Any French Polishers on here or know anything about French Polishing

[BC]

bit late now bill but after you sanded it down you could of stained it the right colour then button polished it,as for the stand,preperation is key bill,thats what i was taught,but you will get it

Yes Paul I know ...more hurry less speed.I not too bothered with the back being a lighter colour in fact I like it better than the darker colour.

[BC]

I have always given a light sanding (finest quality finishing sandpaper) in between coats in any case. Then used a lot of good old-fashioned elbow-grease buffing it after the last coat has dried properly. Personally I would not put it in the airing cupboard but let is dry naturally with air circulating. You could end up with a sticky finish if the airing cupboard is too hot.

Yes I'll probably use some fine wet and dry paper with a wooded block between coats Sue but I'm going to take the stand back to bare wood again so both should look the same. I'll go an remove the shield from the airing cupboard now but I'll leave the stand so I can get it to dry quicker before starting on it all over again.

Pays to listen to ones elders...at times ;D

Edited October 6, 2012 by BC

[BC]

I wasn't happen with the stand so I sanded down and applied a coat of cedar Butinox but that wasn't dark enough.

Back and sanded down to the bare wood this time

Like chalk and cheese so stand water papered and this time a coat of Teak Butinox.

[Leakeyvale]

Different woods, Bill? Looking good though

[BC]

I don't think they are different Sue but maybe...I think I just didn't spend enough time sanding the stand and the grains were still full of a darker colour of stain. I need to give then a rub down with very fine wet and dry and I think the stand will need another coat of the teak Butinox before I then attempt to buton polish them both again.

Any project I start tends to drag on.....but I usually get there in the end!!!

[Leakeyvale]

As the stands are not seen they are often, like drawer carcasses, made of cheaper wood. I would not be overly worried about getting it the same colour as the body.

[BC]

Thanks Sue but I do like to get things just right. In my book if a job is worth doing it has to be done right.

[Leakeyvale]

True. You will probably end up with it looking better than when it was new as you are taking more trouble than the original creator!

[powerrabbit]

I find that after sanding down wood in these sort of projects, I do a bit on wooden clock cases, boxes and other 'treen' items that need a bit of reworking, using a very fine grade steel wool gives a very good smooth surface and then use a stain, repeating coats as the first coat usually soaks in a bit and subsequent coats will give a darker finish, then either let dry naturally or partially dry using a hair dryer and when the stain is dry apply a very thin coat of clear varnish with a very soft bristled brush, you don't get any visible brush marks then, and leave to dry for at least 3 days and then finish by applying a good wax furniture polish, like the old 'Mansion polish' and give it a good buff up with a soft lint free cotton cloth. A lot of older wooden articles were coated in 'shellack', I think that's how you spell it, this is a varnish with a stain in it and I think it's methalated spirit based so it drys very quickly. If you have a nice peice of furniture that's dirty, wiping it over with methalated spirits will clean it up and a good wax polish after brings it back to life. Polishing silver and glass I find that a creme polish, such as T-cut and its equivalents are best, non abrasive, also cleans and polishes brass and copper very well, if you have an old brass or copper item that's gone very tarnished and brown, again, very fine steel wool will clean it up, then polish it with the creme polish, you'd be surprised at the results.

[BC]

True. You will probably end up with it looking better than when it was new as you are taking more trouble than the original creator!

maybe....my vintage tractor restorations usually do!!!

