On Mar 8, 10:21*am, Digger wrote:
A question for olhzimers...please try very hard to remember those good
ol' days of great books and hand finishes (careful now!).g

30+ years ago, I used pumice slurry and a polishing compound commonly
called plumber's rouge on select furniture and cabinet finishes. Got
away from woodworking for these many years and just now beginning to
play again.

So, what happened to plumber's rouge and powdered pumice/ rottenstone?
Can't seem to find any of these products anymore. In fact, local Ace
hardware and True Value stores claim that these products are no longer
even available for special order.

What are folks using for polishing compounds these days ...not looking
for hard to find select brands, just something I can purchase locally in
small quantities. Ideally, Would greatly appreciate recommendations for
equivalent substitutes of all three above.

Thanks all,

--
Digger
Bob O'Dell

Might try a drugstore for pumice. Some folks use it for dental care.
I, too, still have a box of pumice powder in the shop but I haven't
used it in years. Last use I can remember was buffing the finish on
an old rocking chair I refinished and it did a good job. No machines
-- just a hand pad of wadded rags and a few drops of water after the
varnish has set a few days.

I have used rouge on some metal and gem stone polishing projects and
used the Dremel with polishing pad. I believe you can get jeweler's
rouge, in small amounts, from Dremel. Otherwise try a hardware or
jewelry store. I would start with Ace, because they are the PLACE.
At least in rural SE Kansas, they are pretty well stocked.

RonB