Thread: UBeaut Tripoli powder sanding slurry

Originally Posted by barryr

Just been reading UBeauts page on Tripoli powder and come across the following
"HintMake a slurry of Paraffin oil and Tripoli Powder and use this as a liquid abrasive."

Would that be using just the Parrafin Oil and the Tripoli on a rag to make the slurry or using sandpaper ? - if sandpaper what grade - 400 to 800 w&d ? and can anything else be used to make the slurry like raw or boiled linseed oil or penetrol wood oil ?

Bazz

Hi Barryr,

Mucking around yesterday with a multi-drawer cabinet that I'm making, and in putting a final surface on some of the drawer fronts, I experimented (on the drawer backs to start with!), using uBeaut EEE and a fine(ish) Scotch sanding block in combination. Results: amazing! A little paraffin (kero) helps lubricate the slurry a bit, as it gets quite hard work a minute or so into the rubbing process.

This treatment after smoothing then scraping yields a finish even my old Godfather wouldn't harass me about

Cheers!

cheers , just wondering if anyone's tried it with the Tripoli powder as opposed to the EEE .

Auld Bassoon - Pleased to see you got an amazing resuly, however, it is best not to use the EEE with a scotchbrite or any other scouring pad as the pads will be a lot more abrasive than the EEE which kinda defeats the purpose a bit. Good thinking with the turps..... Pity more people didn't think about doing something so simple before ringing or emailing to complain. Well done.

Bazz - Use Tripoli Powder in preference to EEE-Ultra Shine when you don't want to put a wax surface over the finished work. Wax on a finish isn't always desirable, especially on a fine French polish. You can also make the slurry with water if you wish or use the Tripoli Powder dry to cut back the gloss of a finish and give a dry shine rather than a wet look finish. It's pretty versatile stuff.

Tripoli breaks down to around 4,000 grit and higher. Use it with a rag as using it with any other form of abrasive would completely defeat the purpose. If you have brush marks (witness lines) or other imperfections in the surface like dust etc, then this is best removed first using 800 or 1200 wet n dry abrasive before using the Tripoli powder.

Cheers - Neil

Thanks Neil , the water sounds good as a lubricant , I was a bit worried about using paraffin oil as I wasn't sure if it would color the wood . The straight
Tripoli on a rag was ok but I still felt it needed a lubricant/applicator helper such as the water or oil .
and yeh , I bought tripoli as opposed to EEE because I wanted the fine finish without wax (at least until I'm ready for it to go on)

cheers , Bazz

Hang on there Barry. Sounds like you are intending using it on raw timber. If so..... DON'T this is for use over another finish. NOT for use on raw timber.

Paraffin won't change the colour of anything any more than wetting it down with water. It is also a non drying oil and can be removed pretty much completely from the surface of most finishes.

Cheers - Neil

Ok , are you saying don't use Tripoli on raw timber or just not with water as a lube ? I gather your worried about grain lifting if using water on raw wood .
I am talking about raw timber , normally after final sanding I put a couple of coats of oil on wet on wet 10 mins apart (talkin on pool cues here) then wipe it off , pour a little oil on some 800grit w&d and hand sand it forming a nice slurry and helping seal any open pores in the shaft for a smoother finish .
I figured using the tripoli as a slurry it would make a final smoother cut on top of my normal method using a rag and some oil . (in the lathe that is)

thanks , Bazz.