Thread: done sanding and shaping...now what?

KISS

Since you are so unsure use the Keep It Simple Stupid method and that is MinWax Wipe On Poly, get the Gloss you can always unGloss it if you want...

Buy ACETONE wipe them with acetone BEFORE you do the first coat of finish...


Finishing wood is an art to learn as you progress...

But these are your first set so you will rush, and in that case the Wipe On Poly is the best for "Rushing"...it is the most foolproof, in fact you can totally screw it up, wait for it to dry, sand with 400 grit and start again and again...


There you go

Picked up wipe on gloss and mineral spirits. Did a heavy sanding progression all the way to 2000 grit and just cleaned off with mineral spirits. I'm letting it dry now. Can anybody offer tips for applying the wipe on?

1. What Glen Said.

2. When I used the wipe-on poly, I used thin coats, the "lintest-free" cloth I could find, and I let each coat dry thouroughly (at least 24 to 36 hours) before lightly sanding (I used micro-mesh pads for this), then cleaning, and then applying another coat of poly.

Let the scales dry in a covered container to prevent dust from settling on them. If you don't have something to suspend the scales on while they dry, then only do one side at a time.

3. Patience is key when working with wood. I tried for a slow build up of thin coats rather than one or two thicker coats. It seemed to turn out well.

4. and have fun!

PS: Your scales are looking much more finished now!

does lowes or home depot ect... carry those micromesh pads?

I got mine from my local woodcraft store, but you can use fine steel wool or fine sandpaper if you already have some.

The idea is that whatever you use to lightly "scuff" the poly between coats, make sure that you don't have any debris left on the scales before you wipe on another layer of the poly finish.

You can "Google" up some very helpful web pages on how to finish wood, but to get you started, here are a couple of links to general tips on working with polyurethane.

Hope this helps.

1. Polyurethane will not adhere well to 2000 grit surfaced material

2. Mineral spirits will not necessarily remove oils from the wood surface, in fact mineral spirits will leave a thin film of non-volatile material behind... acetone is a better choice.