Michael Dresdner » woodturning

Gummy bear

Michael — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 17:00:39 +0000

Q: I’ve tried Zinsser SealCoat on wood turning as a sealer before wipe on poly. The finished result is outstanding; it did a great job of sealing spalted maple. For sanding, I use a 2″ disc in a cordless drill on low speed off the lathe with 400 grit paper. The sandpaper builds up with clumps which get deposited elsewhere on the piece. Would a lubricant help, if so, what?
A: Using self lubricated paper would certainly be a must, but two other things will also help. First, make sure the SealCoat is completely dry before you sand. If it is still soft, it will gum up paper quickly, creating clumps. Second, make sure your sanding speed is slow enough, and your touch light enough, that you do not melt the shellac. SealCoat, which is shellac, will soften at around 120 degrees F. It’s surprisingly easy to create that much heat with the friction of a power sander, especially with such fine grit.

Lathe finish, CA style

Michael — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 17:00:25 +0000

Q: How can one apply CA glue as a finish on turning projects like pens, shaving brushes, bottle stoppers, etc.?
A: Good question, but one I have already covered in this blog about this time last year. Go to the page at the link below, and scroll down. The information you want is in the last paragraph of the entry. Hope it helps! Good luck.

http://www.michaeldresdner.com/2009/02/finishing-on-the-lathe/

Ornery ornaments

Michael — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 17:00:41 +0000

Q: I turned Christmas ornaments of cherry wood. On one small spot about the size of a quarter, I can not get lacquer to stick to the wood. I did not get glue or oil of any kind on the wood. I used acetone to wipe down the ornament before I started spraying.
A: That may well be the problem. Cherry contains pockets of pitch. Normally, they are not a big issue, but if large enough, they can leave a soft spot under lacquer. Usually they are the size of the end of a pencil lead. However, by wiping with acetone, a solvent for the pitch, you may be spreading it over a wider area. Here’s what to do: sand the ornament first with 320 or 400 grit paper, moving up to whatever grit of paper you choose as your final sanding. Seal it with a couple of coats of dewaxed shellac or Zinsser SealCoat prior to the lacquer. When you do spray lacquer, make sure your first coats are not too wet, since you don’t want to dissolve all the shellac and open up the pitch issue again.

See me at the Woodturners of Olympia August 27

admin — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 04:43:59 +0000

I will be presenting to the Woodturners of Olympia on Thursday, August 27th 2009. The meeting will be held at the Thurston County Fairgrounds. You can find more information here.

Finishing on the Lathe

Michael — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 05:14:51 +0000

In many ways, finishing on the lathe is easier than finishing in the flat,

because the motor turns the work for you. Besides, most turned projects get gentle treatment and do not require very durable finishes, so you can choose your finish based on appearance and ease of application rather than toughness. But the bottom line is that any type of finish that can be applied to furniture can go on turned objects too.

It is not unusual to see fancy or beautiful wood used for turnings, and you want a finish that brings out the best in the wood while going on easily and drying fast. The two most common ones are oil and wax, both of which apply easily with a rag right on the spinning work. Sand the work very fine (400 or above), dip a rag or fine scotchbrite pad into some boiled linseed oil, and press it onto the spinning work. For an even finer look, rub the wet oil into the wood using 600 grit wet/dry paper or simply use a handful of shavings. As the pressure from your hand creates friction, the resulting heat will help cure the oil faster. Oil will add depth and warmth to the wood. As people handle the piece over the years, they will constantly renew the finish by adding a bit of sebaceous oil (oil from our skin) to it as well.

You can apply wax the same way, by rubbing it on with an abrasive pad or sanding it in, then buffing it with a rough cloth. However, you might find that wax leaves the end grain feeling rough or knobby. Instead, try this: First flood the raw wood with Zinsser Bulls Eye SealCoat and wipe off any excess immediately. The SealCoat will absorb more into the end grain, sealing it so that it behaves more like the flat grain areas. Let it dry for about 2 hours, then lightly sand with 400 grit paper or finer. This will quickly remove the “fur” from any grain that was raised by the alcohol in the SealCoat. When it is smooth, apply your wax on a pad or rag and buff it as usual. You will notice that the wax lays out more evenly on this lightly sealed wood than on raw wood.

One final trick for pen makers: For a fast, tough gloss finish, get the slowest drying cyanoacrylate glue (super glue) you can find (some are 60 second cure). Working with two rags on the spinning lathe, wipe on a thin coat of cyanoacrylate and immediately follow it with a thin coat of boiled linseed oil. The glue will react with the oil and cause it to immediately cure into a very hard, glossy film. Sand lightly between coats and add as many as you like, using the two rag method. With a bit of practice, you can apply 4 coats, fully cured, in as many minutes.