Thread: Finishing to a high gloss ?'s

I just sponge the water on - wait for it to dry, completely - this raises the nap of the grain. Sand it off

I get it so smooth it almost looks like its got a finish on it. Until recently I did the 800+ all by hand (hours and hours). I now have a 5mm ETS festool sander, but have not tried it yet. Working on a chair which I'll use it for, maybe tomorrow if I can be bothered. BTW - this is the best sander you can buy......well its either Festool or Rupes, but I got Festool to go with my other gear/vac

The mop is a brush, a special artists paint brush, very soft and fine bristle, you can get cheaper ones for about $40 from any high end artists shops (not Riot)

I use a swandown mop (a buffing thing fitted to a drill) to buff off the EEE

Get a copy of the polishers handbook, read it, then speak with the guys at ubeaut when you buy the EEE, thats all I did and I get a ripping finish these days.....time consuming though

Elill are you on the AVS site?

I saw a user name that was on the Anarchy TH build. Just wondered if you were the same.

That festool is a bit pricey so I will have to wait for that one. If I tried to hand 800 sand the sub that would take a very very long time so I might have to look into a pneumatic hand sander or a cheaper option. Festool is a bit out of my price range.

Sand to about 800
- hot water
- sand to 1200
- IMS
- sand
- sanding sealer
- sand to 1200
- sand through to finest you can be bothered
- Hard shellac thinned with IMS, sand, again again again....up to you
- 3 -4 coats more if needed
- sand with lightly with 1200 grit (if needed) to remove any brush marks
- finish with EEE preferably using a Swan Down buff

Neil says, "Before you start get a really, really, good brush" and you won't find it at the local Bunnies. Take the time to read the instructions for EEE and Hard Shellac or whatever else you decide to use. Most manufacturers go to great pains to spell out how to use their products. Most users go to great pains to do it their own way. Then blame everyone but themselves for the poor finish.

Try HERE in the Forum Library for Info Sheets from U-Beaut Polishes and read them properly if you decide to use their products.same for Organoil, Wattyle, Feast Watson or whoever else's product(s) you decide to use. Also do yourself a favour and get a copy of Neil's book you will learn a lot and it's a really great read to boot.

Darky

As has been mentioned earlier in the thread, polyurethane is not the hardest finish (apart from 2 pack) so you can usually only get it to shine to a certain degree.

However, as Poly U is essentially a plastic, I have found by using plastic specific compounds you can get it to a higher gloss level - higher than where EEE and others can get to on poly u.

You will get a good workout doing it, but compounds designed to polish and remove scratches in plastic work wonders on polyurethane once it's cured. After all, to achieve a gloss is simply to remove the scratches that are already present. These hi-tech compounds from 3M and others ( even the Meguirs one works well) are much finer than tripoli powder and automotive rubbing compounds. Being finer means it needs elbow grease , and I use a Festool Rotex on slow speed for the initial rubbing, backed by a lot of hand rubbing

I have achieved very high gloss levels on Jarrah and Sheoak coffee tables when I was looking for something glossier than could ordinarily be achieved from wipe on poly.

Originally Posted by chrapladm

Elill are you on the AVS site?

Yep same guy.

As to the not using hot water and IMS......I am a huge fan of this. I cannot get it nearly as smooth without it and I am talking about a smoothness that lasts and lasts and lasts. By the time I am ready to apply the finish the timber already as a high shine to it, infact a simple waxing can make it look very good....depends on the timber of course, but most aussie hardwoods I've used, jarrah and spotted gum come up a treat. Saying that, the hand sanding process takes days on a large peice

either way, EEE is the greatest product known to man

PS I think the water thing is in Neil's book, either that or he gave me the idea

Is Neils book the one that was linked in this thread already?

By peachtree woodworking?

Originally Posted by chrapladm

Is Neils book the one that was linked in this thread already?

By peachtree woodworking?

