# General Finishes Woodturner's Finish



## Quickstep (Apr 10, 2012)

I just tried General Finishes Woodturner's Finish on a pepper mill I just made. I'm wondering if anyone else has used this; I'm interested to know how long I need to wait before rubbing it out.


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## Dave Paine (May 30, 2012)

Take a look at this thread.

http://www.woodworkingtalk.com/f6/new-box-elder-peppermill-36706/


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## Ibangwood (Feb 25, 2010)

That's my FAVORITE FINISH, use it on everything, bowls, pens, pepper mills, etc , I apply 3 coats. Each coat takes about three minutes to dry ( fact). And then I buff it out with the micromesh pads and it looks like a shiny glass finish and it is super durable. Awesome awesome finish, waxes suck


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## Quickstep (Apr 10, 2012)

How long did you guys wait before polishing with the micro mesh?


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## Ibangwood (Feb 25, 2010)

Literally 5 min after the finish was applied


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## Burb (Nov 30, 2012)

I am not familiar with this product. How well does the Wood Turners Finish hold up over time? My concern would be it wearing off a pen that is used alot, as well as any other item.

Also, does it seem to work well with all woods? I have several cocobolo (and other exotic wood) blanks that I wouldn't mind trying this with for some pens.

Thanks.


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## TomC (Oct 27, 2008)

That's all I use on pepper mills now. I apply about 5 or 6 coats. I have buffed in 2 hours after last coat. It my be OK to buff sooner but I have not tried.
Tom


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## Quickstep (Apr 10, 2012)

Burb said:


> I am not familiar with this product. How well does the Wood Turners Finish hold up over time? My concern would be it wearing off a pen that is used alot, as well as any other item.
> 
> Also, does it seem to work well with all woods? I have several cocobolo (and other exotic wood) blanks that I wouldn't mind trying this with for some pens.
> 
> Thanks.


It's very new, so I'm not sure how much historical data is available. I'm fairly inexperienced, but I'm not sure I'd switch away from CA for pen finishes. While the Woodturners finish dries very quickly, it's not as fast as using CA and accelerator. CA also seems extremely hard and durable. For me CA is impractical for pepper mills, so the Woodturners Finish is great. 

PS, the Woodturner's finish wasn't quite amber enough for me and still looked a little "sterile" right out of the bottle. I added two drops of Transtint amber and a drop of Honey Amber.


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## Ibangwood (Feb 25, 2010)

Ok so woodturners finish has been out for over 3 years... And we had the owner of General Finishes come talk to us about multiple products. CA glue is a GLUE NOTHING MORE. It will break down, ya you get an awesome finish and I've proved to people that you get the same with woodturners. And why the heck would you try an achieve an oil base product with the angering with a WATER BASE. Yes on the bottle it says oil/water. But it's mostly water and that's why I love it. Ca glue will break down, chip..etc All this is fact. Woodturners finish prevents the oils of your fingers from ruining the sheen and breaking it down


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## Burb (Nov 30, 2012)

Quickstep said:


> It's very new, so I'm not sure how much historical data is available. I'm fairly inexperienced, but I'm not sure I'd switch away from CA for pen finishes. While the Woodturners finish dries very quickly, it's not as fast as using CA and accelerator. CA also seems extremely hard and durable. For me CA is impractical for pepper mills, so the Woodturners Finish is great.
> 
> PS, the Woodturner's finish wasn't quite amber enough for me and still looked a little "sterile" right out of the bottle. I added two drops of Transtint amber and a drop of Honey Amber.


I am fairly new to turning as well. I have YET to achieve a high quality CA Finish on anything. I have tried many pens and key chains, but the same thing always happens. It cracks at the end of the wood adjacent the metal pieces and/or it shows lots of scrathes after some (not tons) use. I have been sold on the idea that CA finish is super strong and easy, but I would disagree with this. I realize that my inexperience is likely most of the problem, but I think there'd be a better way.



Ibangwood said:


> Ok so woodturners finish has been out for over 3 years... And we had the owner of General Finishes come talk to us about multiple products. CA glue is a GLUE NOTHING MORE. It will break down, ya you get an awesome finish and I've proved to people that you get the same with woodturners. And why the heck would you try an achieve an oil base product with the angering with a WATER BASE. Yes on the bottle it says oil/water. But it's mostly water and that's why I love it. Ca glue will break down, chip..etc All this is fact. Woodturners finish prevents the oils of your fingers from ruining the sheen and breaking it down


I am intersted in giving this finish a try. I also read some basic guidance above. Would anyone care to do a "Idiot-Proof" write up with specifics (sandind material, grit, exact # of recommended aplications, when to sand, etc) to help this self-proclaimed "Idiot-Proof Tester" out? It would be greatly appreciated.


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## Ibangwood (Feb 25, 2010)

I absolutely will do that for ya, later tonight tho, tou will like


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## MeasureTwice (Jan 12, 2012)

Burb said:


> I am intersted in giving this finish a try. I also read some basic guidance above. Would anyone care to do a "Idiot-Proof" write up with specifics (sandind material, grit, exact # of recommended aplications, when to sand, etc) to help this self-proclaimed "Idiot-Proof Tester" out? It would be greatly appreciated.


+1 same here!!


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## robert421960 (Dec 9, 2010)

Ibangwood said:


> I absolutely will do that for ya, later tonight tho, tou will like


post some pics of your quality work with your explanation


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## mike65072 (Apr 13, 2008)

I have used General Finishes Enduro-Var water based urethane on several projects and really like it. Is the Wood Turners finish significantly different?


