After dry can you
buff wipe on poly with beall buffing system
buff wipe on poly with beall buffing system
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Buffing wipe on poly
- Thread starter Jerry Lear
- Start date
I have never done so, but I believe that this is an acceptable practice. Perhaps a test piece would be helpful in your decision making.
No. After cured maybe, but definitely not just dry to the touch. Your technique on the buffing machine will make a difference as well. You can build a lot of heat if you move the object around too slowly, and that will definitely soften the poly.
How many coats of poly or wipe on poly before you buff or polish with micro mesh? I am having the same situation now.
I’ve not done it but from what I’ve read you need to make sure it’s fully dry before buffing. This could take from a couple of days to over a week.
john lucas
AAW Forum Expert
I've buffedcwipe on poly for years. Sometimes one coat within a few minutes after turning. If I do 2 or more coats I give it an hour ir so to dry. Never had a problem with it. I do however use 4" wheels on my lathe running about 1500 rpm. I burned through a lot if finishes with the 8" wheels at high speed. Wasn't using wipe on poly back then. It us a tougher fi ish.
You buff like 3-4 minutes after applying? What brand allows you to do that? I can't even hold a piece with 3-4 minute old poly without leaving finger prints.
Once it’s cured, you should be able to buff without a problem as long as you’re mindful of the heat. For poly and shellac, I use 4” wheels and keep the speed between 1,000 - 1,200 rpm. Don’t linger on one spot too long and you should be fine.
I buff WOP but wait for ~3wks first.
john lucas
AAW Forum Expert
I use minwax wipe on poly glossy.
John, you are the expert, but your results puzzle me. What does your buffing wheel feel like? A bit stiff? I wonder what your result would be if you wiped your piece with mineral spirits and buffed the same way? Or apply nothing to the piece and buff?
Our finish contains Poly and we dip it in that mix for about 45 minutes. After we take it out and dry it with a paper towel we let it sit for 4 or 5 days to cure. After that we Beall buff it using 8" buffing wheels. Never had a problem.
john lucas
AAW Forum Expert
I use the 4" bealle wheels running at 1500 rpm or so. I've been doing this for at least 15 years. My hand mirrors are handled a lot abd hold up fine. Most have 2 layers.
John, rereading what l said isn't what l wanted to say. Last year one of our club members did something similar. He buffed a piece that had a finish that l don't recall and a piece (same wood) with bare wood. They looked the same. I wondered if your wheel was more stiff that could affect your results. I know that water would raise the grain, but would MS haver any affect on the results. Then, how would all this compare with buffing the bare wood? Your mirrors, stunning as they are, are probably handled quite a bit. I would think that your method yields a very thin film coating. It works. Is that all we need?
I use water-based floor poly diluted 50/50 with water. I apply it and immediately wipe it off. You need about 4/5 coats. After the last coat, dry for 24 hours then Beale. Great finish. I am still using the remains from my floor for the last 15 years. It has not broken down.
Buffing bare wood is equivalent to sanding to about 1500 grit. Sanding to that level will produce a glossy sheen. But of course it will not be a durable sheen. I would also expect buffing bare wood is comparable to using a sanding paste like Yorkshire Grit. I think I might try an experiment to try buffing bare would followed by 1 or 2 coats of oil base poly, to compare to sanding to 400 grit, adding the coats of poly, and then buffing.
john lucas
AAW Forum Expert
When I do my hand mirrors I apply a coat of finish on the lathe. Then I sort of force dry it with friction from my hand. Then I apply a second coat. Usually the next morning I will buff it. If I want a thicker glossy finish I will apply several more coats at 1coat per day. Let that dry over night and then buff.