How to get shiny look on old cornwalls?

[WMcD]

Smokarz,

Wipe-on finishes are perfect for a guy doing it the first time. They are also good if you don't have a workshop devoted to working with finishes.

You can see the product at the Minwax site. It is also on the HD site and my small HD carries it.

http://www.minwax.com/wood-products/interior-clear-protective-finishes/wipe-on-poly.html

I see they say to apply a generous coat. I think that just invites drips and sags. You don't want a puddle. You get the message.

A tack cloth is good for removing dust. At least in the old days these were cheese cloth (just an open weave cotton cloth used to strain cheese curd) with some not quite cured shellac to make them a tad sticky.

http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R-202302485/h_d2/ProductDisplay?storeId=10051&keyword=tack+rag&jspStoreDir=hdusΝ=P_PARENT_ID&navFlow=3&catalogId=10053&langId=-1&ddkey=Search

It could be that a Swiffer brand duster will do the job too. These have some big static charge which is dust magnet. I have only used them in other applications.

I don't see at the HD site the Scotch Bite I used to use. It came in sheets about 1/16th inch thick. They must be around someplace. But HD sells the sponge types.

http://www.homedepot.com/Scotch-Brite/h_d1/N-5yc1vZ4nn/R-202077893/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053

Steel wool used to recommended by refinishers to buff hardened clear finishes. You can get grades down to 000, or finer. They were needed to buff curved surfaces. The problem is that the fine stuff will crumble. You don't want any steel crumbles near speaker driver magnets.

On the gloss or satin poly. I've only used gloss. One thing I read was that old time satin finishes had a suspension of quartz (read -- sand) and you'd have to stir it up. The newer stuff has some sort of chemical which causes micro-crinkling in the surface. In either case the advice was to use gloss for all but the last if you want to use the stuff.

A really glossy surface takes some work. One suggestion I've read is to use gloss finish all the way. Then buff the last coat with steel wool (now Scotch Brite) and apply a coat of wax. The wax is sometimes called butcher wax.

See

http://www.amazon.com/Fine-Wood-Paste-Wax-1lb/dp/B0000DIWIM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1298844345&sr=8-1

I believe that Kiwi clear shoe polish (the stuff in the can found at Walgreens) is the same material.

BTW,

If you want to get a shine and not go into the wipe-on varnish, you should consider just a few coats of wax. Try it on a small area, like maybe the bottom or the back. You may get 90% of what you want with 5% of the work.

Best,

Wm McD

.

[smokarz]

thanks so much McD,

i will look into getting the parts ready.