wet sanding for good finish

[Ragtimeman]

Hello All;

Some years ago I read an article in Wood magazine about how to wet sand between coats of any brush on finish. I've used the method quite sucessfully a few times, and I wonder if anyone else has used it. Also, I have a question about the final step. At the time, the magazine stated that this process was borrowed from auto body shop techniques.

Steps are:

1) after 1st coat is dry, put water with "Dawn" dishwashing liquid in shallow container, and use 500 grit wet/dry sandpaper on sanding block in rotary motion. Rinse off with damp sponge with clean water. Dry off with clean rag. The purpose of the Dawn is to cut down on the friction between the wet/dry sandpaper and the work piece.

2) Do subsequent coats the same way as #1

3) Final coat, same process, but start with 1500 grit and work up to 2000 grit wet/dry.

4) final polish - use Turtle wax or similar car wax, and buff with cotton pad either by hand or with power buffer.

I think this works great for a brush on finish, such as polyurethane. I've also used it on water based varnish.

My question is, though, I tried the final step with the Turtle wax a couple of times, and I wonder if there might be another wax that might be better to use.

Any thoughts? Has anyone else tried this method? It seems to me that the article is in the archives of the Wood magazine web page, or at least used to be.

Thanks,

John

[Andy]

Thanks for the info. I'm searching for tips on finishing wood.
Do you know of shops that do professional finishing on plywood?

[Gregory Paolini]

Andy,

Any finishing shop should be able to help you with the plywood - There's no diffrerence between finishing real wood and plywood...

[Andy]

Anyone know of some good finishing shops near Greenville, NC? ...Andy

[BobN]

John, You don't want to use a wax for the final step, you want to use a polish. My other hobby besides wood working is messing with old cars, I've painted a few. I use Meguiar's #7 for the final step, you can get it in places like Pep boys. Meguiar's Mirror Glaze hand polish also works well, but the only place I have seen it for sell is large car shows like the Auto Fair at Lowes motor
speedway this coming week end.

After you are all done with the polishing then you put a good wax on it.

Bob

Originally Posted by Ragtimeman

Hello All;

Some years ago I read an article in Wood magazine about how to wet sand between coats of any brush on finish. I've used the method quite sucessfully a few times, and I wonder if anyone else has used it. Also, I have a question about the final step. At the time, the magazine stated that this process was borrowed from auto body shop techniques.

Steps are:

1) after 1st coat is dry, put water with "Dawn" dishwashing liquid in shallow container, and use 500 grit wet/dry sandpaper on sanding block in rotary motion. Rinse off with damp sponge with clean water. Dry off with clean rag. The purpose of the Dawn is to cut down on the friction between the wet/dry sandpaper and the work piece.

2) Do subsequent coats the same way as #1

3) Final coat, same process, but start with 1500 grit and work up to 2000 grit wet/dry.

4) final polish - use Turtle wax or similar car wax, and buff with cotton pad either by hand or with power buffer.

I think this works great for a brush on finish, such as polyurethane. I've also used it on water based varnish.

My question is, though, I tried the final step with the Turtle wax a couple of times, and I wonder if there might be another wax that might be better to use.

Any thoughts? Has anyone else tried this method? It seems to me that the article is in the archives of the Wood magazine web page, or at least used to be.

Thanks,

John