I have used OB shine over the years on smaller pieces for people that ask for that type of finish I don't like poly for a number of reasons. Most times I get a good finish I'm satisfied with but every now and again I will get that one bowl where circular marks appear in the finish between the bottom and few inches down from lip. The only fix is to sand and try again or go to a different finish. I cannot figure out why this will happen, if its the type of wood and or other factors involving the wood grain and amount of pressure etc. Like I said I have used this method many times with good results it just every so often I will have it happen?

I have the same problem. Even cut the poly 50% with mineral spirits. I do apply it with the lathe running at 60/70 RPMs until the finish tacks. I thought at first the marks were from sanding but that’s not the case.

Hey guys, what grit do you go too on your turnings before finishing?

For utilitarian items usually 220. Especially items that will have a mineral oil and/or beeswax finish. For more decorative items 400 to 600.

I always sand darker wood like walnut up to 800 to get the fine sanding marks out but for most other woods I stop at 400. I have used the yorkshire grit which works very good to get that really smooth feel after 320-400 but don't use it very often as it is more or less a finish in itself because of the ingrediants. A lot of finishes are not going to absorb evenly after the yorkshire.

Have you guys considered going to abralon pad 1200? in other words burnishing your project? Then simply applying by hand your oil finish? Once it's burnished or polished in the raw, the finish is wipe on wipe off, the same as is done for Maloof furnishings.

1 hour ago, Geezer said:

I have used the yorkshire grit which works very good to get that really smooth feel after 320-400

Me too! Mostly on items that will get mineral oil as the final finish. I want to try to use lacquer sanding sealer after sanding to 240/300, use Yorkshire grit and the try other finishes. According to what I have read, the lacquer sanding sealer keeps the oils in the Yorkshire from penetrating the wood. Wiping down, after, with mineral spirits and/or alcohol removes any surface. Then apply the finish of your choice. For some reason, I cannot find the Deft stuff locally.

19 minutes ago, John Morris said:

in other words burnishing your project

For turnings, I just use a hand full of the wood shavings and hold it against the spinning wood at high speed. Works really well for both spindle work and bowls.

Yeah Lew I often spray my projects with just a can of laquer in areas where I am going to apply ca or other penetrating oils it does work well to keep them from "staining" the wood then can be taken off with a fine cut or sanding. Don't know about Yorkshire haven't tried it I just don't use it often it contains beeswax and carnuba wax and depending on what you want for a final finish they are pretty much sealing the deal for oil. I actually quit using yorkshire completely and switched to acks wood polish I think it does a much better job with a precoat of shellac but again it is the final finish not much else is going on because it has the same waxes as yorkshire on top of the shellac precoat. I like the wood shaving also on spindles but trying it on the inside of a larger bowl can be a painful experience. Not fmiliar with abralon.

Haven't been in a forum before, I'm getting dizzy.

Kind of switching topics but does anybody turn bottle stoppers? New thing I was going to try so I got some stoppers from Amazon and also a chuck for this. Well it turns out the chuck is threaded with 3/8 by 16 tpi as are the majority of stoppers. Of course the pack of stoppers I ordered I have no idea what the size or threads are but they are a lot smaller than 3/8 I'm guess they are metric and as usual Amazon has no usefull specs on them so right now I have no chuck and cannot find anything out about these stoppers I bought?

I get all my bottle stopper stuff from Niles Bottle Stoppers

Niles Bottle Stoppers

Niles Bottle Stoppers - Simply Superior Stainless Steel B...

Stainless steel bottle stopper, made in the USA. FDA approved. We also have bottle openers, stopper kits, meat tenderizer, coffee tampers

There is another company that copies their design but these are the original. Made in the US of A!

35 minutes ago, Geezer said:

Not fmiliar with abralon

Abralon is a product from Mirka. Like a sanding pad with a grit embedded in a cloth substrate. High grit selections.

Not sure where you get your sanding supplies. I get a lot of mine from

https://supergrit.com/

Oh, yes sorry I am familiar with Abralon, brain ****. I use several Mirka types of sandpaper both sheet and disc and remember the Abralon now you mentioned Mirka. I have been to Niles and do like it but I am just starting with stoppers so went the cheap way at Amazon and ofcourse didn't realize there are different threads. The satandard is the 3/8 X 16 which I also got a chuck for but the particular stoppers I bought had no info and the thread posts are smaller and finer threads, did match one to metric nut so I guess I will be fabing my own chuck just for them. I have so much scrap that is what inspred me to stoppers. I turned a hickory burl bowl and have several pieces of that which would make nice stoppers, maybe I can get a pic up of that eventually.

Once you determine the thread spec, here's an idea for the mandrel

I hold mine in the Jacobs chuck on a Morris taper

Thats good idea bt no idea what thread is and not inclined to find out. I have an idea using a matching metric bolt.. Kind of a reverse stopper handle with a dovetail for a regular chuck.

Not sure which ones you bought from Amazon, but I did find this from a review from one of the sets-

7.9 x .26 mm thread will make them difficult to mount and turn

https://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-reviews/R28WW0DUZCFSXM/ref=cm_cr_srp_d_rvw_ttl?ie=UTF8

Need to copy and paste the Amazon link

That's probably going to be an M8 with a really fine thread

The ones I bought are the Honeydak, you probably have the thread right in first link. I looked at that PSI chucks but the two shown are for 3/8 X 16 tpi and 1/2 X13 tpi. The Honeydak are metric I have matching bolt and nut. Going to fab one out of a piece of maple stock with a dovetail. Just need to find a matching taper for this bolt and a metal colar. Trip to hardware store. And order some standard stoppers. Thanks for looking!

I have learned a lesson, as always should have read the reviews at Amazon before buying. They are sold as stainless steel but many report they are not and flake apart in a wine bottle from the acid. At this point I'm just thowing them away and getting some form a reliable store where I get most of my turning supplies.

Been a while since I used OB's . I felt like it was more too much work for a dime. Still have the piece (cottonwood) and it still shines. Wonder what a french polish with shellac would look like?

I made my own bottle stopper mandrel. just turn a blank round , drill a hole for the bolt and put it together. I use it in chuck as it is easy to get off lathe.

Well don't think its going to make much of difference mineral oil vs linseed oil might make a little smoother to apply. OB shine I use is just shellac, grain alcohol and linseed oil. I was going to make a mandrel but after reading some reviews on the Honeydak I'm just pitching them they aren't something I would use. I ordered some standard bottle stoppers and a mandrel from Penn State much higher quality.