I bought a can of Waterlox original recently and have using it to add
yet another exhibit to the Guarino Museum of Test Scraps.

I was pretty casual about it. 2 coats wiped on (on successive nights)
with a paper towel, no abrading in-between. I scuffed that up a tad with
some scotch brite and added one more wiped-on coat. After a day or so I
rubbed that down with a piece of a Trader Joe's bag (thanks,
rec.woodworking) and voila! A pretty nice result.

So, if this were a real project, would I be done? Oh, I'd probably find
something better than a paper towel to use, and I might be pickier about
what I used to dull it down before the final coat, but the results of
even this half-assed attempt are pretty pleasing. My "real" project is a
pair of panel doors to go on the cabinets under a desk. It won't be a
greasy, high-maintenance area like a kitchen.

I like what I've got so far. It was simple, which really appeals to me,
and it doesn't look like I'm seeing "finish" rather than wood, which is
usually the result of my Poly attempts. But how's the durability? Do I
need (or might I like) to do something further? Wax, maybe?

As always, when considering your reply, it's safe to assume ignorance on
my part.

On Tue, 22 Nov 2011 07:33:44 -0500, Greg Guarino
wrote:

I bought a can of Waterlox original recently and have using it to add
yet another exhibit to the Guarino Museum of Test Scraps.

I was pretty casual about it. 2 coats wiped on (on successive nights)
with a paper towel,

Nononononononononooooo! Use cut up pieces of old socks, shirt, or
undies. Cotton, mon.


no abrading in-between. I scuffed that up a tad with
some scotch brite and added one more wiped-on coat. After a day or so I
rubbed that down with a piece of a Trader Joe's bag (thanks,
rec.woodworking) and voila! A pretty nice result.

Why are you scuffing in between coats? Either lightly use a cabinet
scraper to take off any nibs, or use a sheet of 320/400 grit for that.
Scotchbrite will scratch it.


So, if this were a real project, would I be done? Oh, I'd probably find
something better than a paper towel to use, and I might be pickier about
what I used to dull it down before the final coat, but the results of
even this half-assed attempt are pretty pleasing. My "real" project is a
pair of panel doors to go on the cabinets under a desk. It won't be a
greasy, high-maintenance area like a kitchen.

I usually do at least 5 coats when I wipe on Waterlox.


I like what I've got so far. It was simple, which really appeals to me,
and it doesn't look like I'm seeing "finish" rather than wood, which is
usually the result of my Poly attempts. But how's the durability? Do I
need (or might I like) to do something further? Wax, maybe?

For a table top which gets daily heavy use, it might need a fresh coat
yearly. For a lamp, it should be good for a couple decades. If the
panel doors don't get a lot of kicks and nicks, they should last a
decade before needing a touchup.

The tung oil portion of Waterlox is not as tough as poly, but the
phenolic resin portion is, and Waterlox sure looks/feels better.
Waterlox is extremely easy to refinish when you do need to touch up
some areas. In fact, if you wipe on, you can also wipe on scratch
repairs in a matter of minutes. EASY is only if you -don't- do
something stupid, like stain the wood before finishing it.

If you wax it, which is unnecessary, use 0000 steel wool and Johnson's
paste wax. It's great.


As always, when considering your reply, it's safe to assume ignorance on
my part.

Paper towel? Yeah, hard to miss. tsk tsk tsk

--
Happiness is not a station you arrive at, but a manner of traveling.
-- Margaret Lee Runbeck

On 11/25/2011 10:03 PM, Larry Jaques wrote:
On Tue, 22 Nov 2011 07:33:44 -0500, Greg
wrote:

I bought a can of Waterlox original recently and have using it to add
yet another exhibit to the Guarino Museum of Test Scraps.

I was pretty casual about it. 2 coats wiped on (on successive nights)
with a paper towel,

Nononononononononooooo! Use cut up pieces of old socks, shirt, or
undies. Cotton, mon.

That was my intention for the actual project. Paper towels were what was
at arms reach. It didn't seem to hurt it too much though.

no abrading in-between. I scuffed that up a tad with
some scotch brite and added one more wiped-on coat. After a day or so I
rubbed that down with a piece of a Trader Joe's bag (thanks,
rec.woodworking) and voila! A pretty nice result.

