Replies

1. 
   RLMillard | Jun 26, 2002 01:31am | #1

   You won’t be able to achieve a fine finish, by spraying, wiping, or brushing on a finish. The only way to do that is to rub out the finish. I use varnish (Rock Hard) which dries very slowly, and I don’t have a room that is not full of dust. I let the varnish dry at least 10 days with 14 or more being better. I then sand with 800-grit paper, followed by rubbing with pumice and rottenstone. This is not a quick finish, so I started using a Milwaukee automotive buffer, to get back to a wet shine. This goes quickly, but it still scares the daylights out of me to attack my tops with that buffer. I dislike that high shine, so I knock it back with a mixture of rottenstone and 4F pumice on a felt block. Another couple of products you might try is Behlen’s deluxing compound and their OZ polish. The deluxing compound has wax in it, and I hate wax, but it does give a very nice finish. The Oz polish is great for putting that last bit of gloss on, and it does not smear or contaminate the finish with silicone.

2. 
   Paul_Snyder | Jun 26, 2002 02:03am | #2

   Skip; I agree with Rob M that you need to "finish the finish." Here's a couple links to articles on the subject - http://www.antiquerestorers.com/Articles/SAL/rub.htm & http://www.homesteadfinishing.com/rubbingout.htm

   You can ignore the advertising in the articles - what counts is the methods used. You can modify the steps any way you like as long as you end up with a smooth, level finish in the sheen of your choice.

   Paul

   F'burg, VA

1. 
   DonStephan | Jun 26, 2002 07:36pm | #3

   Nibs were always in my spray finishes until I became a vacuuming fanatic as part of spray prep. The floors, table surfaces, drying racks (uppper and lower surfaces), spray background, and perhaps most important my face, hairs, arms, chest, ... I also now vacuum after sanding each coat of finish, and sometimes turn off the HVAC to eliminate drafts. Nibs are few and far between.