Turnings lose their luster (polishing bars)

[Alex Franke]

Hey all,

I picked up a bar of Hut Wood Finish and turned and sanded (to 400) a small piece of bubinga. I put on one coat of tung oil and let it dry for 24 hours, then I applied the Hut Wood Finish as directed.

It looked great at first, but after a day or so sitting on the workbench, it lost its sheen.

Am I using this stuff wrong?

[Richard in Smithville]

I havn't used the Hut finish but I can think of perhaps a few things.

1) did you use both bars? ( had to ask this one)

2) what speed did you spin your lathe at when applying? ( it needs to build enough heat to melt the finish into the wood)

3) could the tung oil have filled the wood pores so that the Hut didn't melt into the wood? Anything I have read on Hut doesn't mention tung oil in the process.

It may be something all together different but I figure it's worth a shot.

[Alex Franke]

Yes, both bars at 2650 RPM. I suppose the oil could have prohibited the wax from sticking. But it looked so darn good when I took it off the lathe that I nearly took a bite out of it. I don't know why the shine would slowly disappear -- unless I wonder if the oil wasn't completely dry...

[phi1l]

I am not familiar with that particular product either, but it may be that the wax just required more time to allow for solvent evaporation. Try buffing the piece again & see if the shine stays this time.

[leehljp]

Contrary to the names, those are not a finishes in the traditional sense of the word, but a wax like protective coating that dries off and/or wears of notoriously fast.

On the pen turning forum, I can't tell you how many people try HUT wax finishes and have difficulty with them exactly as you did. And many still think that something is wrong with the application technique instead of believing that it is an inferior product for shiny finishes, especially given its name.

[Whaler]

I have used the Hut system quite a lot without any problems. I think your problem is the tung oil leeching out. I use Mylands cellulose sanding sealer which cures very fast.

[Uncle Cracker]

I'd second the motion to ditch the tung oil unless it's the only thing you're going to put on. Remember also that many tung oil products are not 100% tung oil. There's no telling what additives may be in what you are using, and that may contribute to the problem. I'd agree with Dick that a good sanding sealer is gonna help you under the HUT wax, and I'd also sand down a bit finer than 400. Use only a light-colored, quality sandpaper, or get really serious and get a set of MicroMesh. I usually polish mine with a Beall 3-wheel system, which uses tripoli, white diamond, and hard carnauba wax, in that order...

[leehljp]

Here is a link to the penturning forum about using a wax as polish over finish. When this fellow speaks (writes) people listen.

http://www.penturners.org/forum/showthread.php?t=55229

By the way, Alex, in your link to rockler, did you look at the "more info" on the bar finishes? The contents is not "finish material", but waxes.

[Richard in Smithville]

I found this video very useful.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=orcgOf4siqc