# Can I polish/buff enamel



## jprefect (Mar 4, 2015)

I've been holding onto a table and chairs for just a little too long, and it's time to get then to the customer. Earlier this week, I did one final coat ov the table top. 

(FPOE holandlac white, gloss, oil enamel. Wet sanded to 2000 before application)

There are tiny, microscopic flecks is dust in the finish - the kind you might not notice in ordinary trim work. You've got to look down at an angle to see them, you can barely feel them, but they're there. They're there even though I had wet canvas drops hanging to suck up the dust. 

Question: can I buff or polish this tabletop to a mirror shine? (I know there is a difference between buff and polish, but I am uneducated in the difference)

I DO have a piece I can "practice" on. (A door for my own house painted with the sane fpoe, although much more cured) I bought the plastic polishing compound (blue Rouge) for correander, but I don't know how to use it. The paint has been curing about 48 hrs. I want to deliver them Saturday, and I don't want to **** them up. They look great. I want them to look spectacular. 

Thoughts? Thanks.


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## Gurnoe (Sep 5, 2015)

wow that's a fine pre-finish sanding! You sure can rub out the finish but some polishes cause issues down the road if a recoat becomes necessary. I've used a silicon and styrene free cream polish with good results but it's usually on varnished wood.


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## jprefect (Mar 4, 2015)

What brand?


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## Gurnoe (Sep 5, 2015)

jprefect said:


> What brand?


I'm failing to remember the brand off the top of my head. I'll check and get back to you this evening. I've used the Mohawk's aerosol cream polish which is good but I switched to a different brand of a similar product because I have to drive 40 miles to get mohawk products.


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## jprefect (Mar 4, 2015)

Dang. One of the old timers at work is telling me it will be too soft for a long time. He's recommending a light rub with ultra fine grit, and a wax (carnauba)


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## Ric (Oct 26, 2011)

jprefect said:


> I've been holding onto a table and chairs for just a little too long, and it's time to get then to the customer. Earlier this week, I did one final coat ov the table top.
> 
> (FPOE holandlac white, gloss, oil enamel. Wet sanded to 2000 before application)
> 
> ...


Hey J...

Your old timer buddy may be right - oils need to be cured "hard" before polishing or buffing...personally, I'd wait a minimum of 30 days - and instead of using creams, waxes or compounds, have you considered pumice & rottenstone? Unfortunately, these products are not used that much anymore, but few things look better, or more professionally done, than a hand-rubbed oil base finish, and these are the abrasives to use. Both are very, very fine abrasives with pumice being the coarser of the two, Rottenstone feels kinda like talc - if you go this route (and never have before), practice on a spare board where possible. It's really difficult to mess up a finish using this system, but a with little practice, you can make this film look slick as glass. The only tools you'll need (besides Pumice & Rottenstone) is a felt pad and water. Good luck.


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## Gurnoe (Sep 5, 2015)

Rottenstone is a great suggestion


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## NACE (May 16, 2008)

We used to use rotten stone and vegetable oil with a quality Cotten rag to "hand rub" satin alkyds and high gloss alkyd enamels. It provides the deepest most rich deep gloss. You may not need wax but yellow Carnuba with no abrasives (Malms Car Wax, Malms.com) is an excellent choice. It cuts to a fine gloss quickly. It was similar to shining boots by dipping two fingers into oil, then dipping lightly into rotten stone, a swirling in smal circles like waxing a car. Then wiping off residue with clean rag. Also, when fine dust would settle on slow drying oils, sometimes a new straight razor blade GENTLY scraped across the surface at a 45 degree angle, won't scratch the finish but will cut off the dust leaving a perfectly smooth surface. Good luck. Very old world technique not seen much anymore.


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## Gough (Nov 24, 2010)

NACE said:


> We used to use rotten stone and vegetable oil with a quality Cotten rag to "hand rub" satin alkyds and high gloss alkyd enamels. It provides the deepest most rich deep gloss. You may not need wax but yellow Carnuba with no abrasives (Malms Car Wax, Malms.com) is an excellent choice. It cuts to a fine gloss quickly. It was similar to shining boots by dipping two fingers into oil, then dipping lightly into rotten stone, a swirling in smal circles like waxing a car. Then wiping off residue with clean rag. Also, when fine dust would settle on slow drying oils, sometimes a new straight razor blade GENTLY scraped across the surface at a 45 degree angle, won't scratch the finish but will cut off the dust leaving a perfectly smooth surface. Good luck. Very old world technique not seen much anymore.


Legendary woodworker Tage Frid was a proponent of using a cabinet scrapers to de-nib finishes.

Besides rottenstone & paraffin oil, we've also had good luck with auto buffing/polishing compounds, Meguiars is our go-to brand.


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## stelzerpaintinginc. (May 9, 2012)

Gough said:


> Legendary woodworker Tage Frid was a proponent of using a cabinet scrapers to de-nib finishes.
> 
> Besides rottenstone & paraffin oil, we've also had good luck with auto buffing/polishing compounds, Meguiars is our go-to brand.


When you use Mergulars, do you apply it with a microfiber, cotton cloth, or something else?


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## Gough (Nov 24, 2010)

stelzerpaintinginc. said:


> When you use Mergulars, do you apply it with a microfiber, cotton cloth, or something else?


Knit cotton cloth.


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## Tonyg (Dec 9, 2007)

Couldn't find any rotten stone/pumice ash locally so I asked a guy at Woodcraft that refinished antique furniture and he would only use the rotten stone on true resto work and recommended 3M Rubbing Compound and 3M Finesse-it. he also recommended the 2000 sanding. He showed me a couple of pieces and I was impressed. 

It worked great for BM Advance and gave an almost factory finish on a painted top and shelving. Was using Chantilly Lace and needed some way to avoid marking on horizontals. The 2000 wasn't needed and left scuff marks even with the compound wax on a sample board. Tried it on some BM P22 and it was disappointing. Assuming it was because it was P22 but I almost had to repaint.


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