Need a brand and name for a polishing compound.
I need a brand and name for a polishing compound. I built the mahogany low boy that was in the magazaine a year or so back. I have used dewaxed shellac, Filler and then put on the Rock Hard varnish which took forever to cure. Now I am trying to get a mirror finsih using the system from Sean Clarke (High Gloss finish made easy). He suggests a 3M Microfinishing Compound #06011 which is no longer available. I don’t want to experiment on this project which is a wedding present for my daughter. I have completed the 400/600/1000/1500 grit sanding and am ready to rub out the top.
Can someone reccomend a specific and available brand and name of product that is appropriate for rubbing out 1500 grit scratches to get that mirror finish? I have read here that Automotive Polishing Compounds with no silicone is what I want. I really would like a specific product name and brand so I get this right.
Replies
One well respected brand is Menzerna. Jeff Jewitt's site has info on several specific grades within the Menzerna line.
http://www.homesteadfinishingproducts.com/htdocs/rubbingpolish.htm#menzerna
3M #05928 Finesse It II finishing material.
Assuming that you have a thick-enough film in place, and that the surface you finished was close to flawless:
If you have a power sander (a random orbit sander works well, and a pneumatic sander is best) I would strongly suggest that you continue the rub-out with Abralon disks. These are automotive products, but they work extremely well on furniture finishes. They are abrasive pads backed with a foam backing, and are fairly forgiving around corners and edges. If you've gone to 1500 grit, start with a 2000 grit Abralon pad, and lubricate the surface with a 50-50 mix of mineral oil and mineral spirits. After you have completed the 2000 grit rubout, move to a 4000 grit Abralon pad. Be sure you have sufficient lubricaiton so you do not rub through the topcoat. When you wipe off the slurry, remember the mineral spirits in the lubricating fluid, and soak the rags or towels in water before laying them out flat to dry. Do not ball them up and toss them in the trash!!
After the Abralon/lubricant rub-out, you can use automotive products like Meguire's #9 Swirl Remover 2.0. and New Car Glaze will leave a very nice surface. A coat of furniture wax would be the final touch.
Mineral spirits nor mineral oil will generate spontaneous combustion. (They just evaporate, they don't cure or dry) it's the chemical curing process in oils like boiled linseed oil that generate sufficient heat to combust spontaeously. The are flammable (or inflammable, if you will.) so care is required from that standpoint.
Thanks for the advice. This was a more compex finish than I had used in the past. Mostly I've just used a stain and clear coat with light sanding. I wanted to follow a system to a tee and just got stuck on a product that was no longer available. I will probably go with the 3M product mentioned above. I was looking at it as a near equivalent.
spontaneous combustion
Steve,
Just when I started to relax my paranoia about oily rags of any kind I read a warning on a can of Tried & True Varnish Oil, which has no driers, and I got worried all over again. Might just be the company lawyers being cautious, but I am back to treating all oily rags like time bombs again.
caution
FWIW, I'vge always felt that being overly cautious is better than being overly toasty. ;-)
Yes, take the usual oily rag precautions with the Tried and True. While it may not have metallic driers, it does cure, a chemical process which can generate heat and possible combustion if the heat is allowed to concentrate while at the same time having access to oxygen.
Yes, take the usual oily rag
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