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View Full Version : french polishing help ?















la Huerta
4th September 2005, 01:47 PM
i have been trying my hand at french polishing and with exellent results, got that mirror shine happening...the only thing i am having trouble with is it has a aver so slight cloudyness , rather than crystal clear, you can only see the cloudyness when the light is shining on the surface, i tryed doing the final pases with a dash of metho on the pad but it did not help,...any sugestions?

JB
4th September 2005, 08:51 PM
Might be a bit of moisture from the atmosphere. Has it been raining lately where you are? If it doesn't clear on a fine day (the finish that is) then it's something else.

la Huerta
4th September 2005, 10:25 PM
yes it was a bit rainy oday, i thoought that might be it, but also to , if i touch or wipe the table it smears cloudy, i gave it a wipe with metho as i thought it maybe a oil build up from the rubber, but it just went worse, if i rub my finger on the surface faily hard it seems to look clear, it's like a film on the surface, yet as i said the metho does'nt clear it up. chances are it could still be just a bit of moisture, perhaps i put a little to much build to fast for the damp conditions.

Clinton1
5th September 2005, 09:49 AM
I think JB is on the right track.

If it is moisture in the polish, allowing it to dry and evaporate out will be the only thing to clear the "film". I would think that rubbing your finger on it hard probably heats the area through friction and "pulls" out the moisture that causes the cloudiness.

Gentle drying through a flow of warm air (low heat setting on a fan driven heater) can pull out the moisture (although this risks a patchy result), but better to check the weather forecast and let it dry out naturally if you can wait. I think the trick with french polish is to do it on a dry day, and to be patient with allowing any cloudiness to naturally clear.
Cheers, and good luck,
clinton

la Huerta
6th September 2005, 12:55 AM
well it might have been some moisture, i gave it a light sand with 400 and a very light rub with wax , this seem to do the trick, it looks fantistic, and i got to deliver to the client tomorrow so had to have it ready..cheers

Neil
7th September 2005, 07:02 PM
What you had sounds like oil residue left on the surface because you did not spirit off and remove it. Sanding with 400 grit is a bit harsh on a fiished surface.