WTF not working

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azamiryou

azamiryou

Member
Joined
Aug 14, 2010
Messages
1,015
Location
Silver Spring, MD USA
Okay, after all the praise and videos for WTF, I decided to get some to try. And for the life of me, I can't get anything but frustration out of it.

I've basically used the method shown in Ed's video, except using paper towel instead of sponge.

I tried it out on purpleheart. I get an extremely uneven coat with practically no build or gloss; if I attempt to polish it later, I end up cutting right through it back to the wood well before it approaches a nice shine. I tried putting on 20 coats, no dice. I sanded back to wood and tried again repeatedly, trying to vary how heavy or thin a coat I put on, time between coats, and so on, with no improvement.

Shop conditions are a little bit chilly, probably mid-to-low 60's. Would this cause poor performance?

Could my troubles be the result of it freezing? It hasn't been frozen since I got it, but I don't know what might have happened during shipping.

Any ideas? I tried e-mailing the vendor and got no response.
 
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I've found that you get much better results if using a sponge than paper towels.

I use the sponge makeup wedges. You can pick up just about anywhere and their cheap. Use it and toss it.
 
I also use the sponge makeup wedges. When it is cool in my garage, I use a space heater that blows in the direction of the pens I'm finishing with WTF.
That being said, it is a very thin finish and I use the abralon (I think that's how its spelled) mesh pads. It does take several coats for it to begin building up. The first few coats soak into the wood and some woods will soak in more than that.
When sanding, I found it more effective to sand longitudinally with the lathe turned off using light pressure. I'll usually use 320 pad to knock down the little radial ridges and then go to 500, 1K, 2K, & 4K but pretty lightly. Then when its nice and smooth, I'll apply the WTF the same way, with the lathe off but will turn it on once applied to prevent drips even though it goes on thinly.
However, I am still experimenting and it does seem like a pretty laborious process for that finish.
Kirk
 
I have found that applying WTF with closed cell foam (like used on a vacuum chuck) to apply it leaves a very smooth finish. I have also learned that hitting each very thin coat with a heat gun between coats works wonders. When you use the heat gun with the lathe spinning, at first the finish goes from wet glossy to a much less glossy sheen as it dries ( less than 1 minute). It will gradually begin to remain glossy as more coats are applied.

I usually cut back with 400 or 600 wet paper after about 3 coats. I've been able to get about 12 coats done this way in about 20 minutes start to finish. I'm still learning but WTF is now my go to choice, YMMV.
 
+1 on the sponge. I've found too that it gives a better finish at a slower speed and heavier coat. Did a few by airbrushing and it took about a week.
 
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