paulhus@euclid.DEC (Chris Paulhus 223-6871 MLO8-3/T13) (08/17/84)
As a new net member, I haven't seen anything on net.rec.wood
so I'll see if I can provoke some discussion on:
KEEPING BUBBLES OUT OF POLYURETHANE FINISHES via SILICONE SPRAY
I have had a great deal of problems in the past getting a smooth,
bubble-free finish in polyurethane finishes. I put down coat after
coat, fine sanding in between, cleaning with a tack rag, but always
get bubbles in the finish.
I've tried 1. Heating the can of polyurethane to 100 deg F or so.
2. Applying the finish on an 80 deg F day.
3. Loading the brush heavily.
4. Not brushing aggressively - (see 3.).
5. Be careful to stir slowly, don't entrain air.
None of these have helped completely.
But, somewhere I read that if you add silicone spray, the bubbles
disappear. I now do this religiously, and IT WORKS!
So, why don't the manufactures add silicone? Does it degrade the
finish somehow?
I would appreciate mail from anyone with knowledge in this area.
I bought a Sears woodworking bench last month and would like to compare
notes on it with owners of other benches. (Only problem noted so far
is compliance in the end vise which prevents parallel surface clamping).