Not sure which thread you're looking at but there is no mention of a book by peachtree woodworking.

No it's the one in post #16 as you would have seen if you had looked at the link. It is also the only book written for Australians that is readily available.

You're getting a lot off help here but do not seem to be taking notice of much of it as you questions are showing more and more.

Darky

Originally Posted by chrapladm

Is Neils book the one that was linked in this thread already?

By peachtree woodworking?

No the book by Peachtree woodworking is the one I linked to, by Flexner.

Cheers
Michael

Thanks Darklord for your expert tutelage,

SO after reading the many helpful suggestions and seeing everyone does it different I have tried looking alot more at the website of EEE. Then I tried looking at the 2 pack for the sub and had a window on my comp still open of the link that Mic-d posted of the Wood finishing by peachtree woodworking.

SO when I saw others mention of Neil I thought maybe it was that book I still had on my comp. SO sue me if I asked a question because I was looking at so many things and dealing with just a few other things while trying to learn from others.

And if you look at the other posts I get great help on material choices instead of finishes.

SO I have been thinking about trying to chose between finishing with the EEE for the final rub down or the 3m compound. In theory it sounds like the Elill's method would be a very nice finish.

As I have already applied my finish and just trying to get it better I am thinking of just trying the 3m compound or other. Not sure which 3m compound either the imperial products or other. And I have used the meguiars rubbing compounds before but for my car. So not sure on which would be suitable for my application.

If not then I could always stick with trying the EEE for the final "sanding,"

Alright, I will put my hand up:
IMS - wazzat? And where do you get it?

Excuse my ignorance please

Industrial Meth Spirits i.e. zero water content

EEE is a rubbing compound.....well I guess it is. I finish the finish with it. So a very light sand on the final coat of hard shellac, EEE and then buff off with the swandown

Originally Posted by chrapladm

Thanks Darklord for your expert tutelage,

SO after reading the many helpful suggestions and seeing everyone does it different I have tried looking alot more at the website of EEE. Then I tried looking at the 2 pack for the sub and had a window on my comp still open of the link that Mic-d posted of the Wood finishing by peachtree woodworking.

SO when I saw others mention of Neil I thought maybe it was that book I still had on my comp. SO sue me if I asked a question because I was looking at so many things and dealing with just a few other things while trying to learn from others.

And if you look at the other posts I get great help on material choices instead of finishes.

SO I have been thinking about trying to chose between finishing with the EEE for the final rub down or the 3m compound. In theory it sounds like the Elill's method would be a very nice finish.

As I have already applied my finish and just trying to get it better I am thinking of just trying the 3m compound or other. Not sure which 3m compound either the imperial products or other. And I have used the meguiars rubbing compounds before but for my car. So not sure on which would be suitable for my application.

If not then I could always stick with trying the EEE for the final "sanding,"

It isn't an "either" "or" situation. You should use both as the plastic polishing compounds are only useful once you have already got a reasonable shine up. They then work on the tiny marks left behind.

In terms of which product to use, I look for products specifically formulated to remove fine scratches in plastic. 3m plastic polish and similar compounds are available at marine chandlery stores - they are used to polish and remove scratches from plastic clears on boats. Alternatively the plastic polishes from automotive stores will also work in the same way in that they are designed to polish softer substances, which I think is the reason they work well with polyurethane. EG Maguires clear plastic polish.

I forgot to mention if you are happy with your gloss level after EEE, you can skip the plastic polish step.

Alrighty .......EEE it is. So hopefully in the next few days I can order Neils book and some supplies for the EEE.The swansdown mop looks like something I REALLY need to try.

Would this be suitable to sand with after the finish has cured for a few weeks?
230 x 280 mm x 2500 grit Hermes WS Flex 16 Wet and Dry Sheet | The Sandpaper Man
Or should I just use the EEE compound with the swansdown mop?

Figured I could just use the EEE after curing but didn't think the the sanding would hurt but I figured I would ask.