# microfiber towel vs mineral spirits to remove dust



## mbira (May 15, 2014)

Hi folks,
I'm curious about peoples thoughts on this. I use Minwax brand Tung Oil on Padauk. Before I oil, I used to use those disposable shop towels and mineral spirits. Last time I dropped some money on some microfiber towels and I was shocked to see how easily the towel just lifted the dust out of the pores of the wood. I've never seen the grain pop out so well before.

I'm curious if people just dry wipe their pieces with those towels before oiling or maybe even clean the pieces with mineral spirits on the towel?


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## Al B Thayer (Dec 10, 2011)

If I'm using a wiping varnish like the one you described. I just wipe off the heavy dust. No need to remove it all because the first step for me is to flood the surface and sand it wet with 400. Which produces a slurry that goes into the micro pores and fills them. Just the way I have been applying it since before the can had directions. 

Al


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

I just use compressed air. Wetting the wood with a solvent you need to throughly let it dry or it can affect the stain or finish.


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## Al B Thayer (Dec 10, 2011)

Steve Neul said:


> I just use compressed air. Wetting the wood with a solvent you need to throughly let it dry or it can affect the stain or finish.


Steve
If you watched me finish wood it would make your head spin. I break almost every rule there is. How about this one. I thin with anything but min spirits. Ever filled pores with pumice and then finish?

Al


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

Al B Thayer said:


> Steve
> If you watched me finish wood it would make your head spin. I break almost every rule there is. How about this one. I thin with anything but min spirits. Ever filled pores with pumice and then finish?
> 
> Al


That might help. My neck is so stiff and sore today I can barely turn my head. 

I never did like playing chemist very much. The finishers I worked for would go so far to say any finiish you use, you should use that companies solvent for that finish. I try to do this but I'm not as gung ho as they were except automotive finishes. 

As far as thinner, I had one of my guys one time thin a 5 of lacquer with coal oil. They did have sense enough to come and tell me something was wrong with the lacquer. I've had quite a few that didn't have that much sense. 

How do you use pumice for a grain filler? Are you adding anything to it for a binder?


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## mbira (May 15, 2014)

Thanks for your replies, guys. That's something I love about woodworking-there is not one right way.  

I tend to try and get the piece as clean and dust free as possible before oiling. If you use compressed air and have never tried wiping dry afterwards with a microfiber towel-I recommend it. It blew my mind the first time. I couldn't believe how much dust was still there. 

Today I didn't use mineral spirits to clean. Jut compressed air then wiped with a clean microfiber towel. I researched today what the heck a microfiber towel is anyway, and I guess because of the small size of the fiber and then they serrate the fibers, there is exponentially more surface area than a regular towel. I actually used one of the towels for the actual oiling, and in hindsight that was pretty stupid because it sucked a lot of oil in to the towel. 

I do my first coat, let it dry about 10 minutes and then buff it out (usually first doing a quick wipe with the oil rag). Then the next day I do a 600 grit wet sand with a quick second coat and buff it out all in one go. So far seems to work well but was wondering if I was missing anything important. I've been woodworking a while, but new to the forums.


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

What you're missing is that the Minwax Tung Oil is not an oil finish per-se. I has some oil in in...likely boiled linseed oil, or soy oil, and varnish resins and a solvent...likely mineral spirits. It's a wipe on varnish. It's a stand alone film finish. You would apply it in thin wipe on applications, and let each dry before applying more. I usually wait overnight.


















.


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## Al B Thayer (Dec 10, 2011)

mbira said:


> Thanks for your replies, guys. That's something I love about woodworking-there is not one right way.
> 
> I tend to try and get the piece as clean and dust free as possible before oiling. If you use compressed air and have never tried wiping dry afterwards with a microfiber towel-I recommend it. It blew my mind the first time. I couldn't believe how much dust was still there.
> 
> ...


I think your oil application is good. I just don't think wiping off the finish with a rag is needed. I flood the wood and keep it wet for as long as I need to while sanding. If there are spots that appear to have soaked up the oil I add more. When I'm finished with sanding. I buff it out with my bare hand till its dry. This makes a well soaked in first coat that bonds with more than just the surface. After that a top will get 4 more coats. It makes the wood itself much harder and therefore gives you a super coat. I've been finishing furniture this way before the can had instructions. The Min is a great product.

Al


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## JCCLARK (Jan 30, 2007)

I use Endust on a clean rag, works better than anything
out there. And no, it doesn't cause fish eyes or mess up the finish.
I've been using it for over 20 years now, much better than a
tack rag.


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

JCCLARK said:


> I use Endust on a clean rag, works better than anything
> out there. And no, it doesn't cause fish eyes or mess up the finish.
> I've been using it for over 20 years now, much better than a
> tack rag.


That's interesting. Personally I would be afraid to use it. It does contain mineral oil, isoparffin, and a soap but is unknown the volume. Sometimes the volume of a contaminate can be so little it doesn't hurt.


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## JCCLARK (Jan 30, 2007)

I've been using it for over 10 years before painting cars,
never a problem.
It's advertised "leaves no residues"
works better than anything I've tried.


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## JCCLARK (Jan 30, 2007)

I've been using it for over 10 years before painting cars,
and finishing wood.never a problem.
It also removes the static, which is a big plus for the 
car bumpers I paint on regular basis.
It's advertised "leaves no residues"
and "silicone free"
works better than any tack rag.

http://www.endust.com/products/multi-surface-dusting-cleaning-spray/


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## Sawdustguy (Dec 30, 2008)

I use denatured alcohol to wipe off the dust after vacuuming the dust off. Drys quick and leaves no residue.

George


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## Al B Thayer (Dec 10, 2011)

George G said:


> I use denatured alcohol to wipe off the dust after vacuuming the dust off. Drys quick and leaves no residue.
> 
> George


George
Does that raise the grain? 

Al


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## Sawdustguy (Dec 30, 2008)

No alcohol does not raise the grain.


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

Al B Thayer said:


> George
> Does that raise the grain?
> 
> Al


It doesn't necessarly have to be alcohol, You could use lacquer thinner or acetone too. To me it's a waste of solvents. I just rub my hand or a bench brush over the wood while using compressed air and it gets almost all the dust off. Certainly enough that it doesn't cause any problems.


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## Al B Thayer (Dec 10, 2011)

George G said:


> No alcohol does not raise the grain.


I'm going to have to give that a try.

Al


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