Why are you scuffing in between coats? Either lightly use a cabinet
scraper to take off any nibs, or use a sheet of 320/400 grit for that.
Scotchbrite will scratch it.

OK. After 2 coats I thought it was heading in the direction of glossier
than I would like. If I do five coats, as you suggest, what method
should I use (and when) to get a more "satin" look? The sheen I got with
my improvised method is about what I would like.

So, if this were a real project, would I be done? Oh, I'd probably find
something better than a paper towel to use, and I might be pickier about
what I used to dull it down before the final coat, but the results of
even this half-assed attempt are pretty pleasing. My "real" project is a
pair of panel doors to go on the cabinets under a desk. It won't be a
greasy, high-maintenance area like a kitchen.

I usually do at least 5 coats when I wipe on Waterlox.

Next test coat today, then.

I like what I've got so far. It was simple, which really appeals to me,
and it doesn't look like I'm seeing "finish" rather than wood, which is
usually the result of my Poly attempts. But how's the durability? Do I
need (or might I like) to do something further? Wax, maybe?

For a table top which gets daily heavy use, it might need a fresh coat
yearly. For a lamp, it should be good for a couple decades. If the
panel doors don't get a lot of kicks and nicks, they should last a
decade before needing a touchup.

The first few years (teenager in the house) will likely be the toughest.
Maybe I'll keep a can right in the cabinet.

The tung oil portion of Waterlox is not as tough as poly, but the
phenolic resin portion is, and Waterlox sure looks/feels better.
Waterlox is extremely easy to refinish when you do need to touch up
some areas. In fact, if you wipe on, you can also wipe on scratch
repairs in a matter of minutes. EASY is only if you -don't- do
something stupid, like stain the wood before finishing it.

I have been musing on that very topic. I haven't done that many
projects, and don't usually use stain. I do wonder if the birch ply I
used for the panels is a little too light colored.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gdguari...0027/lightbox/

The under-desk cabinets that the doors will go on were made with Birch
(many years ago), but seem to be a tad darker. I think in the end I will
live with the color the way it is, if only for simplicity. But what
options are there, other than the dreaded "stain"?

If you wax it, which is unnecessary, use 0000 steel wool and Johnson's
paste wax. It's great.

I have some, and have used (my own bumbling variation on) that method
once before.

As always, when considering your reply, it's safe to assume ignorance on
my part.

Paper towel? Yeah, hard to miss.tsk tsk tsk

That much I knew already. I made that test piece on successive evenings
after work, shimmying past the car in my garage to get to it. No sense
moving the car for five minutes.

Happiness is not a station you arrive at, but a manner of traveling.
-- Margaret Lee Runbeck
Nice quote by the way. I've always felt that way about travel itself.
"On the way" is usually as interesting as the destination, if you keep
your eyes (and ears, and mind) open.

On Sat, 26 Nov 2011 05:26:50 -0500, Greg Guarino
wrote:

On 11/25/2011 10:03 PM, Larry Jaques wrote:
On Tue, 22 Nov 2011 07:33:44 -0500, Greg
wrote:

I bought a can of Waterlox original recently and have using it to add
yet another exhibit to the Guarino Museum of Test Scraps.

I was pretty casual about it. 2 coats wiped on (on successive nights)
with a paper towel,

Nononononononononooooo! Use cut up pieces of old socks, shirt, or
undies. Cotton, mon.

That was my intention for the actual project. Paper towels were what was
at arms reach. It didn't seem to hurt it too much though.

The project must have been sanded to within a micron of its life.


no abrading in-between. I scuffed that up a tad with
some scotch brite and added one more wiped-on coat. After a day or so I
rubbed that down with a piece of a Trader Joe's bag (thanks,
rec.woodworking) and voila! A pretty nice result.

Why are you scuffing in between coats? Either lightly use a cabinet
scraper to take off any nibs, or use a sheet of 320/400 grit for that.
Scotchbrite will scratch it.

OK. After 2 coats I thought it was heading in the direction of glossier
than I would like. If I do five coats, as you suggest, what method
should I use (and when) to get a more "satin" look? The sheen I got with
my improvised method is about what I would like.


