealer, or a nitrocellulose brushable sanding sealer (but of course most people don't read the flamin' directions, do they?)

That way the oils are sealed in and they no longer react with the poly.

Oh and not all sanding sealers would do, eg Wattyl and Feast Watson are also poly base sanding sealers and would suffer the same problem.

I have an idea it's the paraffin wax used at the end of the lump of timber I cut the working piece from. Anyway I will have to do it again and will try pure Tung oil next time.

Yesterday was a relatively sunny day so I put my pieces out in the sunshine and it did the trick. Within about 2 hours all the tackiness had dried and it is now ready for the 3rd coat.
This is the first time this has happened to me. At the time of applying the 2nd coat of WOP the workshop temperature was around 24-26c, so I am at a loss what happened.

Originally Posted by Mulgabill

Yesterday was a relatively sunny day so I put my pieces out in the sunshine and it did the trick. Within about 2 hours all the tackiness had dried and it is now ready for the 3rd coat.
This is the first time this has happened to me. At the time of applying the 2nd coat of WOP the workshop temperature was around 24-26c, so I am at a loss what happened.

I have found that the thinners in the new coat of WOP softens the previous coats, making the drying time much longer for subsequent "heavy" coats. Thats why I believe lots of light coats are far better than a few heavy coats.

Woodturners actually use Minwax WOP contrary to the product instructions. It is designed for an internal two coat application system, a denib after the first coat then the finish coat - not to build a thick high gloss finish as we are seeking at times.