High Gloss Finish For Wood Turnings

Steve Sinner explains how to apply a high gloss urethane finish to wood turnings.
NOTE: The lathe is running in reverse.
NOTE: I no longer use jars for storage of urethane. I use Stop-Loss Bags; they are far superior to the jars, and no urethane is lost to age or exposure to air when used correctly.

[@terryalby2172]

I still enjoy watching you do this. Best finish ever. I always brag about learning this finish from Steve in the "Steve Sinner Studio" !

[@pedalpetal]

Excellent step by step video Steve. Thank you for sharing this!

[@franklinwoodturningcraftsh998]

Wondeful video on your process ,your pcs are always outstanding , Thanks for sharing Steve

[@jogorail]

Great video Steve! Love your finish!

[@roberthortin5357]

Great work, Steve. Thanks for posting.

[@JimmiePorterAtStuartArts]

Outstanding video...thank you for sharing these tips. Extremely helpful!

[@susanhyslop-louli3433]

Wow outstanding video you are the finish guru!! Thank you for taking the time to explain why you do what you do. I love that you repeated the process twice showcasing technique.

[@monopinion8799]

Very informative and demonstration was very well done. Thank you for sharing and being so clear. Very good video.

[@machinedcreations]

Great informative video Steve! Thanks for taking the time to share:o)

[@christhomas969]

I had just finished applying celuose sealer to a very similar piece this morning and wishing I could go with the polyurethane instead of the high friction build polish... chiefly because I am very nearly out of it! But seriously, I had learned the ways of applying it to the bottom of my vases and urns, but had past troubles getting it on the sides. Your video shows exactly what I needed to know. THANKS!!!

[@deanweeks7956]

Thanks so much for the great information. That’s what I’m working on now trying to get the best finish.

[@SimetarRisk]

Steve told me that the Stop Loss Bags solve the problem of the varnish going bad. I put a quart in a bag the 9th of September and used it frequently and when I had used it all up the 20th of December the varnish was still fresh. Filled the bag the 20th of December and it is still perfect the 20th of January. Prior the Stop Loss Bag the varnish was scaled over in two weeks!

[@atwoneful]

That is very helpful. Lots of good detailed information. Thanks!

[@changefortanzania]

Thank you very very much Steve For this excellent video. I have always admired your excellent finish On each piece you complete. I will Start using each idea you presented here and hope. My finishes turn out as well as yours.

[@GeraldJensen]

Very interesting! Thanks for sharing.

[@ErikPeterson1]

Excellent teaching. Thank you.

[@woodsmanwilderness288]

That’s awesome Steve thanks

[@leksey7870]

Beautiful work! Good luck!

[@zoehigel4548]

Very informative! Thank you!

[@mountainviewturning5319]

Great looking vase

[@stephensinner2017]

Thanks you.

[@pjseiber2774]

Great info

[@JonRista]

Hi Stephen. Thank you for the video! Its the only one out there that I've been able to find that covers a good way to apply spar urethane to turned items. I've been using this method for a little while now, and have had some success. That said, over the last couple of weeks, I seem to be having a problem with scratches showing up after I sand the prior coat. I'm using an inertial sander with 600 grit, and working on it until I see no shiny spots. When I first put on the next coat using your method, everything looks excellent, glassy gloss shine and smooth (still haven't perfected eliminating every ripple yet). It is once the next coat has dried, that I then see all the scratches. I suspect its the coat thinning as it dries, and I guess its thin enough to depress into the scratches on the previous coat. In any case...I can't seem to find a way to eliminate this issue. I've gone up in grit levels, to 800, 1200, on each subsequent coat, but that doesn't seem to do anything for the scratches in the earlier coats (which of course, they are covered by additional layers of finish.) Really scratching my head here, about how I can actually get, and keep, that glassy glossy shine. FWIW, my finish is aways fresh. I use stop-loss bags to preserve the whole can, then pour only the necessary amount out of that into a jar when I'm actually applying a coat. So I'm not using expired or otherwise bad finish. I am now also doing both inertial sanding, and then sanding with the grain, to try and make sure scratches added by the inertial sander are hidden by scratches going with the grain. That seems to work on the wood itself...I'm not sure that actually really helps when sanding the finish itself. Here is an example of the kind of scratch issues I'm encountering (this is the second coat): photos.app.goo.gl/NUvUDVKUJVhDwa8i8

[@millstoneandrope7808]

thanks Stephen

[@jeffreywilliam7044]

Great video and finish. Is there anyway of seeing what you did for the dust collector shroud. I am trying ro come up with a good dust collector shroud.