Did you buy -satin- Waterlox? If so, you're done. If not, you
will find nirvana after J-waxing it using a piece of 0000 steel wool.
Go in small, concentric circles all over the piece so the deglossing
is even. If you haven't entirely filled the pores in holey woods like
oak, you should use one of the professional Briwaxes of the right
color. Then clean 'em out with a toothbrush. I flame-bend my old
toothbrushes with a Bic lighter so they don't look like usable models.
These are used after waxing the truck or furniture. The bristles won't
scratch the finishes, but they will get into small crevices and remove
white paste residues.


So, if this were a real project, would I be done? Oh, I'd probably find
something better than a paper towel to use, and I might be pickier about
what I used to dull it down before the final coat, but the results of
even this half-assed attempt are pretty pleasing. My "real" project is a
pair of panel doors to go on the cabinets under a desk. It won't be a
greasy, high-maintenance area like a kitchen.

I usually do at least 5 coats when I wipe on Waterlox.

Next test coat today, then.

Well, wipe-on finishes are very thin. They -will- properly seal the
wood with two coats. Anything after that is either for longevity of
finish or to build depth you can see. Different woods and different
uses require different depths, so use your own judgement. Two or ten
hand-rubbed coats of Waterlox will still have the same good "hand"
when you touch it. That's one of my main loves. It will start to
feel like regular varnish if you brush coats on, but I hardly ever do.


I like what I've got so far. It was simple, which really appeals to me,
and it doesn't look like I'm seeing "finish" rather than wood, which is
usually the result of my Poly attempts. But how's the durability? Do I
need (or might I like) to do something further? Wax, maybe?

For a table top which gets daily heavy use, it might need a fresh coat
yearly. For a lamp, it should be good for a couple decades. If the
panel doors don't get a lot of kicks and nicks, they should last a
decade before needing a touchup.

The first few years (teenager in the house) will likely be the toughest.
Maybe I'll keep a can right in the cabinet.

Remember to use Bloxygen or other inert gas on top of the Waterlox in
the can or it will gel and harden in the first few months of storage.
Propane, argon (from a welder), bloxygen, nitrogen, whatever.


The tung oil portion of Waterlox is not as tough as poly, but the
phenolic resin portion is, and Waterlox sure looks/feels better.
Waterlox is extremely easy to refinish when you do need to touch up
some areas. In fact, if you wipe on, you can also wipe on scratch
repairs in a matter of minutes. EASY is only if you -don't- do
something stupid, like stain the wood before finishing it.

I have been musing on that very topic. I haven't done that many
projects, and don't usually use stain. I do wonder if the birch ply I
used for the panels is a little too light colored.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gdguari...0027/lightbox/


One of the things I like about Waterlox is that it's an oil and resin,
both of which will impart an amber tone to the wood beneath.


The under-desk cabinets that the doors will go on were made with Birch
(many years ago), but seem to be a tad darker. I think in the end I will
live with the color the way it is, if only for simplicity. But what
options are there, other than the dreaded "stain"?

Most woods (and many finishes) darken with age.


If you wax it, which is unnecessary, use 0000 steel wool and Johnson's
paste wax. It's great.

I have some, and have used (my own bumbling variation on) that method
once before.

As always, when considering your reply, it's safe to assume ignorance on
my part.

Paper towel? Yeah, hard to miss.tsk tsk tsk

That much I knew already. I made that test piece on successive evenings
after work, shimmying past the car in my garage to get to it. No sense
moving the car for five minutes.

What's this crap? A vehicle in a shop? Get the darned thing out of
there immediately, Greg. The moisture will ruin your wood and rust
all your tools. Put up a tarp to cover the silly car, eh?


Happiness is not a station you arrive at, but a manner of traveling.
-- Margaret Lee Runbeck

Nice quote by the way. I've always felt that way about travel itself.
"On the way" is usually as interesting as the destination, if you keep
your eyes (and ears, and mind) open.

Oh, yeah! The first time I go somewhere by car, I take the camera and
do frequent stops to record some of the beautiful stuff I see. Those
pics remind me to stop there on other trips to spend a decompression
day, if it has been a hectic few months.

--
Progress is the product of human agency. Things get better because
we make them better. Things go wrong when we get too comfortable,
when we fail to take risks or seize opportunities.
-- Susan Rice