Woodturners Gloss Finishing Kit

A selection of 3 great Chestnut products perfect as a high gloss finishing kit for woodturners.

The kit contains Cellulose sanding sanding sealer, friction polish and a carnauba wax stick.

Cellulose Sanding Sealer

A quick drying sealer which provides an excellent base for all Chestnut Products’ finishes which require the use of a sealer. This formula does not contain harmful petroleum solvents such as toluene and xylene.

Good finishing requires a good foundation, and Cellulose Sanding Sealer is probably the best way of providing one. Compatible with everything in the Chestnut Products range that benefits from the use of a sanding sealer (which is pretty much everything apart from oil finishes!) it is superbly universal.

The purpose of a sanding sealer is manifold.

• It seals the open pores of the timber prior to the application of the next coat, meaning that more of it stays on the surface and less of the finish is needed. This not only makes it more economical; when finishing, the thinner the applied coat the less likely it is to get damaged, so a sanding sealer will help the top coats be more resilient.
• Sanding Sealers also bind the loose fibres of the timber together giving a more solid foundation for the next coat, which helps make sure the final finish is able to adhere properly and thus be more durable.
• They also include a sanding agent which acts as a lubricant to make the sanding process easier – the sanding agent also stands slightly proud of the surface of the sealer and it is this that is de-nibbed – the sealer itself should still be intact after sanding.

Cellulose Sanding Sealer is very quick drying, usually touch dry in 30 seconds and ready to be sanded within five minutes, making it ideal for a quick, easy yet professional base for your finishing.

500ml

Friction Polish

Gives a high gloss finish quickly and easily, ideal for use on or off the lathe.

Friction Polish is a shellac based polish ideal for creating a high gloss finish on or off the lathe. It’s a great decorative finish and is ideal for small items but can be difficult to apply to larger items on the lathe (anything over about 8 inch diameter).

The high amount of shellac in Friction Polish does two main things. Firstly it helps seal bare wood and produces a great shine, which is good. Sadly the price of this commodity shot up a few years ago when the shellac crop failed and it never went back down, meaning that the cost of the polish has also risen sharply.

Nevertheless, Friction Polish remains one of the most popular finishes for turners. It can be applied to bare wood but is normally used over a sealer and any of the sealers in the Chestnut Products range are suitable for this.
Applied with the lathe running it dries almost instantly and builds to a deep, rich shine very quickly. Avoid using too much as this can cause ‘rings’ to appear on the surface.

Friction Polish can be applied off the lathe with great success, using it like a French Polish and rubbing it into the surface. This does require a large amount of elbow grease (sadly not something we supply) but the end result is well worth the effort!

500ml

Carnauba Wax

This is a solid block of carnauba wax, popular with woodturners. It gives a bright gloss finish and is also very hard wearing, able to withstand a medium amount of handling without showing finger marks.

Apply over a sanding sealer by holding it against your work at it revolves on the lathe. Do not press too much – the wax is very hard and can scratch softer woods – the idea is to generate enough heat for the wax to melt slightly and transfer onto the wood. (This is easier than it sounds!).

Use sparingly, and use the polishing process (using Safety Cloth) to ensure the wax is spread evenly. Buffing will produce a high gloss finish.