French Polish Problem

[John Turick]

After finishing several coats of French polish, I keep getting a sort of white cloud in , not just on ,the finish when applying some wax. This necessitates buffing through the finish and redoing it . I've tried using different waxes and am still getting the same results. The shellac seems ok till I wax it, although the gun hasn't been outside much. Thanks

[Eric Eis]

Sorry I don't have an answer but really want to hear what answers you get, as I would like to know too

[Gary Rennles]

I was just wondering how long you waited for your last coat of finish to dry, before you waxed it?
How high is the humidity in your work area?
High humidity can cause clouding of the finish.
French polishing puts on very thin layers, and takes a long time to build up a smooth finish.
If the clouding only appears when you put on a coat of wax, I would think the finish was not built up enough to fill the grain of the wood.
When you wipe off the wax the small pits left by the open grain would fill with wax leaving it looking cloudy.
All just a guess on my part'
Gary

[John Turick]

Nope, the finish was glass smooth. Its winter so the humidity wasn't a factor. But, how long should shellac dry before waxing? It was only a few days. Also, the clouding was just that, almost a smearing look, not just micro spots. And the weird part was it went into the finish, not just on the finish.

[Brian Dudley]

Did you use any Jap dryer in your Boiled Linseen Oil?

Even with Jap dryer I have had linseed oil finishes take months to fully cure to where they are not sticky feeling.

[wayne goerres]

Whats Jap dryer. Is that some sort of thinner sold under the name Jap.

[Gary Rennles]

When I French polish I use shellac cut with Everclear grain alcohol to thin, and virgin olive oil as a lubricant on the pad.
I do not put any wax on for at least 2 weeks or even longer if possible.
What are you using on your pad as a lubricant?
The lubricant floats to the surface, and needs to be cleaned off at the end before waxing.
Could it be possible that the wax you are using contains some alcohol in its mix, and is eating into your finish?




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[Brian Dudley]

Whats Jap dryer. Is that some sort of thinner sold under the name Jap.


Japan Dryer. It is an additive to aid speed the drying of oils.

Another note about linseed oil, a tual artists linseed oil is much better than the stuff sold at the home centers.

[John Turick]

Well, I did use BLO at first, but never seemed to get good consistent results. cleaned the wood, and started over using 3in1 oil, and started getting a much better finish. I don't think Renaissance Wax or Maguire's uses alcohol in the mix. But I am guilty of not giving the finish enough time to dry, thinking shellac dried almost instantly. As I said, the longest I let it set was a couple of days before waxing. Thanks for all the help.

[Brian Dudley]

Anything with alcohol will effect the shellac.

Another question. Why not just skip applying wax?

[John Turick]

I am under the impression that wax is needed to protect the shellac in "the field." By the way Mr. Dudley, the work you show at your web site looks great!

[Bruce Day]

I recommend www.timberluxe.com. Made by PGCA member Brian Board.

It is easier to apply than French polish, and will not absorb moisture and cloud. You can apply it over existing finish and it will penetrate through.

[Eric Eis]

I recommend www.timberluxe.com. Made by PGCA member Brian Board.

It is easier to apply than French polish, and will not absorb moisture and cloud. You can apply it over existing finish and it will penetrate through.

Bruce how long can you use this product once you have opened the jar?

[Eric Estes]

From the Timberlux site:

Q: What is the shelf life of TimberLuxe?

A: If unopened, it will last several years. Once the lid comes off and the finish is exposed to oxygen, you need to use it in 2-3 weeks. The finish will start to turn into a jelly/marmalade substance, which is still usable at this point. At some point it may become too thick to spread. We recommend cleaning the threads of the jar/lid after every use to keep it from gluing itself shut.

[Brian Dudley]

It will start to thicken relatively quickly.

[John Campbell]

You can spend $35 for 2 oz. of stock finish that turns into jelly within three weeks if you want.

However, I find that Pro Custom Oil from Brownells does an excellent job for about half the money, and lasts for at least a year.

French polish? The term "French" should tell you all you need to know...

[Gary Rennles]

I am a bit confused, as I get older it seems to happen quite a lot anymore.
I always use Shellac, Alcohol and olive oil for French polishing.
How are Blo and japan driers used in the process?
Am I missing something?





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[Brian Dudley]

Some people use BLO as the oil lubricant in a French polish process.

[Chuck Bishop]

I understand the BLO for lubricant but not the Japan drier. The lubricant is so the pad doesn't stick right away as the shellac is applied. Shellac and oil don't mix. Why try to dry BLO, you wipe it off if you use too much, it stays on the surface.

[Tim Wells]

I've yet to do a stock but when I French polish a fiddle or a mandolin with varnish finish, I use shellac and a drop of mineral oil on the cotton rag to apply it. I never heard of anyone using 3n1 oil before. I also never saw a need to wax it afterward. If the grain is filled, it doesn't take all that much to get a thin protective and glossy hard coat to build.