Hello

It’s me again, with a small hat full of questions and answers (I’ve only got a small head!). Another busy week here but not without its lighter moments, some of which come from the calls and emails we get so thank you for those. We’re always happy to hear from the Chestnuteers.
Let’s dive into the hat…

First up this week is one of those very open-ended questions; how long do the Compounds and Waxes in the Buffing Wheel Kit last? This obviously depends on how much they are used of course, but we’d expect a good six months to a year out of each, usually more. It’s important not to use too much of any of them, you don’t need to overload the wheel, and in the case of Compound 2 this is very important, too much on the wheel will cause it to smear.
And then the question was elaborated upon, and what our caller really wanted to know was whether they went ‘off’. As these are solid blocks without solvent in them there is nothing to evaporate, so they will stay usable almost indefinitely (or until they are worn away). Just make sure you put them in a safe place!

Another caller was having trouble with our Hard Wax Oil, using it on a guitar. He’d made up some samples and was very happy with the results, but when he applied it to the guitar body it wasn’t coming up with the same shine. We discussed a couple of options, and then the caller told me that the guitar body had been made elsewhere and had had a ‘flash’ coat of polyurethane applied, probably for protection, before being sent to him. Therein lay the problem. The coat of varnish was stopping the oil from soaking in, causing it to give an unexpected result. Sadly the only option here is to remove all the coatings; I was able to advise using white spirit and NyWeb to remove a lot of it, but it will also inevitably involve some sanding as well.
The important thing to take away from this is to always remember that in most cases oils should go onto unsealed wood; anything on the surface that could stop the oil from penetrating is liable to cause a problem.

Last out of the hat this week was a question about Ebonising Lacquer. Will it stand up to being used on an outdoor table (for a black edging)? It’s always difficult saying how things will perform when used for exterior items as there are so many variables. The Ebonising Lacquer is suitable for use outdoors and should last several years, but in extreme conditions this could be shortened. Also, if water is allowed to puddle on the surface this will also attack the lacquer. For extra protection we’d recommend a coat of Acrylic Gloss Lacquer over the Ebonising Lacquer, this should help it last as long as possible. I was assured that a cover would be used on the table when it was not in use, and with this information I’m happy the table will look good for a long time to come.

And there,  I will leave you. Next week I’ll be able to report back on my demo at Cambridge Woodturners and also at Bury Woodturners, which takes place next Monday.
Can I also just mention our Woodturning Weekender taking place at the beginning of August nr Maidstone? The Early Bird Ticket offer comes to an end this month, so if you want to get the tickets at the best price now is the time.

I hope you have a good week and I’ll see you back here in seven days.

Cheers

Terry