How to Polish Wood on a Lathe
No amount of sandpaper makes up for rough work on the lathe. Sharp tools skillfully applied leave a surface that looks polished and clean. That look proves temporary as moisture raises wood fibers pressed flat by the turning tools. Much of the finishing work that makes that polish permanent can be done while the piece is still on the lathe. Simple wax finishes can be applied and buffed while the piece turns.
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Things You'll Need
- Fine sandpaper
- Extra-fine sandpaper
- Natural wax shoe polish
- 6-by-6 inch squares of clean cotton cloth
Instructions
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1
Shape the work with steel, not sandpaper. Remove ribbing--the ripples caused by vibration or sloppy technique--with a final planing pass of skew chisel or gouge.
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2
Remove the tool rest from the lathe bed to provide complete access to the wood piece. During polishing and finishing procedures, the tool rest becomes a safety hazard if left in place.
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3
Check the piece for rough sections and troublesome grain patterns. Scraping tools shape wood accurately while turning the piece but leave a rougher surface than cutting tools. Polish highly figured woods by hand, using the lathe only as a holding vise. Use fine-grit paper followed by extra fine.
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4
Sand straight-grained spindles while spinning the work on the lathe. Use a fine-grit paper first, followed by extra fine. Apply light pressure and keep the paper in constant motion to reduce clogging and scarring.
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5
Stop the lathe but leave the piece in place. Rub the piece end to end with extra-fine grit paper to remove circular tracks left by the first stage of polishing.
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Wrap a small amount of natural carnauba shoe wax in several layers of clean cotton cloth. Start the lathe and carefully press the applicator ball against the turning. Move the wax constantly over the piece, thoroughly covering the turning with fresh wax.
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Fold small squares of clean cotton and polish the wax surface as the piece turns. Set aside the cloths as they become saturated with wax.
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8
Stop the lathe and burnish the piece with a clean cloth, rubbing end to end.
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Tips & Warnings
Paint open-pored wood like red oak with pore sealer before sanding and polishing. Pore sealers colored to match the wood prevent debris from clogging and staining open pores in the grain, providing a smooth and stable surface for final finishing.
Sizing--painting the raw wood with white wood glue thinned with water--raises and hardens minute fibers of wood trapped in the surface of the work piece. After sizing, these fibers abrade easily with fine sandpaper.
Polishing wood with a smooth stick of harder wood is an old turner's trick that works well. Use a mid-range speed and a light pressure as the burnishing stick moves across the surface. The work piece chars unless the burnishing stick stays in constant motion.
Sanding against the grain--as with bowls and burlwood--leaves streaks on the surface of the work. Finish difficult wood by hand instead of while revolving on the lathe.
Use small squares of cloth to apply wax and polish the waxed surface. Large rags may be ripped out of your hands by the turning spindle.