[@ashadowawhisper]

Argon or Nitrogen will work very well... Argon is the best of the two. I used Argon a ton in synthetic organic chemistry when synthesizing molecules that are oxygen sensitive or if the reaction is inhibited by exposure to atmospheric water vapor/humidity. Which was a BEAST when I was in SE Georgia at GSU.

[@stephensinner2017]

I TIG weld, so argon is handy. The problem is how to replace the air with the argon. The small neck on the bottle I use for thinned urethane is slightly larger than the cup on the TIG torch, so it is easy to shoot a stream of argon into it and force the air out around the cup edges, providing a nearly 100% argon fill. But doing that with a quart can of urethane results in a mix of air and argon, which does not always work well. I could make a cap to fix this, but the Stop-loss Bags are a better solution.

[@brianfoster7064]

Have you tried putting the freshly filled bottles under vacuum to remove as much air as possible?

[@reinerteixeira]

new subs. made in Brazil

[@gobluwolverine7]

Steve, Where do you buy the 3M 260L 600 grit sanding discs? Thanks, Peter PS: Liked the video/demo.

[@stephensinner2017]

The Sanding Glove www.thesandingglove.com/3M-260L-Hookit-Finishing-Film-Discs.asp

[@johncharletta7874]

Hi Steve, thank you so much for taking the time to share your knowledge and expertise. I'm a rank beginner with this finishing stuff. Please excuse my ignorance, but how much of the varnish coat is being removed each time you sand the gloss off between coats? It looks to me like your removing the entire coat. I've always been hesitant to sand much between coats for that reason. Keep up the great work!

[@stephensinner2017]

You must remove all the gloss, or the next coat will not adhere. No more than that. I use 600 or 800 grit 3M 260L abrasive.

[@fwiframer]

I understand that the first few applications you sand varnish off. If putting on several coats do you sand the same or just light sand ? Or wet sand ?

[@stephensinner2017]

You must sand between coats or they will not adhere to each other. Remove ALL the gloss.

[@jeffreywilliam7044]

Do you have any videos on your shops dust collection. I am in the middle of building a turning shop and would love to see more on your collection. I like the fact that you said that not collecting dust from sanding is not acceptable. I would like to go that same route and would be greatful to see what you use in detail.

[@stephensinner2017]

No video, sorry. My system (and a couple others I helped design) are intended to collect the dust that is small enough to float in the air. That means large pipes and high volumes of air movement - as opposed to the standard of high velocities - are the defining features. Oneida insisted that two of these systems would not work, and would just load up and become plugged with chips. But they are thinking of collecting particles much larger than any that enter my system; those from saws, shapers, jointers, planers, etc. Both of the systems they disapproved of are running fine with zero problems after 20 years of operation. We use various means of creating low pressure zones around our work so that these tiny particles cannot escape into the surrounding area. Shrouds around the ends of the hoses, cardboard pieces on the ways, whatever works to make certain the fine dust cannot escape. There are several videos on KZbin featuring my shop/studio that will offer views that may help. And it is not just sanding that creates these dangerous particles. They will also be produced even from turning wet or green wood, although in far lesser quantities.

[@ajrob2888]

Thank you very much for the video Stephen. A lot of good information! I came looking for tips on how to do a spray on poly finish and saw your video. You've enticed me to try your finishing technique. I just learned a valuable lesson to not apply poly to an uncured oil bowl. After waiting 4 days for the poly to dry passed the tacky stage, I realized that an oiled bowl that hasn't been cured/dried, does not like a poly finish! Lol. Leads to my next question. Have you applied this finish procedure to an oiled bowl (that's had the oil cure)? Do you notice a difference of oiled vs unoiled? Would you recommend raw wood vs oiled wood for this finish? If so, why? Thanks again for this amazing video!

[@stephensinner2017]

We use this finish on dry wood; with no other finishes, fillers, etc. If we plan to add surface colors or patterns, they will be types compatible with urethane, such as acrylics and inks which will go on top of or under the urethane without issues. Just remember to remove all the gloss before attempting to apply anything over the urethane. I am not familiar with the oil cure.

