In this area, I will endeavor to share several finishing techniques I use with you. These include sanding techniques as well as different types of finish that can be applied to the sanded surface
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The purpose of sanding is really quite simple, to remove the MINOR imperfections left by the gouge when turning, thus enhancing the finish and appearance of the turned piece.
Sandpaper by its very nature and design, removes wood in a cutting/scraping action, thus leaving scratches in the surface of the sanded article. The degree of these scratches is directly proportional to the coarseness of the sandpaper aggregate. (Coarse paper, eg: 80 grit, will leave great scratches in the surface, where 1200 grit would not leave a visible mark)
It doesn't matter what type of paper you use, the principle of operation is the same.
Therefore, you need a process that is time effective, yet removes the scratches, and this is achieved by gradually going from coarse to fine sandpaper.
For soft woods, I do not go any finer but rather apply a finish here.
You can follow with steel wool if you want. (I don't bother)
Dry Hand Sanding process and tips
Turners tend to shy away from hand sanding as it is "hard work", "frustrating", "hard on your fingers with all that heat" and so on.
All of these "problems" are of the turners own making.
If the gouge finish is acceptable and you work your way through the grits
as mentioned previously, only removing the scratches from the
previous paper, then the problems will disappear.
What I do is;
I stop between each grit to check that the marks are gone and that I am clear to proceed to the next finer paper.
And that is that. Following this simple principle of only removing the marks left in from the previous grit, you will not only avoid over heating and the risk of heat cracks, but you will find that the sanding is not actually hard work.
Power Sanding process and tips
For those hard to finish woods, open grained, complex grain, or just plain rubbish, (rotten or at least part rotten) you can always turn to power sanding.
The power sander is essentially a device that fits in a standard electric drill. It has a soft pad on the end of any size really, with a corresponding sized piece of sandpaper attached.
. The combinations here are numerous, They can be of proprietary manufacture or home made. They can be big or small, the pads can be round or square.
The paper can be attached with adhesive, double sided tape or velcro and so the options go on.
The process I follow is;
I stop between each grit to check that the marks are gone and that I am clear to proceed to the next finer paper<
Wet sanding is a very good way to get away from the dust problem, and it tends to be a little gentler on the turned article.
I use either water or oil, depending on the final finish and the type of article being turned, but the water is the cheapest option.
If you are using water, you will also need to look a the type of paper being used as ordinary garnet papers tend to turn to paper mache and loose their grit. You will need a "wet and dry " type paper. This doesn't seem to be an issue with oil however.
And what sort of oil you ask, THE CHEAPEST YOU CAN FIND.I use salad oil. Stay clear of peanut and soy bean as these both go rancid, and as a percentage of the oil will penetrate the surface of the turned article, this will be a problem later.
After you get the required surface finish, I clean the surface thoroughly with rag or paper napkins (cheaper and easily replenished) and then apply my desired finishing treatment.
In this case, the type of oil varies with the end use.
I use a lot of wax finishes, and one of my favourites is very simply to make, is very cheap, and wears quite well.
It is a Beeswax polish and there are only two ingredients:
You need to melt the wax, and then add an equal volume of turps to it and then mix it all together.
A double boiler is handy here.
BE WARNED ALSO. I THINK IT STINKS, Literally, but the smell of the finished product is pleasant and the turps evaporates out of the mix after applying leaving the beeswax cover, into the wood.
You will need to store it in an airtight container when not being used or you will end up with plain beeswax again after a short while.
Try this cheap sealer, which with a little work and polishing, can actually make a serviceable finish as well.
You just apply this, and let it dry, give it a light sanding, and then apply your favourite wax or oil finish.
As a finish, buff and polish while wet, and a bit of friction heat will bring up a lustre.
Watch out you don't overheat it and cause heatcracks though.
There are literally thousands of these, but I only use a few.
These are:
Heat cracks. Fine cracks that appear, predominantly in the end grain, caused by excessive heating of the wood, usually during sanding. Can also arise due to using a blunt gouge
Velcro.This is a nylon hook and loop fastening system now utilised a lot in the clothing industry.
Wet and Dry Paper. This paper has a different type of glue to attach the abrasive, and is used by panel beaters and auto body repairers.
Double Boiler. This is a heating device that consists of two pots, one inside the other. The outer one is filled with water,and when heated, this water transfers the heat to the inner pot. Thus the max temperature of the inner pot is the boiling point of the water, thus adding the safety. Also, the heat is general over the entire surface, rather than localised at the element or heating source.
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