Replies

1. 
   SteveSchoene | Jan 20, 2006 11:00am | #1

   The witness lines come only when the rubbing cuts through one coat into a lower coat and the boundary between the two coats sometimes is visible.  If you have a thick coat then you can avoid that problem.  (this problem would be about the same with traditional resin varnishes and doesn't occur with evaporative finishes such as shellac or lacquer.)  If it hapoens it can usually be cured by adding another coat of finish on top.  

   Rubbing out is a process of scratching the finish, and poly doesn't scratch as well as the traditional resin varnishes. but that doesn't mean it doesn't rub out at all.  If you want to go to satin finish you can rub the finish out with 3-M grey synthetic steel wool.  It can be lubricated with water with the surface tension broken with a few drops of a liquid dish soap like Dawn.  Alternatively, you can make everything satin or semi-gloss by applying one final coat of satin varnish after preparing the previous coats with 320 grit sand paper. 

2. 
   Pondfish | Jan 20, 2006 07:06pm | #2

   The easieest way is to add another thin coat of a satin poly to your work.  The glossiness of the top most coat will dictate overall gloss.  However, most "satin" finishes contain suspended silicates to create the satin look; adding a gloss finish over one of these satin finishes will give you an overall gloss finish, but the finish itself will be somewhat opaque or white.

   Recommending the use of "Hide Signatures" option under "My Preferences" since 2005
1. 
   GregV | Jan 21, 2006 01:11am | #3

   Thanks for the input.  If I decide to rub-out, can I use 0000 steelwool and furniture was to acheive the lubricant medium?

3. 
   douglas2cats | Jan 21, 2006 03:36pm | #4

   I had real good luck rubbing out even the thin Minwax wipe-on poly with either this Behlen stuff or auto rubbing compound

   http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx?FamilyID=3237

   It knocks a bit of the sheen off the gloss poly and evens out the sheen as well. Plus it leaves a SMOOTH surface. It's about a 30 min job to rub out something like an end table size piece. The result is sort of a semi-gloss but I think you could get a more satin look if you rubbed it in a bit more. I just rub it in with a clean cotton rag then remove/buff with another rag after it dries. In terms of applying and polishing, it's real similar to waxing your car.

   If you build it he will come.