Powdered Pumice, rottenstone & Plumber's Rouge?

I've had good results using Meguiars Speed Glaze followed by Show Car Glaze.

For best results with them use the appropriate foam pads on a random orbit sander. Meguiars has "cutting pads", "polishing pads", and "finishing pads". They're Velcro backed and hook right onto a 5" ROS-- they're a bit oversized for it but that doesn't seem to make any difference.

The pads themselves have polishing action, from coarse to fine in the order I listed--I've never needed a cutting pad on a woodworking project, a polishing pad with Speed Glaze followed by a finishing pad with Show Car Glaze gets things up to a high gloss right quick. If you want less gloss stop at the Speed Glaze.

You can also apply by hand but you're going to need a lot of elbow grease--the abrasives are designed to break down during the polishing process so that you start out with a relatively coarse abrasive that during the process of polishing becomes a much finer one, and the energy to break it down comes from your efforts. The specific items I listed above are intended to be usable by hand--some of the others from the same company you'll be working on forever trying to get a decent hand- polish.

These work well with lacquer and polyurethane, I've never tried them with shellac (at least not yet). You want to have a fair bit of coating thickness though--they can go right through if it's too thin.

Reply to
J. Clarke
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Just so you know, that's not a gloss finish like you were after. I was joking, referring you to a satin finish. It is, though, my favorite finish out of all I've ever tried. I prefer a hand-rubbed finish and this accomplishes that smoothly, easily, and very nicely.

Jewelcome.

-- Life is full of obstacle illusions. -- Grant Frazier

Reply to
Larry Jaques

Sears used to carry pumice and rottenstone, no longer do, in central Florida at least. I doubt you'll find either locally, I wound up getting it online but not at woodworking places, they rob us. Grizzly has them, rouge too both in paste and wax stick. I'd just use auto rubbing compound (rouge = red oxide).

If you order online, this place filled my order expeditiously and inexpensively.

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you need a lot you can get it here for $0.40/pound. Even cheaper if you get 90# :)
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Reply to
dadiOH

Understood what you meant, but after reading the literature I was immediately intrigued. My curiosity will win out in the end and will likely give it a go. Thanks once again for the pointer...

Reply to
Digger

Never thought of Grizzly, should have but didn't. Good lead though apparently Grizzly must have very well ventilated toilet stalls, judging from the prices they charge ...really proud of their uhhmmm!

Lemelange looks good also, as several from this neighborhood routinely travel to Ft. Lauderdale/ Delray areas anyway.

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Good for industrial purposes but trust me, I will not live long enough to use those quantities.

Thanks dadiOH, solid info and do appreciate your input. Several others have also mentioned automotive compounds and I will likely build up a few sample boards from scrap and see what happens -- inexpensive and widely available.

Hmmmm...let's see now, wonder what would happen if I tried to fill pores with some of this stuff?

Reply to
Digger

Might try a drugstore for pumice. Some folks use it for dental care. I, too, still have a box of pumice powder in the shop but I haven't used it in years. Last use I can remember was buffing the finish on an old rocking chair I refinished and it did a good job. No machines

-- just a hand pad of wadded rags and a few drops of water after the varnish has set a few days.

I have used rouge on some metal and gem stone polishing projects and used the Dremel with polishing pad. I believe you can get jeweler's rouge, in small amounts, from Dremel. Otherwise try a hardware or jewelry store. I would start with Ace, because they are the PLACE. At least in rural SE Kansas, they are pretty well stocked.

RonB

Reply to
RonB

FFFF pumice and a binder.

Reply to
dadiOH

Yep. Just wondering out loud, mostly in jest. One reply (Father Haskell) however did suggest Diatomaceous earth (food grade) as a possible sub for 4F. Local hardware store carries it and perhaps I should experiment. DE is calcium based and pumice is silica, so not quite sure what effects will result from stains, Poly, lacquer, shellac, Varnish, or grit on grit finish sanding/ scraping. Will it color differently as seashells do when oiled? Will it react badly with clear finishes? Will it even work as fill? ...?

