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Sanding sealer and spirit stains

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Aug 14, 2019
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I've been turning a little over 2 years now, doing both resin and wood, and traditionally with wood I shape, sand 80-400 grit, use Myland's Cellulose Sanding Sealer, follow up with Yorkshire grit, then my finish which is usually a microcrystalline wax or something like Renaissance Wax.

However, this weekend I am going to also be using Chestnut Spirit Stains for some color work. I've been reading that a wiped or brushed on cellulose sanding sealer will dilute the Chestnut Spirit Stains and draw color out, and that a spray on sanding sealer is preferred. I cannot seem to find any spray cellulose sanding sealer, and no experience with anything else.

So what is a good spray on sanding sealer, that is readily available, and won't muck up my coloring? I was thinking of the Minway Aerosol Polycrylic, but wasn't sure it can be used as a sanding sealer, it seems mostly used as a finishing topcoat.
 
Joined
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U may have to sacrifice some of the same wood to experiment on with what u have and with others suggest......

hope u have more than the one blank
 

hockenbery

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I use wipe on wipe off Waterlox over spirit stain.
The trick is to do the first coat really light and either don’t wipe it or wipe very softly.

As you apply subsequent coats don’t get discouraged if there is dullness after coats 2 and 3 because after the 4th coat the colors pop.
 
Joined
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Spirit stains do not like wipe on solvent base. You can use lacquer. As to sealer if using colors I would forget about it. I usually use chestnut stains and then lacquer (minwax wipe on diluted 50-50) sprayed on with an airbrush. I buff with Beall at about 800
 
Joined
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Sanding sealer and thinned down lacquer are similar . You can just spray with lacquer.
When I’m spraying cabinets at work I use a coat if sanding sealer then 2 coats of lacquer. If in a pinch or out of sealer I spray a light coat of lacquer in place of sanding sealer or i thin the lacquer 80/20 with thinner and spray first coat. Then 2 coats of pure lacquer. You end up with the same results in the end.
 
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There is a difference for sealer in that it is softer that the finish and was developed for the furniture industry to make sanding easier. Sealer also makes the finish coat dent easier.And as Glenn did point out and finish can also be a sealer if diluted down.
 
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Peoria, Illinois
Cellulose is another word for lacquer. Sanding sealer has an additive that makes it sand easily, nearly always zinc stearate. Sanding sealer is not just thin lacquer. Sanding sealer is softer and less water resistant than lacquer because of the zinc stearate and it can cause trouble with a hard finish applied on top of too heavy coating of sanding sealer. Does the Yorkshire grit have shellac in it? What do you get by adding that on top of lacquer sanding sealer? https://www.rockler.com/learn/when-to-use-sanding-sealer
 
Joined
Nov 4, 2011
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Bay Settlement, WI
Does the Yorkshire grit have shellac in it?

No ... it is a paste with mineral oil, beeswax, and abrasives in it (e.g. rotten stone, diatomaceous earth, etc.). It forms a slurry that fills pores as it cuts. Manufacturer claims it produces a surface that is equivalent to one achieved with 1000 grit sandpaper.
 
Joined
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When using a spirit stain, which in this brand contains shellac as a binder, the only reason to use a sealer is to reduce blotching. On turned items the blotching is usually desired, but its personal taste.

For blotch control I usually use a thinned waterbase finish as the long open time allows more uneven absorption in varying grain - blotch control is simply putting something clear into the grain to reduce color absorption, reducing color variation. It doesn't draw color out it prevents it going in.

Spray can bullseye shellac is dewaxed and can be topcoated with about anything, and can be used as a sealer. I forget the names, but there are 2 different tints, with one being pretty light. Amber and orange?

Recommend you do a lot of experimenting with new to you coloring/finishing on scrap before committing to a completed turned project. Doesnt have to be the same wood, but similar.
 
Joined
Jun 16, 2004
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Here's a different approach...these smallish 2" x 3" broadleaf maple tops were sanded to 400 grit, no sealer used, colored with an alcohol based dye, let dry for about 10 minutes, then applied Yorkshire grit (which evened out and lightened the coloring), followed by a Beall buff:
13f18638449a3b0ca705b9c40ffd5fc6.jpg

06f43ca30346d1ca6f3d4bd52dd8f1f2.jpg
 
Last edited:
Joined
Jan 15, 2020
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Fort Myers, FL
Recently started using Yorkshire grit. My question is related to the mineral oil and beeswax. How does that impact additional finish? Seems like sanding sealer first would make sense to keep the mineral oil from soaking into raw wood and impairing adhesion of other finish. I read somewhere that dilute shellac works well as sanding sealer. Presumably this would be dewaxed shellac.
 
Joined
Apr 1, 2019
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Bashaw, Alberta
I use a 50/50 mix of zinsser sealcoat and denatured alcohol, I generally use it when I'm going to be using an oil finish as it helps to even out the absorption of the finish between end and side grain. I've never had it interfere with an oil finish, I don't often use film finishes.
I've never had yorkshire grit cause problems with an oil finish either.
 
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