Replies

1. 
   wbfinewoodworking | Jun 07, 2007 04:46pm | #1

   One simple word -- silicone. Car finish materials use silicone and you don't want that anywhere near your woodshop.

2. 
   HowardAcheson | Jun 07, 2007 05:56pm | #2

   There are two "compounds" used primarily in the car painting business. One is called "rubbing compound" and all I know of are sort of salmon pink in color. The second is called "polishing compound" and these are white.

   The difference is that the rubbing compound (pink) is courser than the polishing compound (white). The rubbing compound is really too agressive for most furniture finishing applications. It will rub through the finish quite easily and does not leave a gloss finish. What you want to use is a white polishing compound. The Turtle Wax polishing compound and the DuPont polishing compound do not contain silicone.

   There are many regimens for rubbing out a high gloss finish. One thing common to all is to start with the right finish. The harder the finish, the better it will rub out. Lacquer and shellac are the two hardest finishes. In addition, they dry/cure the fastest so make the best candidate for rubbing out to a gloss. Some varnishes are OK if they are non-poly and intended for interior applications. Interior varnishes contain a higher percentage of resin to oil when manufactured so they cure harder. Exterior and poly vanishes have a higher percentage of oil so then dry/cure more flexible and soft. This makes them "tougher" but more difficult to rub out to a high gloss.

   My regimen for varnish is to first let it fully cure for 3-4 weeks. Then I flat sand with 400 W&D paper on a sanding pad. Then I go to 600 and finish at 1200. From there I use a white polishing compound applied with a buffing pad on a buffing machine. My final step is to use a swirl remover to get the final gloss.

   There are other all manual regimens like sanding to 600, then rubbing in pumice, then rottenstone and finishing with a wax but this is a lot more work.

   Howie.........
1. 
   John_Florida | Jun 07, 2007 06:56pm | #3

   Thanks guys, that is exactly what I was looking for. Much appreciated.

   John