Has any one ever used pumice?

hello fellow woodworkers :)

I've been flicking through an old fine woodworking magazine (FEB 2004 issue 168). Theres an article where a guy varnishes a bedside table with just your normal 3 coats of varnish. But afterwards he rubs it back with a white power called pumice. The result lives the surface looking silky smooth.

Has any one tried this before that could offer me a little more information about this? Also any one know where i can get it from melbourne, around the western suburbs?

Thanks for any help :)

Joseph

Are you sure they didn't say Rottenstone? Rottenstone is much finer than pumice.

Your right mark, they call it rottenstone pumice. I have a habbit of reading fast and missing a few words!

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Originally Posted by joseph84

But afterwards he rubs it back with a white power called pumice. The result lives the surface looking silky smooth.

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I use whiting powder, after french polishing, which is even finer for that. I rub it on with a brush and then after wiping clean give it a wax finish.


Peter.

There are several grades, depending on the finish you want. If you want a high-gloss finish you would start with the course pumice (although course here is still a fine powder - Behlens makes this, I don't know who else does), then use a fine and finally the Tripoli power (bought from U-beaut of course).

You can either spray on water and rub with a rag or use parafin.

It works well to really give your surface a perfectly smooth finish.

I use pumice powder to cut back the shine on a french polish finish. I just sprinkle it on and brush with a shoe brush till I have the level of sheen I require.
My tutor, taught that you could also sprinkle it underneath the cover of the rubber to cut back the surface as you polish.

A very large user of various grades of pumice are dental laboratories. When they make partial or full dentures they use a methyl methacrylate compound (using a monomer liquid and a tinted & veined polymer powder) which is heat cured. After curing it is trimmed, then initially smoothed with a slurry of pumice and water using a calico mop/wheel on a lathe. A final polish is done with a finer compound.

There are various grades of pumice, and some dental labs prefer to use finer/coarser grades or a combination of each. May I suggest you try a Dental Supply company (yellow pages) to see what is available and test several grades to see what is ideal for your purpose?

Cheers
Phil

Quote:

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Originally Posted by antiphile

A very large user of various grades of pumice are dental laboratories. When they make partial or full dentures they use a methyl methacrylate compound (using a monomer liquid and a tinted & veined polymer powder) which is heat cured. After curing it is trimmed, then initially smoothed with a slurry of pumice and water using a calico mop/wheel on a lathe. A final polish is done with a finer compound.

There are various grades of pumice, and some dental labs prefer to use finer/coarser grades or a combination of each. May I suggest you try a Dental Supply company (yellow pages) to see what is available and test several grades to see what is ideal for your purpose?

Cheers
Phil

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I use it as a final rub on coated timber varnish, french polish etc, it give a high polished finish use water and the softest cloth you can find. I get mine from a supplier who supplies custom furniture makers. You can get it in various grades use the finest power you can get.

Pumice not surprisingly is made from Pumice,

Rottenstone is made from Limestone or Slate, it has another name Tripoli Powder as found jewellers rouge and in your wonderful U-Beaut EEE Ultra Shine

(Yes we finally have a source of it here in England and it's every bit as good as you guys say it is).