Order of Finishing

[Jay S Schlossberg]

Has anyone finished their project first applying Danish Oil (I use Tried & True) and then using sanding paste for smoothness, and then maybe poly? I would think the Danish Oil would penetrate better without the oils and waxes found
in sanding paste if applied first.
Also, which paste is better; Yorkshire grit or Dr. Kirks EEE? Is one worlds and away better or are they pretty much the same?
Thanks...Jay

 

[John Tisdale]

Woodturning, and sanding, is a subtractive process - finishing is an additive process. Finishing material and the process depends on: What you're doing, how much effort, and how much expense.
No doubt there are guys on this forum using the products you mentioned and getting great results - each has a process arising from his own efforts
Suggestion: Get Flexner's book and find the process most conducive to what you're doing, whatever that may be. Then select a material and make it work - they're all good. Asking "What's best" will not get results

 

[Jay S Schlossberg]

John
Thanks for that very informative way to look at the whole process. Never thought of it that way. Will definitely check out your book suggestion.
Jay

 

[Doug Freeman]

I 2nd Flexner’s book, Understanding Wood Finishing. It provides easy to understand descriptions and concepts of finishing methods and materials.

The finish schedule (steps of the process) might be ok, but is not necessary. An “oil look” finish can be achieved with poly diluted 1:1, and applied like danish oil. I have examples in gallery section. Its worth a try. Finishing begins with the end - what look is desired, and what finishes and other materials will get there. Flexner’s book is very helpful in explaining it.

 

[Jay S Schlossberg]

Thanks Doug. Actually just ordered Flexner's book upon reading the replies. Looks like "the" book!.

 

[Dean Center]

Finishing is something of an art, and there's some voodoo there, as well. We all struggle for a while to find what process works best to get the result we want. And turners seem to find multiple routes to the same result. Some of those routes are much more complicated than they need to be, IMHO. As John mentions, a guide book can be a big help. Good luck on your journey.

 

[Richard Coers]

Finishing is something of an art, and there's some voodoo there, as well.

I couldn't disagree more. I have been putting finish on wood for over 50 years. The only reason people think there is voodoo involved and struggle to get to the magic process is because of manufacturer's marketing and the desire for hobbyists to have an easier way to apply finish. Today there are more snake oil products on the market and a whole new group of internet woodworking discussions to confuse it even more. Manufacturers use names that don't even apply to their product. Varnish called oil is a classic. Sanding paste? What is wrong with foam backed abrasive. Deeper oil penetration? How far can you see into the wood to enjoy that depth? Finishing is only as difficult as you make it. I sand the wood to 220. If I want a natural finish to not change the wood color, I use an acrylic flat sheen aerosol finish. If I want a thin finish that is infinitely durable, I apply an oil based poly of the sheen I want. If I need to adjust the sheen, I use Mirka Abralon or 0000 steel wool. I apply the poly with a folded cotton rag. And for my third option is if I want a dyed and high gloss finish. Then I spray lacquer. That's it. 3 finishes and the proper abrasives. Remember that no finish is good enough from just applying it. You ALWAYS have to finish the finish. For that I use foam backed 320 pads and then powered Abralon.

 

[Gord Cameron]

Ditto on Flexner's book, but on your specific question, if I am aiming for the grain/figure enhancing effects of a penetrating oil finish, I either wet sand with thinned tung oil or add this after dry sanding and before abrasive paste. As you note, the waxes and (probably) mineral oil in the abrasive paste might not help with the penetrating oil effect you are aiming for. If you do want to start with the abrasive paste, it would help to clean the item with DNA or isopropyl alcohol before using the penetrating oil. (I always clean the residual abrasives and waxes with DNA after abrasive paste, though this is probably a bit obsessive.)

I would not use straight Tried and True Danish Oil in the sequence you describe because, great as it is, it is a relatively slow-curing pure linseed oil finish. It is polymerized linseed oil, so it won't take ages to cure, but as you are doing this before even getting to the abrasive paste and top coat, it could slow you down for a few days while it cures. To speed things up, I would recommend thinning it with mineral spirits. Or, as I do, use Lee Valley Tung Oil Sealer, which is basically thinned tung oil and works well for wet sanding or an initial penetrating oil coat. It brings out the figure in the wood and dries much faster than pure polymerized tung or linseed oil, so after a few hours you can go to abrasive paste or directly to your top coat.