[@ajrob2888]

@@stephensinner2017 oil cure is basically a oil based finish (think Danish oil) that has been allowed to dry/cure properly. Could you apply the spar finish over that? Thanks for the reply!!!

[@stephensinner2017]

@@ajrob2888 , I really do not know, nor do I understand why you would want to do that? What is the benefit over simply using the urethane from the start? I used oil finishes exclusively for a couple decades starting back in the early 60s, but now believe urethanes to be superior, and would not go back unless I were doing something like a utilitarian bowl which would benefit from occasional reapplication.

[@gobluwolverine7]

Stephen, do you recommend applying Spar Urethane as a top coat over sanding sealer? Shellac or lacquer based?

[@stephensinner2017]

We don't use sanding sealer.

[@jasonmartin4925]

Approximately how may coats do you apply on a vessel such as that cherry vase. I am a beginner, and i know with some finishes you have to build up a good hard finish with 7-10 coasts sometimes, is this similar, or would you just use 2-3 coats?

[@stephensinner2017]

It just depends on how you want it to look. The more coats, the deeper it will look. And it also depends on the wood. Open grains require more coats. But two coats are often enough. I think that cherry vase ended up at four.

[@norbertkruger230]

Superb very informative video. How do you clean your brushes?

[@stephensinner2017]

Foam brushes are disposable. Eliminates the use of lots of VOCs.

[@mikesteadham2919]

how long did it take to dry after the video ended. did you just do the one coat? if not did you sand or do anything between coats?

[@stephensinner2017]

The urethane dries so fast that is is possible to sand it with 3M 260L just 3-4 hours after application; but the longer it dries, the better. I apply as many coats as it takes to achieve my objective. That may be just one, or it may be a dozen. You MUST sand between coats to remove all traces of gloss, or the next coat will not adhere.

[@chemmii]

Bloxygen works best when you " don't fill the jar up.!! Half full so there is room for the Bloxygen to form the barrier from the lighter oxygenated air above it.

[@stephensinner2017]

I had mixed results with Bloxygen, so quit using it.

[@johnwallace4408]

I have used Minwax Helmans Spar Urethane all the time and have NEVER had it dry as fast as you said. Also how long your Spar Urethane last depends on how it is sealed. I have layered several coats of spar urethane without sanding between coats. The one thing I advise my finishing students is to dilute your finish to a 50/50 solution of one's finish to use as a wood sealer. Then apply the final top coats as needed.

[@stephensinner2017]

John, your coats of Minwax Helmsman Gloss Urethane will peel off one another if you failed to remove the gloss between coats. I learned that at the Lunder Conservation Lab of the Smithsonian Institution. If you think your previous work is OK, just try cutting through the finish layers with a knife and peeling it. We used to thin the first coat, but it penetrates fine at full strength, so we stopped doing that. You can see this for yourself by applying full strength to a soft, porous wood and watch it soak in to a dull surface within seconds.

[@johnwallace4408]

@@stephensinner2017 , the purpose of the 50/50 thin is so the first coat lays perfectly flat. Also before the 1st coat, the material should be dampened with the appropriate thinner. The purpose of this is to rid the surface of all moisture. Moisture is the #1 cause of finish failure. 35 plus yrs. of refinishing furniture!

[@stephensinner2017]

@@johnwallace4408 , OK, if time is important, I've been at it since the early 60s (60 years), starting with a BS in Industrial Education from Iowa State. Refinishing furniture is a whole different ball game than what we are talking about! Your projects have already been finished at least once before. For me, moisture content is determined by a moisture meter, so it is not a concern; I simply do not work with wood that has too high a content. You obviously did not understand the video to begin with - I never said the urethane would dry in 15 minutes. In fact, if you read the comments, you will discover I said it will dry in 3-4 hours to the point where it can be sanded. I am finishing a vessel with compound curves; you are doing flat surfaces. No comparison, unless you are doing vertical surfaces. The 15 minute rule insures against runs, which will occur almost inevitably on vessels finished on a lathe like this if the forces of gravity are not neutralized by the slow rotation of the work. The first coat on new wood will not lay flat, because it will soak in more between the growth rings than it does on them. Not a problem with prefinished wood! BTW, I've never - in all my years of making furniture, clocks, and art - seen a single case of finish failure due to moisture on one of my pieces. Perhaps that results from the finish removal process?

