I should have used my friend's HVLP sprayer

[agent511]

I am attempting finishing work on my shaker panels. First I tried wipe-on - I mixed roughly 1:1:1 of BLO, min spirits, and oil based semigloss polyurethane. Did about 3-4 coats. Then went with 75% poly with 12% BLO and 12% min. spirits (I topped off the remaining mixture in my container with pure poly). It was easy to do and fault-free, but it seemed like I was getting nowhere, finish-wise.

I want a semigloss finish.

So now I went with straight polyurethane and a high quality china bristle brush. I have the panels sitting on 'stickers?" small strips of wood, to keep them off the floor. Some of the poly ran over the edge sides, and blobbed up on the other side. I had to sand it off, in some places down to the bare wood, and in some places I can still see the blobs with the next coat attempted.

It isn't as easy as it sounds.

Aside from spraying, what are some tips to do this better? IS the answer to put on lots of more coats by wiping with thinned poly? Is there a better way to set up the panels to avoid drips if using a brush?

Thanks.

[cbrown]

Finishing, in my experience, is always unpleasant. Some of the problems you are describing can be alleviated by setting up a set of supports -- long nails or screws, say with 3" exposed, through some 1x3 or wider scrap--to hold the pieces. Do the "wrong" side of the piece first, then turn it over so that the wet side is resting on the nails. Then do the "good" side along with the edges. With long enough nails, you can then peer underneath and brush up any drips around the edge that are pooling on the back side.

--------
Christopher

[gerti]

Can't be of much help as I don't have all that much experience, but one thing I do know: you should not build up coats with semi-gloss PU. It will make the finish look milky. Just use semi-gloss for the last coat, or don't use it at all and use steel wool to control the gloss.

[MBG]

I have been very pleased with the finish I get with 1:1 semi-gloss poly/naphtha. It takes about 6-8 coats to finish. I usually can even apply the finish outside and not worry about the dust mites since it dries so fast. I will give it a light sanding or steel wool before the last two coats.

I also have a HVLP gun but am not equipped to shoot oil based (flammable) finishes. I have had some success using water based poly with the gun but really prefer the wipe-on poly.

Mike

[dlminehart]

I've had pretty good results with the HVLP sprayer and water-borne poly, but about 1 out of 5 sides has some dripping or other defect. So, when doing 10 doors, with 2 sides each, I find that each batch of fronts and backs required a couple re-dos. I saved those to the end, and then one of them had a re-do. Makes the projects drag on!

[JR]

Do NOT hang the panels from a coat-hanger based system. It will come crashing to the floor, resulting in dings and other mayhem, driving you to a long conversation with JD.

DAMHIKT

[ejs1097]

I was in a professional shop last year and they had a finish table similiar to what Christopher mentioned. A series of nails driven in the coners of 1 inch squares. Would take some time to make and store but the effect and ease of finishing sure seem to have paid off. That is one project way down on my list though.

I hate finishing also and for me it's always a learn as you go thing. One thing I do to greatly stop drips and blobs over the edges is once I'm finsihed I go over all the edges lightly with my brush (no finish applied to the brush). I also use a light to find other places of settlement. Then about 10-15 minutes later I do the same thing again. About 95% of the drip blobs I used to get I don't get anymore thanks to the one extra step.

[Jeffrey Schronce]

I am a sick individual. I love sanding AND finishing! I really enjoy both.

agent511, I am not a big fan of your mixture ratios. 1:1:1 BLO, MS and Poly has way too much BLO in it. It would take forever to dry, which also allows more time for runs. 10% BLO, 45% Naptha and 45% Poly works best for me. I believe wipe on poly mixtures are one of the easiest to use and you should stick with it. Much easier than brushing poly. You are right on track with your thought process of thinner wipe on coats. Prior posters have made a very valid point here in that you really need to build with gloss and final coat of semi or matte. Building multiple layers of matte or semi will result in a clouded finish as the flattening agents in the finish will block light transmission and reflection.
My suggestion is :

50/50 Gloss Poly/Naptha = 5-6 coats - light 400 grit sand paper wide between coats is needed, remove dust

50/50 low luster poly/Naptha = 1 coat - use synthetic wool or 0000 wool to buff the hardend finish down to the sheen desired - top with flat paste wax or regular paste wax without buffing too much as it can raise gloss

I find the BLO adds little to the overall finish unless I am using it as a primary finish, however you could add 10% or so to the above solutions if you just have a lust for BLO smell.

[agent511]

I will sand down the blobby finish, and start over. I will get the gloss poly for all but the last coat, and either cut it 50:50 with naptha or brush very carefully with less poly on the brush, and use many less coats.

Why naptha over thineer? I have read that they copuld be used interchangably for this purpose.

[Jeffrey Schronce]

I will sand down the blobby finish, and start over. I will get the gloss poly for all but the last coat, and either cut it 50:50 with naptha or brush very carefully with less poly on the brush, and use many less coats.

Why naptha over thineer? I have read that they copuld be used interchangably for this purpose.

They can. Naptha dries much quicker thus reducing time between coats, exposure to dust is shortened. Additionally, you may get better results using 50/50 thinned with Naptha via wipe on versus brushing pure poly as the chance of "Blobage" is lower.