 

[Jay S Schlossberg]

Gord
Thanks for the tips. I have tried DNA on sanding paste but found it not completely removing residue before applying Danish Oil. Acetone did a somewhat better job. May give the Lee Valley product a go because, as you said, we are all after grain/figure enhancement. And I'm always experimenting with finishes.
Jay

 

[Richard Coers]

Gord
Thanks for the tips. I have tried DNA on sanding paste but found it not completely removing residue before applying Danish Oil. Acetone did a somewhat better job. May give the Lee Valley product a go because, as you said, we are all after grain/figure enhancement. And I'm always experimenting with finishes.
Jay

Stop using the sanding paste. Just because the lathe can spin the wood, that doesn't mean that is the only way to apply finish too.

 

[Russell Nugent]

The only time I use any sanding paste is if I'm going to be finishing with wax. I don't put anything on the wood before the finish except a thinned coat of seal coat.

Has anyone finished their project first applying Danish Oil (I use Tried & True) and then using sanding paste for smoothness, and then maybe poly? I would think the Danish Oil would penetrate better without the oils and waxes found
in sanding paste if applied first.
Also, which paste is better; Yorkshire grit or Dr. Kirks EEE? Is one worlds and away better or are they pretty much the same?
Thanks...Jay

I'm no expert....
I'd skip the sanding paste altogether just because I want zero chance of any wax residue interfering with a finish. The only thing I use before any finish is a thinned coat of zinser sealcoat(dewaxed shellac) sanded back just to help with even absorption of the finish, and I don't do that everything.
I do use sanding paste(homemade)over the sealcoat if I'm just going for a quick easy wax finish on something.

 

[hughie]

My standard finish method would Danish Oil and then Polyurethane over it and buffed. Lately, using my own version of DO I miss out the Poly and go straight to buffing, prior to that I would use Minwax Antique Oil and the Keith Byrnes method. But alas Minwax is no longer available here in Australia.

 

[Dean Center]

I couldn't disagree more. I have been putting finish on wood for over 50 years. The only reason people think there is voodoo involved and struggle to get to the magic process is because of manufacturer's marketing and the desire for hobbyists to have an easier way to apply finish. Today there are more snake oil products on the market and a whole new group of internet woodworking discussions to confuse it even more. Manufacturers use names that don't even apply to their product. Varnish called oil is a classic. Sanding paste? What is wrong with foam backed abrasive. Deeper oil penetration? How far can you see into the wood to enjoy that depth? Finishing is only as difficult as you make it. I sand the wood to 220. If I want a natural finish to not change the wood color, I use an acrylic flat sheen aerosol finish. If I want a thin finish that is infinitely durable, I apply an oil based poly of the sheen I want. If I need to adjust the sheen, I use Mirka Abralon or 0000 steel wool. I apply the poly with a folded cotton rag. And for my third option is if I want a dyed and high gloss finish. Then I spray lacquer. That's it. 3 finishes and the proper abrasives. Remember that no finish is good enough from just applying it. You ALWAYS have to finish the finish. For that I use foam backed 320 pads and then powered Abralon.

I think I worded my comment poorly, Richard.

I totally agree with you that getting a good finish does not have to be complicated. I also very much agree that advice provided online can add to novice woodworkers' confusion and difficulties. My comment implied that there are necessarily secrets that only special members of a secret society know, and that is definitely wrong and not what I meant to say.

You have settled on 3 finishing options, because they work for you. You didn't start with acrylic flat sheen aerosol finish, getting there was a process. In your hands, some other methods didn't reach the result you wanted.

Lacquer is useful as an example of what I wanted to say. My impression is that it's not a very popular finish among woodturners. Rattle cans are common but have issues, deft wiping lacquer is common but has issues, HVLP spraying is less common but has issues. However, there are people who have no difficulty getting a good result with each of those methods. That's what I meant by art. Temperature, humidity, time products sit on the store shelf, tool used to apply, woodworker confidence, product revisions, etc have an impact on the results. Some people figure them out or are lucky, others can't get the method to work and don't know why. That's what I meant by voodoo.

Definitely, KISS is the way to go with finishing.