Wipe on Poly with Walnut?

[Ed Scolforo]

Hi. I posed this question to the turner's forum but was advised I'd be better off asking you seasoned experts on the subject. I made a walnut wedding platter which I plan to send out to get laser engraved. The platter is sanded to 400 grit. I was planning to use high gloss wipe on poly as a finish, but several people said not to use poly on walnut. The engraver asked me to apply one coat before sending the platter. Does anyone think this is a bad idea? I'd hate to mess this thing up now. Alternately I was considering Bush Oil, which I believe has varnish in it, and then maybe the wipe on poly over it? Suggestions appreciated. Thanks. Ed

[Dennis Peacock]

Ed,

Why not use Shellac? Pad it on and it dries in less than 1 hour providing you a way to put several thin coats on in a single day.

You can do wipe on poly, but IMHO, you'll need to wipe on about 5 coats, sanding very lightly with 600 between coats, then sand it nice and smooth with more 600 and apply the final coat.

Of course you could use blonde dewaxed shellac as your seal-coat and then apply poly on top of that.

If it were mine? I'd apply 2 seal coats of shellac. 1st one being dark garnet shellac, dewaxed of course, and then one being blonde shellac. The garnet shellac helps to enhance the colors of the walnut for some reason. I'd let that dry for about 1 hour, sand gently with 600, wipe off the dust and start padding blonde dewaxed shellac until I was happy with the look and feel of it and call'er done.

[Jim Becker]

I agree with Dennis...shellac on walnut is wonderful! (With or without BLO first...)

[Matt P]

I just finished a walnut platter by padding Zinnser clear and amber shellac, about 10 thin coats with steel wool sanding in between coats. Looks great. For your purposes durability may be a factor that may favor poly. I am about to experiment with gloss poly on walnut, cause I've found that rubbing out shellac to a gloss is a $#* of work. I've heard that shellac still looks more rich than poly.. any feedback appreciated.

[Dennis Peacock]

I just finished a walnut platter by padding Zinnser clear and amber shellac, about 10 thin coats with steel wool sanding in between coats. Looks great. For your purposes durability may be a factor that may favor poly. I am about to experiment with gloss poly on walnut, cause I've found that rubbing out shellac to a gloss is a $#* of work. I've heard that shellac still looks more rich than poly.. any feedback appreciated.

Matt,

To me, any finish that looks and feels great is a lot of work. Shellac is fast building, easy to repair, feels good to the hand on the furniture piece, has a richer look, and polishes out nicely. It's been used for hundreds of years for the finish of choice. The quality of Shellac Flake and alcohol makes a big difference. Mix you some shellac from "flake" and then use it and buff it. You'll see what I'm talking about.

The Zinsser shellac isn't "clear", ever notice that? I have some shellac mixed up of Blonde Shellac (dewaxed of course) and I can read a newpaper through it very easily. Very clear liquid and goes one just as clear and buffs out to a glass finish in very short order. JMHO on the subject.

[Mike Null]

I like Dennis' answer but I do a lot of walnut plaques and find that shellac first then poly works well. Wipe on poly is one of my favorite finishes but I've never been happy with less than 5 coats and more if time permits. 0000 steel wool between each, 0000 steel wool and wax last.

[Jerry Olexa]

Matt,

To me, any finish that looks and feels great is a lot of work. Shellac is fast building, easy to repair, feels good to the hand on the furniture piece, has a richer look, and polishes out nicely. It's been used for hundreds of years for the finish of choice. The quality of Shellac Flake and alcohol makes a big difference. Mix you some shellac from "flake" and then use it and buff it. You'll see what I'm talking about.

The Zinsser shellac isn't "clear", ever notice that? I have some shellac mixed up of Blonde Shellac (dewaxed of course) and I can read a newpaper through it very easily. Very clear liquid and goes one just as clear and buffs out to a glass finish in very short order. JMHO on the subject.

Dennis says it all. Agree fully...

[Matt P]

appreciate it