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## TomC (Oct 27, 2008)

mike65072 said:


> I have used General Finishes Enduro-Var water based urethane on several projects and really like it. Is the Wood Turners finish significantly different?


No, it's not the same. The woodturners finish is thin as water.
Tom


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## Burb (Nov 30, 2012)

Ibangwood said:


> I absolutely will do that for ya, later tonight tho, tou will like


On be half of all the greenhorns, I say thank you!!!

I'm looking forward to your write up. I found a local GF dealer, so I will see if they have this finish on Friday when I get into town.

Mark


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## Quickstep (Apr 10, 2012)

I'd be interested to know how folks are applying Woodturners Finish. I've tried a folded paper towel, a sponge, a foam brush, spray and returned to using the paper towel. It's a little streaky on the first couple of coats; I don't know if that's because the wood is absorbing the finish very quickly or because it takes a few applications to get the paper towel well saturated. Spraying worked ok; I used a Preval sprayer. I over applied and then the piece was slinging finish and the finish tended to collect at the high points. Spraying also seemed to waste finish, so between that and my bad technique, I returned to the paper towel. I haven't tried sanding with micro mesh yet; my last project didn't seem to need it, but wondering what y'all are using for lubricant. I've always been shy about using water as a sanding lubricant when wet sanding a water based finish.


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## TomC (Oct 27, 2008)

Quickstep said:


> I'd be interested to know how folks are applying Woodturners Finish. I've tried a folded paper towel, a sponge, a foam brush, spray and returned to using the paper towel. It's a little streaky on the first couple of coats; I don't know if that's because the wood is absorbing the finish very quickly or because it takes a few applications to get the paper towel well saturated. Spraying worked ok; I used a Preval sprayer. I over applied and then the piece was slinging finish and the finish tended to collect at the high points. Spraying also seemed to waste finish, so between that and my bad technique, I returned to the paper towel. I haven't tried sanding with micro mesh yet; my last project didn't seem to need it, but wondering what y'all are using for lubricant. I've always been shy about using water as a sanding lubricant when wet sanding a water based finish.


I've used paper towels and clean cotton rags to apply. I don't seen to have problems with streaking. Have not tried the foam brush. As stated earlier I apply 5 or 6 coats. The first couple of coats dry quickly. I usually wait 5 or more minutes to apply after the first 2 or 3 coats.
Tom


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## refueler1 (Oct 8, 2011)

I used it on a bowl this week. Applied several coats of sanding sealer and then threw on a coat of GWTF and it needed no sanding, very smooth over the sanding sealer. I was watching one of the GWTF videos on utube and the instructor suggested using a pantyhose with a folder paper towel inside as an applicator. It worked great and left no stroke marks like a brush does.


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## Quickstep (Apr 10, 2012)

I just finished a pepper mill using General Woodturner's finish. I applied 5 or so coats, "sanding" between coats with gray synthetic steel wool. The last two coats were applied with no sanding in-between and looked great right off the lathe. BUT, I couldn't leave well enough alone, so after a couple of days to fully cure, I put it back on the lathe and applied a coat of Renaissance Micro-Crystalline Wax Polish and boy does it look nice. It leaves a nice shine and knocks of just enough gloss to make the thing look like a museum piece.


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## Nate Bos (Jan 11, 2012)

Quickstep said:


> I just finished a pepper mill using General Woodturner's finish. I applied 5 or so coats, "sanding" between coats with gray synthetic steel wool. The last two coats were applied with no sanding in-between and looked great right off the lathe. BUT, I couldn't leave well enough alone, so after a couple of days to fully cure, I put it back on the lathe and applied a coat of Renaissance Micro-Crystalline Wax Polish and boy does it look nice. It leaves a nice shine and knocks of just enough gloss to make the thing look like a museum piece.


 
WOW! your right that does look great! oh wait... no pics, didn't happen:no::laughing:. We all wanna see it!


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## Nate Bos (Jan 11, 2012)

btw is there a difference between the salad bowl finish and the wood turners finish?


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## jgilfor (Jan 25, 2013)

Yup.

Woodturner's Finish is a hybrid water-based finish. Technically, it has a water-soluble (hydrophylic) base, with some hydrophobic (oil-soluble) tendencies. Apparently, it is based on one of General Finish's floor finishing products. To me, it strongly smells like some of the acrylic floor coatings on the market, and wouldn't be surprised to learn that it is chemically related. Absolutely LOVE this product!!!!

Salad Bowl finish is a mixture urethane and other long chain synthetic "oils/waxes" in a mineral spirits spirit base.

They are both advertised as food safe, but, they are...

Completely different animasl.


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## Quickstep (Apr 10, 2012)

I'm doing my third project using General Woodturners Finish and not having the same success as on my previous two efforts. I'm getting a lot of streaking. I'm curious, what speed are you guys running when you apply the finish and what grit are you using for sanding between coats?


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## TomC (Oct 27, 2008)

Quickstep said:


> I'm doing my third project using General Woodturners Finish and not having the same success as on my previous two efforts. I'm getting a lot of streaking. I'm curious, what speed are you guys running when you apply the finish and what grit are you using for sanding between coats?


I run at 100 rpm or less. I sand with 320 or 400 depending what's handy.
Tom


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