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Your preference for finishing Mesquite?

Joined
Apr 29, 2006
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I use Mylands friction polish and like it but want to experiment. Just tried wipe on poly with not good results. Winged pieces are to scary for friction polish.
 
I use Mylands friction polish and like it but want to experiment. Just tried wipe on poly with not good results. Winged pieces are to scary for friction polish.

I have not found anything difficult in finishing Mesquite. Personally I use Watco Danish oil or Miniwax antique oil most of the time. But that is what I use on most of my turnings.
 
HMMMmmmm

I use Mylands friction polish and like it but want to experiment. Just tried wipe on poly with not good results. Winged pieces are to scary for friction polish.

I have not turned any yet :eek:, perhaps you should send me some so I can do an independent study for you...:D
Be sure and send rough material, I will want to govern the entire process to insure scientific precision.:cool2:
 
I have done two pieces in mesquite, a natural edge pot southwestern style and heavy sided pot ( for LOML) both had some rot/spalt/bug holes ,I used Hornby's Tung oil finish while on the lathe and buffed with cotton rag after about 10 minutes spinning at low speed and like it very much for display items, If to be used/handled a lot, I put one final coat of Minwax wipe on poly gloss over the tung and seems to work fine.
 
You could try a wipe-on lacquer-based sanding sealer, friction dry to leave no streaks (and/or light sanding w/ 320 or higher to be sure it is level). Follow with spray lacquer (number of coats as desired). Just depends upon what "look" you're going for. Some things look good with that "dipped in liquid glass" look, and some things look better with a thinner finish and/or softer look.
 
I have used just about every finish that I know about on mesquite and they are all great. Each produces it own unique effect, so it depends on what the turning is and what I want to achieve with the finish. some oils like pure tung oil produce a matte sheen that darkens the wood. Shellac gives a semi gloss to gloss finish that is light and leaves a golden hue in the wood. Lacquer is easy to apply and results in a more neutral finish. CA glue pops the grain (as do many oils) and when polished with MicroMesh gives a beautiful glass finish. Doing it right takes a LOT of time -- doing it wrong isn't worth any amount of time. Mesquite can also be polished out with MicroMesh and no finish applied for a very beautiful look or waxed, but I don't really like wax finishes because of their poor durability.
 
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