On 10/23/2011 07:00 PM, Vic Baron wrote:

What is a good way to get a high polished finish? I turned a walnut
finial and sanded it to 400 grit. Put some shellac on it and followed up
with Johnsons paste wax. Got a really nice hand rubbed look but I was
looking for something with a little more shine. I'm guessing I could
remove it from the lathe and spray it with a gloss finish but I wondered
of there were any finishes that could be applied while the piece is on
the lathe. I skimmed through a few online catalogs but what saw looked
just like the same products I use for my woodworking projects -
urethane, waterlox, etc.

For a nice gloss finish, try using lacquer. If you don't want to spray,
get some brushing lacquer, thin it 50/50 with lacquer thinner, and wipe
on with a soft cloth or paper towel with the lathe stopped. Let it sit
for a minute or so, then wipe off the excess. With the lathe running,
buff it out with a soft lint free cloth or paper towel. If you use
cloth, do not wrap it around your fingers! If it snags on something you
want it to come out of you hand, not pull your hand into the work. The
friction will cure the lacquer pretty quickly.

Instead of paste wax, try carnuba wax. It's really hard and will get
really shiny. Just hold it on the piece, then buff it out under power
with a cloth or paper towel. Same cautions apply.

Some folks swear by the Beall Buffing System although I've never used it
myself. I have seen it used however and it does produce a nice result.

S'later...

....Kevin
--
Kevin Miller
Juneau, Alaska
http://www.alaska.net/~atftb
"In the history of the world, no one has ever washed a rented car."
- Lawrence Summers