back at her

[todd]

at a cheaper price!!! i'm in!!!!! where do i sign up?





today i'm trying minwax poly with a warm gloss AND mineral spirits, a 3 minwax to 1 spirits. my friend said to use it and a lint free cloth-like and i just happen to have it. he told me that a wipe on poly is expensive and to mix poly with spirits(3:1) will do the same thing that wipe on does, at a cheaper price!!!



i first cooper wool the stock and then i cheese clothed it. then i wiped the stock off with lint free cloth. so i used a skippy peanut jar, 3 oz of poly and 1oz of mineral spirits. then GENTLY shake the jar. i have a a small tupperware bowl that i could splash some it. then a folded lint free cloth is gently put in the 3:1. i put the mixture on the stock the same way the wood grain goes. when i was done, the stock is hung up to dry.



the stock looks good wet, i'll have to see it dry, which will be tommorow. i'll probably do 3 coat of 3:1 and then i will do either rottenstone and 3:1 oil or i will just johnsons paste wax it. i'll have to see.



and i forgot my phone/camera upstairs and i don't wanna get it!!!! lol!!!!





www.ebay.com/itm/325245043868

 

[todd]

this is what it looks like dry





this is the 2nd coat of 3:1




the 3:1 really surprised me, i had one small run that i used 400 grit, 4/0 copper wool and lint free cloth to sand off. i did that and then a 2nd coat. i'll have to see the stock when it dries.

 

[todd]

today i did the 3rd coat. it was good for the 2nd coat, but i'm told that 3 - 5 coats will be necessary. i copper wooled the stock after the 2nd coat, then i cheese cloth and lint free cloth it. i was surprised(again) at the smoothness of the poly. there are small spots which "bubble" (i don't know the word) up, but copper wool will fix that. i think i'll rotten stone and 3:1 oil the stock before i put johnsons paste wax.

i've been wondering if i could poly on my other stocks? i know that i'll have to take off the johnson's paste wax, but will either 99% isopropyl alcohol or mineral spirits be able to take the wax off? is there something better?


i know, no pictures. i forgot my phone again and really, the 3rd coat is the same as the 2nd coat.......lol!!!!!

 

[todd]

4th and probably final coat 3:1 poly. then its wait a week and then rottenstone and 3:1 oil.

 

[Jeff H]

That's looking pretty sweet, @todd !

I've used denatured alcohol to remove paste wax, but test it first. The main problem I've seen with cleaning just about anything with a solvent is that there are many solvents which will dissolve what you're trying to remove, but it gets smeared back on and redistributed - just becomes solvent and is basically reapplied/rearranged if you don't turn the rag to a fresh, clean spot and don't try to keep using the same rag too long. Tossing a rag with paste wax on it into the washer is no big deal, so have several handy instead of continuing to use the same one too long.

Denatured alcohol is a little scary, as it burns invisibly in daylight, so be careful.

Wipe-On-Poly is more expensive, but it sure goes a long way. I think I might try your idea of cutting regular poly with mineral spirits anyway - once I use up the Wipe-on Poly.

Shellac finishes, obviously, are going to dissolve with alcohol too, but I've not had it harm anything else, which is already cured. Still, it scares the crap out of me - one little spark... Just pour a little out into a container to use from, cap the can and put the can away.

EDIT: By the way, Todd, Ive seen your work before and I know you know what you're doing. If I tell you something you know (highly likely), I do not mean to condescend. You've done some nice work and it's apparent that you have a handle on this.

 

[todd]

thanks!!!

after i had my stroke, i didn't know what i could do. i was a heavy equipment operator/laborer in water/sewer mains. i would finish cement (sidewalks/floors/walls...). i would do brick and block. i'd frame up a house. anything for a buck or a favor, i try it. i'm not saying that i am great, but i was good enuff for gummint werk...lol. i was a jack-of-all-trades, master of none. then i had a stroke and my right arm/leg were kaput. i won't even tell you about my speech, except it ain't good...lol.

my dad was a master of all trades (expect electricity, he hated it). he taught me alot, esp. going slow and steady. he taught me whenever things (stocks, shooting...) got bad, stop and put your tools down and go away. after you're done being mad, then you can pick up your tools and go back to werk. that piece of advice causes me NOT to break the werk!!! if you know the past me, i'd break it in a heartbeat. now me is a lot calmer than past me.

i've been thinking about ammonia wood floor cleaner and simple green.

 

[todd]

finally done!!!!!!!