Was a time, long ago....where the mere mention of one word.....would launch a Grand Crusade....

Enough that one poster would write up a 3 PAGE diatribe about all things in such a Yellow Can....?

 

Well, after this is brushed on and wiped off..

Later today, and allowed to dry thoroughly....a can of Minwax Warm Gloss Poly with get brushed on....

 

Oh the "horrors"!Film at 2300 hrs.....

Not a fan of anything Minwax. I'm no purist, I just like Helmsman stuff better. Hee Hee. Yeah, I know, Minwax now owns Helmsman. 

I keep it in stock, use it for shop projects and such.  I'm on a beer budget here.  

I have no problem with it but since I do mostly turning it is not on top of the list.

When I frequented WOOD Magazine Forums, there were a couple or three folks there that would blow a gasket about using such inferior products by their opinion, Minwax, poly, you name it, if it wasn't crapped out by a worm or came from a plant, it was below them. So glad those days are over, here at The Patriot Woodworker, whatever floats yer boat, and more power to ya.

I do use other finishes, not always poly.  Had good advice here from several to not just be a ploy everything guy.  Also use dye, just depends...

Mickley was very opinionated, but also very knowledgeable. I tend to avoid both (Minwax and "poly", whatever that is) when I can.  My distaste for Min wax is more due to their misleading marketing on many products than anything else, as for "poly" (if we are talking about the oil based varnish with urethane resins) I just don't like it's look as much as the alkyd resin varnishes...which have mostly disappeared from the market. But when it was available, it was the finish I used most; right now it still is thanks to my stash, but my stash is dwindling.

My favorite finish has always been a coat of Watco, clear or various shades of walnut, under Helmsman Man-O-War, followed by paste wax. It works for me. 

Personally, I will dye when I can.  As for finish, my go to is General Finishes Arm R Seal.

I use their wipe on poly.  Has always worked well for me.

Thanks guys. 

21 hours ago, Gunny said:

I do use other finishes, not always poly.  Had good advice here from several to not just be a ploy everything guy.  Also use dye, just depends...

Depends? Thought we wuz talking about wood finishes here?

On 11/20/2022 at 10:11 AM, steven newman said:

Oh the "horrors"!Film at 2300 hrs.....

My most-go'd to finish is/was a can of *something* dad used in the '70s. I just keep adding thinner to it and it keeps doing it's thing.

 

I was a lot happier before I knew the right way of doing anything. 

1 hour ago, Woodman said:

I was a lot happier before I knew the right way of doing anything. 

 

Something about ignorance is bliss? I'd love to stay in a state of blissful ignorance, but everytime I come on here, I learn something new from you guys! DANG IT!

1 hour ago, John Morris said:

 

Something about ignorance is bliss? 

If that's true, I must be the contented guy in the world! 

On 11/21/2022 at 8:19 PM, Headhunter said:

If that's true, I must be the contented guy in the world! 

Happy and smiling is a nice way to be.

On 11/21/2022 at 7:07 PM, John Morris said:

but everytime I come on here, I learn something new from you guys! DANG IT!

And once in a while it's something you actually can use

My variety is more varied and I use what is more appropriate for the job, and not always poly.  I have said that your choice of finish depends on many things:

• Your skill level
• Budget
• Intended use
• Durability
• Ease of application
• Method of application
• Complexity of the piece (carvings, moldings, lots of concave corners, etc.)
• Dry time
• Environment in which to apply
• Resulting look desired

I did a refinishing job for a guy a number of years ago.  He took me out to his carriage house woodshop to show me it.   He just did turning bowls.   He opened a cabinet and had about 8 cans of Minwax Wipe On Poly.  He said a recent (Fine Woodworking) magazine rated it the highest of wipe-on finishes.  The problem with that article is that most of the finishes were not made or applied in the way they should have been, essentially picking a winner before it even started.   And again, just how durable does a bowl need to be that spends its life sitting on a shelf and getting dusted once in a while?

 

As an aside, I was on another job once, at a newly built house.  While I was there for another piece, the owner showed me a built-in desk.   It was full of pen impressions and asked what to do about it. I asked if he knew what was on it.  He found a can of Helmsman in the closet and said that's what the builder used.   "Spar" varnishes are known as "long oil" varnishes.  This means a higher proportion of oil to resin in the recipe.  This is so they remain flexible with wood movement, but it also means they are softer.   So I've never understood why they are used on places where this is not important.  I declined any sort of repair work on that desk.  Even adding a more durable finish on the top is "putting on a new roof when the basement is caving in" as one of  my instructors used to say.

9 hours ago, kmealy said:

My variety is more varied and I use what is more appropriate for the job, and not always poly.  I have said that your choice of finish depends on many things:

• Your skill level
• Budget
• Intended use
• Durability
• Ease of application
• Method of application
• Complexity of the piece (carvings, moldings, lots of concave corners, etc.)
• Dry time
• Environment in which to apply
• Resulting look desired

I did a refinishing job for a guy a number of years ago.  He took me out to his carriage house woodshop to show me it.   He just did turning bowls.   He opened a cabinet and had about 8 cans of Minwax Wipe On Poly.  He said a recent (Fine Woodworking) magazine rated it the highest of wipe-on finishes.  The problem with that article is that most of the finishes were not made or applied in the way they should have been, essentially picking a winner before it even started.   And again, just how durable does a bowl need to be that spends its life sitting on a shelf and getting dusted once in a while?

 

As an aside, I was on another job once, at a newly built house.  While I was there for another piece, the owner showed me a built-in desk.   It was full of pen impressions and asked what to do about it. I asked if he knew what was on it.  He found a can of Helmsman in the closet and said that's what the builder used.   "Spar" varnishes are known as "long oil" varnishes.  This means a higher proportion of oil to resin in the recipe.  This is so they remain flexible with wood movement, but it also means they are softer.   So I've never understood why they are used on places where this is not important.  I declined any sort of repair work on that desk.  Even adding a more durable finish on the top is "putting on a new roof when the basement is caving in" as one of  my instructors used to say.

Sounds like a desk pad was in order. I've found that Formica makes a decent writing surface. 

I try to keep it "food safe".  Odie's oil is quickly becoming my go to for lathe work.  I'm into quick and easy finishes.  Makes more use of my limited shop time.

 

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