finishing with poly

[Al]

Anyone got any suggestions on how to get rid of air bubbles in the poly? No matter how many coats, or what kind of brush I use, I can't get rid of them and they turn into ugly pits in the finish.

[mp]

If you must brush poly, use a brush that doesn't have flagged bristle tips. Put it on a bit on the thick side and use slow strokes with minimal overlap.

[Will]

Use wipe-on poly?

Al wrote:

[SonomaProducts.com]

The easiest way to avoid it, is as the other poster mentioned, use wipe-on. Just thin it 50% with mineral spirits.

If you us a brush, use these steps to avoid bubbles, rope lines, etc.

1. Don't pickup bubbles into the brush. If you have bubbles on top of the can, push them aside with a stick before dipping the brush.

1. Use "tipping off". This is a technique where the final stroke of the brush is made with the brush exactly perpendicular (90 degrees) to the surface and just lightly stroking the very tip of the brush across the surface to flatten and scrape any bubbles away.

[J T]

Tue, Feb 15, 2005, 11:27am (EST-3) [e-mail] (Al) wonders: Anyone got any suggestions on how to get rid of air bubbles in the poly? No matter how many coats, or what kind of brush I use, I can't get rid of them and they turn into ugly pits in the finish.

Sounds like you're leaving some details out. I brush on water-base poly, with no problems. What kike do you use? What's your technique? You shaking it? Or stirring it? Might want to call the

1-800 number on the can and ask.

JOAT Intellectual brilliance is no guarantee against being dead wrong.

- David Fasold

[loutent]

Hi Al,

I was never satisfied with my finishes with brush-on poly - even with great (expensive) brushes. I am sure it is "operator error" of some sort.

When I switched to Minwax wipe-on poly, I was really pleased with the finishes I achieved. I wipe on (using bounty paper towels no less) several coats (sometimes as many as 6 or 7) - rub down with #0000 steel wool between.

Shake the can, pour it on the towel, wipe it on. It is fullproof IMHO - made for hobbyists.

Even Norm uses the stuff!

Lou

[toller]

I also endorse minwax wop, but highly recommend using a rag rather than a paper towel. It just works better.

[Abe Normranson]

The only way to eliminate bubbles in poly is to use shellac.

Then use spar varnish.

Only crackers use poly.

Cracker wanna poly?

seriously, Abe

plaid wooddoctor and bon vivant

[Don Wheeler]

"Al" wrote in news:EsWdnf9JNedC0Y [e-mail]:

I've got an old book called the Furniture Doctor by George Grotz. In it he says that the way to prevent bubbles in a varnish finish is to thin with just a dab of mineral spirits. It works for me.

Don

[mp]

It's helps, too, if you leave out the soap.

[firstjois]

I'm sure I just read something that said to use a hair dryer on the bubbles but can't remember where. Unless you (or I or anyone) have had a lot of experience it has to be smart to treat a couple of chunks the wood you are using the same as you are treating the finished product and then you have something to experiment on when the results are surprising.

Josie

[Bob Bowles]