# wipe on poly



## mike s (Dec 26, 2010)

whats the best way to apply on the lathe?
how many coats are best?
what kind of shine does it give?


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## phinds (Mar 25, 2009)

I've never applied it on a lathe so can't answer that part. 

It gives whatever kind of shine you want it to give, just buy satin, low-gloss, or hi-gloss.

I use 10 coats, wiped on very thin. Used to use 3 coats brushed on thick but always got drips and bubbles, now find the thin coats WAY better.

I apply with folded paper towels, change to new one at the first sign of fraying or dropping fibers into the finish.


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## Barry Ward (Mar 22, 2008)

*Wipe on poly*

You can apply it while the lathe is running,but it should be at a low RPM from what I have been told by some turners.I only tried it once but my lathe goes down to 214 and it worked pretty good.


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## john lucas (Sep 18, 2007)

I don't apply it on the lathe either. I suppose you could but you would then have to wait to start any other project. I use however many coats I need to make that piece look like I want. It could be 2 or 3 or it could be 10 or 15. Depends on the wood as well as how glossy or thick you really want the finish.


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## HLW (Nov 19, 2008)

Mike I apply it 80% of the time on the lathe using soft cloth (old t-shirt on low speed) with no issues. I also wax and buff on the lathe. That's the way I do it and it always works for me .:thumbsup:


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## brad2010 (Nov 6, 2010)

like the other guys said .....low speed with a rag, maybe have a brush handy to get into tight spots/grooves..........i use a latex brush when i poly then clean it out after im finished.....same with all my oil paint


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## davedubanoski10 (Feb 10, 2011)

Has anyone got or tried cutting there poly,slow drying,faster drying.And have you had any luck?


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## john lucas (Sep 18, 2007)

I wipe it on off the lathe. Sometimes I'll put the first coat on while on the lathe but since I coat all surfaces including the bottoms then it pretty much has to be off the lathe. 
How many coats. depends. I use as many as necessary to get the job done. If you sand to 600 grit you can get it awfully glossy in 3 to 5 coats. I touch it up lightly with 4/0 steel wool between coats. 
If you have a bad area that soaks up the finish it can take a lot of coats. 
I don't use this finish all the time and it starts to thicken in the can. I extend the usable life a little by thinning it with mineral spirits. Usually I'll just toss the can after I do this once or twice and buy a new one.


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## wildwood (Jan 25, 2011)

Bought a can of Miniwax oil based wipe on poly not sure how much threw away after going bad in the can. Prefer to stir and not shake finish. Used both paper towel and t-shirt to apply did not see a difference. Just not impressed with final finish. See Miniwax now has a water based wipe on poly too. 


JMHO, can thin either oil or water base poly yourself and get same results. Know manufactures always tell you not to thin, but I do it anyway.


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