lambs wool pad application of oil based poly.

[Cooler]

The other day I made a wall mounted wine rack similar to this: http://www.seenitall.net/wp-content/uplo...g-wine-rack.jpg

When it came time to apply the finish (I used Minwax oil based poly) I saw that rattle can spraying the piece was going to be a problem because the two 5/8" thick slats were just 1.25" apart and brushing was a problem because of all of the holes.

I ended up cutting a lambs wool pad to about 2-1/2" x 5" and applied using that (I laundered it first to eliminate any loose strands of wool).

I first partially squeezed out the pad (it holds an enormous amount of finish) and applied a heavy coat of poly. I then squeezed out as much as I could (it still had quite a bit of finish in it) and lightly drew the pad over the surfaces to remove any excess.

I let it dry overnight and lightly sanded and repeated. I stored the piece of lambs wool in the can with the finish.

It turned out very nicely. It was way faster than brushing--almost as fast as spraying.

Has any one ever done this before? Other than going through a lot of nitrile gloves I don't see a down side. The pad looks like it will last a long time as long as I keep it submerged in the poly.

I didn't see any lint on the finished part and the finish seemed very even. No runs either.

Even wiping down this is a heavier coat than I usually brush on.

[Humanbackhoe]

Hey Cooler....
Last winter I refinished a Heart Pine floor in my house. It was installed in 1933 and under linoleum for decades. After sanding, I used a lambs wool applicator for the Waterlox topcoat and was astounded how smooth the finish was. I had not tried the lambswool before...but..wow...that smooth a finish is usually outside my skill set...

Andrew

[jteneyck]

That's what I was thinking. Lambswool applicators are used for putting finish on floors, like you did, so why not on a piece of furniture. Sounds like a great idea. I'll have to try it.

John

[Cooler]

A couple of things I learned.

First the 10" wide standard pad is too large. I cut it into 4 pieces 2-1/2" wide.

The original pad had the cut edges de-flocked. I first plucked the cut edges but I was still seeing lint. I then put it in the washing machine (cold water, no soap) and washed it. I dried it on "delicate" for a long cycle to get rid of any lint. It seemed to work.

To wring out the pad I rolled it up like a roll up cake and squeezed it in my fist. I was amazed about the quantity of finish it held. I wiped it on and then when it was fully saturated (including 16 holes that were 1-1/8" diameter, I applied the finish. At the holes I saw what looked like foam, but air bubbles did not materialize.

I then squeezed out the lambswool the the greatest extent I could and wiped it down.

The following day I lightly sanded and repeated.

(Don't use vinyl gloves for this; I used the second day nitrile gloves.)

The pad remains fully submerged in the can of finish and I am assuming it will remain usable for a long time as long as I don't allow it to dry out.

This represents the roll up of the pad for squeezing out:

http://files.recipetips.com/images/recip...oll_v2.jpg