Thread: Rubbing out an Oil Based Polyurethane With Ubeaut EEE-Ultra Shine?

I used to do this a lot.

There are probably quite a few posts where I've shared the method.... But it's simple.

-- Wait a week to harden
-- A little water with dish washing sauce
-- 320 wet with a block until it's matt (eliminate shiny bits as they are the low bits)
-- 800, 1500 grit wet and dry with a ROS (super quick)
-- 3000 dry with a ROS
-- Waffle buff pad with Meguiars ShineX on the ROS.
-- wipe with a microfiber and marvel at your skillz

One can also use any car detailing polish that removes holograms, which is usually ~3000 grit. Only a tiny amount is needed.

Easy.

* Manzerna 3500, 3M Perfect It, Chemical Guys 3rd stage, Meguiars Ultimate. These finish polishes completely remove swirls and holograms and are so easy to use its embarrassing.

Originally Posted by woodPixel

I used to do this a lot.

There are probably quite a few posts where I've shared the method.... But it's simple.

-- Wait a week to harden
-- A little water with dish washing sauce
-- 320 wet with a block until it's matt (eliminate shiny bits as they are the low bits)
-- 800, 1500 grit wet and dry with a ROS (super quick)
-- 3000 dry with a ROS
-- Waffle buff pad with Meguiars ShineX on the ROS.
-- wipe with a microfiber and marvel at your skillz

One can also use any car detailing polish that removes holograms, which is usually ~3000 grit. Only a tiny amount is needed.

Easy.

* Manzerna 3500, 3M Perfect It, Chemical Guys 3rd stage, Meguiars Ultimate. These finish polished completely remove swirls and holograms and are so easy to use its embarrassing.

Thanks for the reply Evan, Its probably abit too early for me but whats "ROS"?. I'm going to give this method a go it sounds
excellent mate - thanks for sharing!. Do you get any witness lines?, how many coats of poly do you give the wood?.

I'm going through all your posts now!.

random orbit sander

Originally Posted by havabeer69

random orbit sander

Bingo!, must have had a brain fart at 4 in the morning when I saw the post lol

an AMAZING video - making of a Greenfield guitar plus comment 10

Acoustic Guitar makers are absolute masters at finishing. Watch this video from this timeframe as a sample of how its done: Making a Guitar | Handcrafted Woodworking | Où se trouve: Greenfield Guitars - YouTube

We, as woodworkers, could learn a LOT from these masters of detail. If they sell a $15 to 30k guitar, its going to be perfect.... if we imitate these processes we'll get very close to the top of our game. My personal opinion is the woodworking industry has given us the bum-steer into thinking we are being novel in our ideas and approaching new and unexpected problems... that new products are the latest miracle cures or something new provides a solution to a problem only we have.

This video also is very good..... O'Brien has a few outstanding videos on finish and repairs.

If you want a gloss finish in poly, how would you go about sanding and then rubbing out the finish on detailed area's like moldings, turned legs, carvings etc?. Is there a way to deal with witness lines with poly?.

No witness lines in poly - same with Nitro and shellac.

Poly eats into the previous layer and bonds with it.


As for detailed areas? Carefully!

I've only ever done mouldings on boxes, but it was simply a matter of making a little roll of 800 sandpaper and using a finger. As far as polishing... perhaps a drill or Dremel?

Perhaps someone else can answer that.



Edit - thought to clarify. Poly cannot be repaired. If one sands through it after its dry, its a BBIIGG problem. One cannot sand a patch back to wood and re-poly just that patch. The whole object needs to be refinished again. Scratches are different, one can repair those with the "CA method". When I advised of witness lines, I felt you may be talking of seeing "layers" during the rubbing back process. One does not see this effect.

With Nitro, it IS repairable. It was my favourite finish for boxes and pens as its damned fast. A few sprays and an hour later, polish, done. Easy.

With Shellac, I've not enough experience using it, despite it being a favourite. Ive only done many many tests on many test pieces. I havent yet the hang of applying it properly.

Thanks Evan, I'll continue experimenting and see how it looks, cheers for your help mate.

Originally Posted by EagerBeaver71

You mean poly as in Polyurethane Varnish coats blend into each other?.

Yes, before they cure. After they cure, you are making an onion. Curing takes a week... or so.

I've use some acid catalysed sprayable polys when making kids toys and those are UNBELIEVABLE to use, but they are not home-products as they go off pretty fast, need good spray gear and respirators. Don't breath this stuff in = doom!

The polys I'm discussing are the consumer ones from Bunnings like Valspar, Minwax wipe on, or Cabots cabothane clear (my favourite)

Here is a sample I did earlier.

This was using a sanding sealer, which I HATED and two PAINTED layers of poly.

This was prior to rub-out.

As one can see, by decent prep and sanding flat, and a bit of thinner in the poly, it sits pretty flat even without the super-dooper gear.

DSC05781.jpg


edit - look! Its now in a spray can. Nice! Cabot's 300g Cabothane Gloss Oil Based Polyurethane Aerosol | eBay

Originally Posted by woodPixel

Here is a sample I did earlier.

This was using a sanding sealer, which I HATED and two PAINTED layers of poly.

This was prior to rub-out.

Looks good, how long did you wait between each coat of poly?.

Originally Posted by woodPixel

This was prior to rub-out.

When its dry, how much of a rubbing out do you do?, until everything is completely matt?.

I should have just posted one reply as I keep thinking of more questions!. Can you just use a rubbing compound after its dry instead of sandpaper?.

Originally Posted by EagerBeaver71

I should have just posted one reply as I keep thinking of more questions!. Can you just use a rubbing compound after its dry instead of sandpaper?.

About an hour when using brush. I believe I waited about 30 minutes between sprays.

If spraying, its like all spraying, there is a process that needs finesse.... one cannot simply rely on the cans instructions or even my blathering's. Test, test, test. When spraying Generally, I dust coat, wait 5 minutes to flash, then wet-coat overlapping edges with 15 minute intervals and perhaps (a guess) 4 or 5 coats. Never let a run to develop, nor never get too heavy handed. Many thin coats is superior. Temperature changes everything, as does humidity. Don't do it in the sun or at dusk.

One must wait a good time before sanding. Poly takes a long time to cross link and harden. Its not like paint which simply evaporates, it undergoes some sort of chemical reaction which is the source of its power.

I believe I waited a full week before I sanded.

Originally Posted by EagerBeaver71

When its dry, how much of a rubbing out do you do?, until everything is completely matt?.

Yep! Until its DEAD FLAT. Sand and look for shiny spots. When they are all gone, finish sand and polish.

Originally Posted by EagerBeaver71

Looks good, how long did you wait between each coat of poly?.

As above.



If anyone else wishes to chime in.... be my guest!