Replies

1. 
   forestgirl | Aug 15, 2003 07:27pm | #1

   I would use steel wool for all coats, although I usually try to get by with one or two coats.  When you get well-practiced with waxing technique, the 1st coat should be nice and even, especially if you work the wax with the steel wool such that it becomes warm and spreads well.  Let it sit for a minute or so, wipe off the obvious excess, so that you don't have a thick coat for the subsequent buffing operation (5 mins or so later).  Timing and appropriate thickness of coat is what makes the difference between a task and great laborious work.

   Can you describe in detail your technique for the first coat? including what motion you used with the steel wool? (circular, for instance)

   forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl   ;-)

1. 
   tv190s | Aug 15, 2003 08:32pm | #2

   My technique was applying with steel wool in a circular motion working

   it in real well. The wood is white oak with milk paint over it. I didn't work up a sweat rubbing it in, but I did work it in. Then, about 10-15 minutes later, I buff off the haze. Repeat to the next section.

   Is that OK? It does look nice, but on some sections I've notices it just looks a little dull. Maybe I need to buff it more?

   Matt

1. 
   forestgirl | Aug 16, 2003 02:06am | #3

   Hmmmm, I'm kinda surprised you got that uneveness.  It could be that your buffing wasn't even, either due to buffing technique, or because parts of the wax were so thick that they didn't buff as well as others.

   Your goal with applying the wax isn't so much to "work it in" (it's a surface thing), but to warm it up and spread it evenly over the surface.  I like to rub with a circular pattern until I have the entire surface coated well, with the steel wool creating warmth, take some light swipes straight back and forth, and then let it sit only for a couple (at the most 5) minutes. Then I take a soft cloth and lightly wipe in straight lines again-- that takes off any true excess which would make the buffing overly-laborious.  Then let it sit for 10 mins and do the true buffing.

   When you're doing the "light swipe" thing, you should have just a hint of drag on the cloth.  If it's a real strong drag, you waiting a little too long, and might as well wait some more and go straight to buffing.

   It's been a long time since I've done anything with milk paint, but it could be that the spotty dullness is partly related to the paint itself, in which case you'd probably just let it go.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl   ;-)

1. 
   tv190s | Aug 16, 2003 04:08pm | #4

   Thanks for the suggestions, I'll give it a try. I still have one section left to do (1st coat) Then, maybe I'll do a second coat on one area just to see if it evens things out. If so, then I'll go over it all with a second coat.

   Matt

   What type of cloth do you use as a buffer?

1. 
   forestgirl | Aug 16, 2003 07:26pm | #5

   I have a huge tub of old clothes, towels, washcloths that I rummage through when a cloth of any kind is required, and for buffing grab something soft and totally lint free.  If it came to buffing out a fine mahogany table or something along those lines, I'd probably get a fancy buffing pad of some sort.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl   ;-)

2. 
   johnnyd | Aug 18, 2003 10:58pm | #6

   I came upon the BEST finishing cloth.  SIL was throwing away some well-worn 100% cotton flannel sheets.  DW picked them up and tore them into rags for me.

   Absolutly lint-free, very absorbant, and ABUNDANT...so you don't have to feel bad about throwing them away after one use.

   I think the trick is that really well worn flannel sheets have already had so much of the nap worn and washed out that there's no lint left to shed, but still really absorbant.

3. 
   forestgirl | Aug 19, 2003 06:49pm | #7

   Sounds great -- similar to 3 or 4 old-fashioned baby blankets in my rag pile.  Super-soft, but no lint!forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl   ;-)

2. 
   RoyinMD | Aug 19, 2003 07:48pm | #8

   Some of the problems you are having may be related to putting on too much wax. The more you put on the more you have to take off. Keep rotating the cloth and use clean areas. Maybe August hot and humid weather has something to do with it also.

   I had a major streak and unevenness problem waxing a maple project in the summer. Finally had to strip the wax off with mineral spirts and start over with very thin coats.

   I'm going through some flannel sheets right now. They work great but I don't find them exactly lint free.

   Come on fall.

   Enjoy, Roy

1. 
   johnnyd | Aug 19, 2003 08:36pm | #9

   They have to be REALLY worn out.

3. 
   timberrattler | Aug 20, 2003 04:54pm | #10

   3M abrasive pads work just as well and keep your wax clean compared to the steel wool. Also did you rub out the milk paint before applying your finish or wax? If you didn't that may be the reason for the dull spots. Rubbing out the milk paint helps produce a more even finish.

   P.S. Mike Dunbar did an article on milk paint in the June '99 FWW

4. 
   adair | Aug 21, 2003 12:54pm | #11

   I use wax to finish all my wood sculptures..not aware of "Milk paint".

   Would appreciate further details.

   Thanks

1. 
   forestgirl | Aug 21, 2003 07:36pm | #12

   Milkpaint is a very old formula.  "Early American Colonists and Shakers painted their furniture and interiors with Milk Paint using a formula that dated back to Ancient Egypt. " [Old Fashioned Milk Paint Co. web site]

   It's hard to explain its charm -- you really have to see it and touch it -- but from a practical standpoint, it's incredibly durable.  Has a look that's hard to duplicate with modern paints.  Here are a couple of links:

   Articles (including FWW) about milk paintOld Fashioned Milk Paint CompanyOFMPC Galleryforestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl   ;-)

1. 
   Gretchen | Aug 21, 2003 09:28pm | #13

   It's hard to explain its charm -- you really have to see it and touch it -- but from a practical standpoint, it's incredibly durable.

   FG, you are the master of understatement!!  :o)  It is darn near impossible to get it off of something--and if you find it on an old piece, you don't want to get it off.  And the colors that they have copied from the 18th century pieces are truly wonderful.  I personally have never heard of "rubbing out" milk paint as someone suggested in an earlier post.  It's real charm is partially in its "flatness".  It is possible to make it yourself--lime, color and milk solids.Gretchen

2. 
   adair | Aug 22, 2003 11:48am | #14

   Thanks, the information made for very interesting reading, and will give me another product to try on my sculptures.