Woodworker's Journal 2004-28-4, страница 61

Application

Charge the pad by adding a few drops of hin shellac to the alcohol on the pad, then press or tamp the pad on a clean sheet of paper to disperse the shellac. Ideally, the surface of the pad should feel only damp. If it's too wet, it will remove finish, leave marks in a partially polished surface, create a sticky surface or cause "curdling." ridges in the coating that look like shallow sand dunes. Working with too wet a pad is :he most common beginner's mistake.

You must keep the pad movir.g as you rub the finish on. Stopping at any point will cause the pad to leave a rag mark or lift the finish. Start moving the pad before you touch down and keep moving until after you lift :t off the surface. Rub the finish on, pressing lightly, in small circles. Rubbing in straight lines is fine for one or two strokes, but constantly going in one direction will create ridges. Try to cover the entire surface uniformly, working one a~ea at a time. Rub .intil the pad is out of finish and the bottom is clean and almost dry. When it slips across the surface with no resistance, stop and recharge the pad with a ftw more drops of shellac, then continue.

Dealing with Problems

You should be applying finish so sparingly thai the surface always feels dry. If it starts to get sticky or shows ridges or pad marks, stop and let it dry — even if it takes overnight. Keep your pad supple by storing it in a lidded jar with a few drops of alcohol. Once the finish is dry, sand the irregularities out with fine sandpaper and. when the surface is smooth, resume polishing.

If the pad itself gets loo sticky, charge it with a few drops of alcohol instead of shellac. You can also add a drop or two of mineral oil to the face of the pad to help lubricate it so that it does not grab as easily. 'I"he oil will not mix with the shellac, but will sUiy on the surface, and you will be able to wipe it off with a soft cloth dampened with naphtha after you've finished polishing. ^

61 August 2004 Woodworker's Journal

But I never have any luck with )olyurethane. [get bubbles or bumps

every Lime. Can you help me figure out how

to get a smooth finish without spending

hours and hours sanding and rubbing?

Mark Armstrong Sacramento. California

You are not the only one facing this dilemma, but the manufacturers are listening to you. Two ,years ago. Rockier (www.rcckler.com) started selling Rockier Polyurethane Gel. Designed as a foolproof wipe-on/wipe-off finish, it will give you exactly what you are seeking — a flawless polyurethane finish with no dust, bubbles or brush marks, and very little work. All you need to do is apply it corrcctly. Don a pair of vinyl gloves (it's not harmftil, but it will make your hands sticky), and grab a piece of fine, gray Scotchbrite . Dip the Scotchbrite into he gel, and use it to scrub the fiuish onto the wood. Go back with a cloth or paper shop towels and wipe it all off Wiping off the finish wiil leave a very thin, but uniform, coat, free of brush or reg marks. Apply ore coal per day in exactly the same way. Three coats are a Ixire minimum; six or more are better. There's no need lo sand between coats for adhesion, as long as you apply the next coat within two weeks. Sand only if you need to remove dust nibs, ar. unlikely scenario with a wipe-off finish.

— Mick a el Dresdner

_Jialo For simply sending in his question on working with lacquer, Mark Armstrong of Sacramento, California, wins the Olympic Interior Wood Finishing Toolbox at left.