[BC]

I find that after sanding down wood in these sort of projects, I do a bit on wooden clock cases, boxes and other 'treen' items that need a bit of reworking, using a very fine grade steel wool gives a very good smooth surface and then use a stain, repeating coats as the first coat usually soaks in a bit and subsequent coats will give a darker finish, then either let dry naturally or partially dry using a hair dryer and when the stain is dry apply a very thin coat of clear varnish with a very soft bristled brush, you don't get any visible brush marks then, and leave to dry for at least 3 days and then finish by applying a good wax furniture polish, like the old 'Mansion polish' and give it a good buff up with a soft lint free cotton cloth. A lot of older wooden articles were coated in 'shellack', I think that's how you spell it, this is a varnish with a stain in it and I think it's methalated spirit based so it drys very quickly. If you have a nice peice of furniture that's dirty, wiping it over with methalated spirits will clean it up and a good wax polish after brings it back to life. Polishing silver and glass I find that a creme polish, such as T-cut and its equivalents are best, non abrasive, also cleans and polishes brass and copper very well, if you have an old brass or copper item that's gone very tarnished and brown, again, very fine steel wool will clean it up, then polish it with the creme polish, you'd be surprised at the results.

Thanks Tim....I have used steel wool in the past and got good results on skirtings and door facings etc but I have to admit I hate using it...it one of those things that puts a shiver up my spine.

Edited October 18, 2012 by BC

[Paul Palmer]

looking good bill

[BC]

Thanks Paul...as the song "Things" says....."Things can only get better"

And apologies to Auntie Sue...... Sue I think you are right (as usual) since as I hung up some polo shirts etc to dry in the airing cupboard I looked at the front of the shield and the back and yes the two looked different so I think the stand was made from an inferior wood.....I really do need to listen more to my older and wise elders ;D

Pictures to follow at a later date since I have been on two recovery missions this afternoon

[BC]

Different woods, Bill? Looking good though

Yes on closer inspection I have to agree Sue.

A wet and dry rub down with worn 1000 grade paper before another attempt at the button polish.

[Leakeyvale]

Looking good already, Bill

[BC]

There is a bitty at the top left of the shield I'm not happy with Sue...I think I might just fade in a little more teak Butinox next week.

[BC]

This reminded me of a rather fine brush I have in my brush drawer. I think it possibly was my grandfather's and was maybe a "graining" brush but I'll take it across and see if my dad remembers. There is a number 8 on it so I expect it is a size number or something like that

Its a very very soft brush a will be ideal for brushing dust of models

[powerrabbit]

I've just bought myself a 250ml bottle of French polish Bill but a different brand. This stuff is also known as 'shellac' and doing a bit of research into how you're supposed to apply it, it says that you should make up a cotton wool filled pad, fairly dense, stuffing a cotton square, peice of material from an old T shirt and soak this pad with the polish and then put a drop of linseed oil on it and then apply to the wood in small circular motions and with the grain, allow to dry and keep repeating until the desired thickness is achieved and finally buff up with lint free cloth, that's the basics but if you google 'how to french polish' there's lots of info there.

[Paul Palmer]

years ago was working at a convent and they had french polishers restore some pews,what you said tim is right,but i cant never remember these guys adding a drop of linseed oil to the wad and they were pro's,however im sure people do it slighty different to each other

[powerrabbit]

I've seen 'expert' furniture restorers on the TV 'patch' water stains and sunlight damage that bleaches wood by using an artists paintbrush and just'painting' over the light and faded areas with French polish straight out the bottle so you're right Paul in saying that methods may vary. I don't think that there is a hard and fast method but there probably is a proper way.

[BC]

I've just bought myself a 250ml bottle of French polish Bill but a different brand. This stuff is also known as 'shellac' and doing a bit of research into how you're supposed to apply it, it says that you should make up a cotton wool filled pad, fairly dense, stuffing a cotton square, peice of material from an old T shirt and soak this pad with the polish and then put a drop of linseed oil on it and then apply to the wood in small circular motions and with the grain, allow to dry and keep repeating until the desired thickness is achieved and finally buff up with lint free cloth, that's the basics but if you google 'how to french polish' there's lots of info there.

Yes Tim that is fairly much what it said on my bottle. I didn't use cotton wool I used a similar thing a pad thing I got from my dentist when I last had a tooth extracted. I didn't bother with the linseed oil although I do have an old old 1/2 whisky bottle I got from my dad. When they worked with my grandfather in the joinery business they used to make their own putty for window glazing and the linseed oil was used to make putty.