[@johnwallace4408]

@@stephensinner2017 wet a piece of wood and apply your finish and see what happens. Do you calibrate your moisture meter to a known moisture content, if not; it is wrong. BTW, I have been turning wood for 10yrs.

[@stephensinner2017]

@@johnwallace4408 , Good for you! Ten years is a long time. Where do you teach? From decades of experience, I know that I do not need to calibrate my moisture meter. When I used to build fine furniture and clocks, I'd wet the wood to raise the grain before final sanding. Nothing happens. It simply makes the first coat of finish smoother. I started turning in about 1955.

[@drabusharr]

Has anyone placed a tap/spigot in order to allow for an air-free environment in the can? Or does it go bad regardless of the can even being opened?

[@stephensinner2017]

I don't buy any can more than one year old, and lok for the most recent mfg. date.

[@billmalcolm1441]

Thanks Steve. Did you apply any sanding sealer before the first couple of coats?

[@stephensinner2017]

No

[@michaelprusak6188]

does it make a difference between water or oil based spar urethane

[@stephensinner2017]

Absolutely. Water-based will not work at all for this purpose. Try it and see what happens.

[@changefortanzania]

How long will the urethane last in the stop loss bags?

[@stephensinner2017]

No idea. We've never had any degrade in the bags. But, since it tends to start to degrade in its own factory package after about a year, I'd think that limit would be wise to apply to the bagged product. As long as it has that purplish-gray color, it should be fine. Oh, and keep those bags out of the light when storing the stuff.

[@EricRush]

Water-based or oil-based spar urethane?

[@stephensinner2017]

Oil

[@philirons3102]

Great Vid. You don't say how long you leave between coats Steve

[@stephensinner2017]

You can actually sand this urethane and apply a second in about 3-4 hours after applying. But better to wait a few days between coats to allow a good cure. I also failed to mention that you can use the older material for first coats, since you'll be sanding them anyway. It's that last coat that you really want to level perfectly.

[@philirons3102]

@@stephensinner2017 Thanks Steve, it's a pity we can't get that urethane here. I'll have to stick with my sprayed waterborne lacquer.

[@stephensinner2017]

@@philirons3102, how about this link: www.amazon.co.uk/Minwax-63200-Helmsman-Urethane-Finish/dp/B000Y4II3I

[@ghenadi75]

@@philirons3102 you can try No Nonsense Yacht Varnish from Screwfix (£10 for 750ml) which is 3-4 times cheaper and is designed for boats and yachts that is to withstand wood movement and UV.

[@petepruitt4928]

Do all variable speed lathes turn that slow? Thanks Pete

[@stephensinner2017]

Unfortunately, no.

[@garsonprice3441]

That's why man invented Treadmill motors. My Rockwell Beaver 3400 ($69 in 1980) now turns at 30 RPM as Stephen's Robust lathe does. No belt changes required, just turn the dial for 30 to 2000 RPM (2.25 HP). Thanks to Mr. Sinner- the king of finishers- Salute!

[@N5IWA]

Have you tried "Stoploss" bags?

[@stephensinner2017]

Yes, and I have tossed the small jars. The bags are great!

[@johnwallace4408]

I have never seen Minwax Helmans Spar Urethane dry in 15 minutes.

[@johnwallace4408]

@MTR It will even dry to the touch in 15 minutes. It is a minimum of 2hrs, full dry takes 24hrs.

[@stephensinner2017]

The reference to 15 minutes is the time it is necessary to keep the lathe turning to allow the urethane to dry sufficiently so that it will not run. Turning the lathe off sooner may well result in runs, especially if there are any areas where it was applied a bit too heavily.

[@edwinleach7401]

Wish you could purchase small containers to begin with.

[@nealramsey4439]

Looks like CO2 would be easy to put in the jar. You can pour it in like a liquid. It displaces all the air and even if some air is left behind it'll be at the top near the lid and not letting O2 into the fluid

[@stephensinner2017]

I use argon. CO2 would work, too. But the Stop Loss bags are better than either of those, easier, and cheaper.

[@zoehigel4548]

Please please put you camera on a tripod or something.. I get dizzy just trying to watch this.