Never read anything on this sort of an application for DE, so unless someone can save me the trouble I'll just have to give it a shot myself. Anyhow, sounded like a good idea and worthy of serious consideration.

Thanks,

Reply to
Digger

the calcium is a lot softer than silica. if it works, it won't work as well.

Reply to
chaniarts

Probably right, in fact more than probable! But, it just sounds so plausible that I will likely waste a couple hours in the shop tomorrow reaching your conclusion.

Thanks for the reminder as it is always helpful...

Reply to
Digger

I can find pumice stone, but not the 4F (FFFF - ultra fine) powdered pumice I am looking for. Didn't think of a drugstore as possible source so will look around this evening.

Jeweler's rouge does indeed come in very small quantities and not exactly cheap either; Tripoli, for example, can run as high as $30.00 a stick + shipping.

After talking with the local auto-body repair shop this morning, I believe an automotive style compound may offer considerable advantage in a wet look finish. At least worth investigation.

Local ACE store here is privately owned and not very well stocked. Also not doing as well as the True Value on opposite corner. Neither store offers very much support to woodworking community. However, if you want an accessory for a $6,000 riding mower or $400.00 leaf blower, well now, that is a horse they are both familiar with.

Thanks Ron, for the ideas and additional input...

Reply to
Digger

A couple of spit coats of 2 lb shellac, followed by a quick rubbing with an alcohol-dampened muneca dipped in FFFF is standard technique. Rub too long, and you'll pull any dried shellac/pumice slurry from the pores, making work and pissing yourself off in the process.

Repeat as needed if you're not sufficiently pissed off.

Reply to
Father Haskell

DE _is_ silica -- that's how it kills bugs, by abrading the wax from their exoskeletons, which dehydrates them. It's hardly food grade, though it's harmless to furry household creatures.

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French polishing, the only substitute for FFFF pumice is FFFF pumice. For an after-cure rub, take your pick of fine abrasives.

Reply to
Father Haskell

Toothpaste or baking soda would be candidates.

Reply to
Father Haskell

So far, haven't gotten my hands on any pumice ...still lookin'. Jist fer funsies, thought I'd waste a couple hours tomorrow experimenting and see what happens with diatomacious earth (DE) as a substitute. Prospects aren't good, but, curiosity et al...

Thanks,

Reply to
Digger

The shells of diatoms are silica as well. At least, they were when I was majoring in geology in the 50s. OTOH, they pooh-poohed continental drift back then so who knows?

FFFF pumice is in the 10-20 micron range. DE 10-200 but can be smaller or much larger.

Well, silica doesn't suck up stuff so should be clear. Powdered calcium carbonate (whiting) sucks like a sponge.

Reply to
dadiOH

I stand corrected, as I was mistakenly under the impression diatoms consisted of typical seashell substrates rather than silica. Glad you caught me on it.

And I'm also sure you are correct regarding french polishing, not what I am attempting to do at all.

Since I often do a cut shellac wash anyway, I was thinking I could possibly use DE to fill pores and, as final rub on hardened finishes. Simply thought it worth investigation, nothing more. I'm curious by nature and have lots of free time.

I have not given up on pumice, but have also used it in woodworking and plastic applications far removed from French polishing ...not something I want to do every day.

Thanks for the correction,

Reply to
Digger

Completely forgot about baking soda, been way too many years passed. Really rusty so I find these reminders extremely helpful.

Thanks again,

BTW, no chance you live nearby in North Central Fl? You're certainly welcome to come over and help me recover all that knowledge lost.

Now let's see, where did I store that thing with the long thin blade that goes around in circles? ...oh yeah, I remember now, it was called a bandsaw.

Reply to
Digger

You mean you weren't just troweling the newsgroup?

Reply to
Robert Bonomi

Nope, the real deal fer sure...

Reply to
Digger

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