armrseal is supposed to be easy right?

[Mark Ottenheimer]

So I am finishing a cherry and mahogany writing desk for my fiance. I figure that I will try and make my finishing process as easy as possible as I am fairly new to woodworking and definitely new to finishing. So I have a friend of mine who is a furniture re finisher help me spray a light toner of trans-tint dyes in alcohol and shellac to get all of the pieces into the same family of color. No problem. I take it home and begin to apply the gloss armrseal to the top and base. The base looks perfect, and the top well, not so much. I followed the same procedure of wipe it on and then go over it quickly to smooth out. I paid extra special attention to the desktop as to get it as perfect as possible, the base I kind of just wiped it on really quickly and that was it. Am I doing something wrong on the top or is it just harder to get the wiping varnish smooth on a long wide piece( the top is 30"X72). I have what I would call sags in the clear near the ends. Any suggestions as I keep having to steelwool or sand the top to correct the imperfections and getting a good build if hard when you are sanding most of it off. It is hard to capture in a picture, but I will try if needed.
Thanks,
Mark

[Scott Holmes]

I'm guessing you are using... ARM-R-SEAL Urethane Top Coat.

Did you thin it before you wiped it on? Wiping on varnish without thinning it tends to leave "rag strokes" or brushstrokes.

Try thinning it a bit say 20% with mineral spirits, a.k.a. paint thinner. When you wipe-on varnish you should wipe it as the kid at Denny's wipes the table just before you sit down. a 30x70 desk top should not take more than 5 minutes. If properly thinned it should dry-to-the-toouch in 45 minutes or so... wipe on another coat as soon as the top is dry. 3 wipe on coats per night light (320 grit) sand 3 more coats the next day (or night). 3 wipe-on coats is about the same as 1 properly brushed on coat. For a writting desk 12 wipe on coats should work.

FYI Poly is tough, it is not very hard...(it's for floors period. IMHO)

A HARD (much harder than poly) phenolic resin or alkyd resin varnish is better for a desk or table top.

[Mark Ottenheimer]

I did not thin it as the instructions and everything I found on here said it was already thinned to be wiped. I will give it a try with some thinner in it. I know about poly not being for furniture, but honestly I thought Arm-r-seal was made with alkyd not poly. My mistake. Live and learn.
Thanks
Mark

[Maik Tobin]

I use it all the time on cherry pieces. Three things....DO NOT thin it, as it is already thinned and ready for wiping. Second, very light coats. Your cotton rag should barely be wet; and thirdly, it will not look good until the third or fourth coat. After the 3rd coat, it will suddenly look terrific. The real key is to go with very thin coats. If you miss a spot, do not go back over it, it will get covered next time around. I generally use as many as 6-7 coats on desk tops and lightly sand with high grit between coats after the 2nd coat. 8-12 hours between coats.

[Scott Holmes]

Maik,

6 or 7 wipe on coats is should be the absolute minimum for a table top 12 would more more like it. Generally speaking 3 wipe-on coats equals 1 brush on coat; IF you don't sand between coats, Could be as much as 5 to 1 sanding betwen coats.

[Maik Tobin]

I have to disagree. I think 12 is way overkill. I have been using General Finish on tables for years and rarely have I gone any more than 10 coats. When I achieve that perfectly smooth top. that's it. Interestingly, the directions indicate that three coats are appropriate and I have had several conversations with the company about this and they stand by the instructions.