Skipping the white diamond - what instead?

[Dan Hintz]

Some good tips coming out of this thread...

[Walter Mooney]

I've found that the secret is to touch the piece to the various wheels as lightly as possible. This minimizes/avoids heat build-up (which can ruin your finish (don't ask me how I know that)) and it helps to keep the wheel from grabbing the piece.

[Richard Jones]

Just curious....
If you're buffing aren't you going for a really shiny finish?

If so, wouldn't the point of it be to get enough finish on to leave no pores open so you can buff to a glass like finish?

I'm not criticizing, just wondering "out loud"....

No, I don't like shiny as a rule. I buff to get rid of any fuzzies left by applying the finish. I buff until it's smooth, then apply ren-wax and buff that off.

High gloss as the end result also depends upon the type of finish. Normally, high gloss isn't achieved with just an oil finish, like the walnut oil that I use, or DO, but with lacquer WOP or something equivalent. If you want high gloss, buffing in and of itself won't do it.

Hope this helps.

My $.02, as always,

Rich

[Jerry Rhoads]

I do what Tim says about seasoning

[Michelle Rich]

you CAN get a very shiny finish on wood if you sand to 5-600 grit, use danish oil (well dried) and then buff with the beall. It's gosh darn amazing how soft & wonderful such a shiny finish feels

[Richard Jones]

you CAN get a very shiny finish on wood if you sand to 5-600 grit, use danish oil (well dried) and then buff with the beall. It's gosh darn amazing how soft & wonderful such a shiny finish feels

Michele,

I don't think shiny and high gloss are the same. Agreed that you can do shiny with oils, heck, with about anything. When I say high gloss I mean one of those finishes that appears to be 1/2" thick. I guess I should clarify my definitions...............

R

[Jake Helmboldt]

Richerd's response covered it. You can buff to get a nice satin or high gloss finish. I buff to get a nice smooth finish regardless of the degree of gloss. It removes nubs and haze and gives a nice feel. I rarely use a wax on the buffs.

[Bill Bulloch]

If you use White Diamond on bare Walnut it will leave the residue in the open pours. But after you properly seal and finish the Walnut piece it is safe to use White Diamond. I do it all the time on finished Walnut. I would hesitate, though, if there were open cracks or pours.

[robert baccus]

Dan, if you have not tried it, buffing alone with no finish--just tripole and carnubawax gives a fantastic finish on very hard woods. walnut is about as soft as you can go. on the tropical hwds especially they can be treated just like metal and most look better with no finish--just carnuba. soft wax is not a problem if you use thin coats only. you can buff up satin or high gloss in this manner.------------------old forester