How to polish sleeper for indoor table

[Jazzys]

Hi guys, my first post and i'm very inexperienced so be gentle....

I have aquired a few hardwood sleepers that i'd like to make into a TV unit.
Whats the best way to give them a polished look without varnish.

I'd like them to look as natural as possible but they're looking a little flat right now.

Would there be anything like a brass brush or buffing attachment i can use in my drill or angle grinder that would do the job?

Cheers
Jazzys

[China]

Polished look with "varnish" what finish stage are they at the moment

[Jazzys]

They are just clean and raw. Not sure of the wood either. Maybe ironbark, certainly similar.

Thanks

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

You can always go for the old wax 'n buff.

But... the piece will need to be rewaxed - and buffed - fairly regularly to keep the look. Worse, once you apply wax you cannot simply apply any other finish should you change your mind later.

Me, I'd go for an oiled finish. Either a Danish Oil or BLO, depending on the look I wanted. Note that either will darken the timber considerably.

[Jazzys]

Thanks Skew, will the wax and buff darken it too?

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

At worst, only a shade or two. I'd recommend a 50:50 carnauba:beeswax mix. And a buffing mop on an electric drill, unless you really like to apply a LOT of elbow grease. ;)

Try a small section of the underside first, to give yourself an idea of how it'll look.

[Jazzys]

cheers, any tips on what and where to get the wax?

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

I like Gillie Stephenson's brand... I think Bunnings would carry it.

Just look at the furniture waxes at your local HW store. Look for a carnauba/beeswax mix that's colourless. Pretty simple.

Carnauba wax is long-wearing but takes a lot of effort to to apply, while Bees' wax is the opposite. Hence my recommendation of a blend. If the label gives a ratio, it'll give you an idea which end of the spectrum that blend is.

[ubeaut]

Are the sleepers weather worn and and gray like below:
465015

or are they more like these :aro-d:
465016

If they are old then they will need different treatment to the newer ones and you need to be aware that they could be quite toxic. The newer ones won't be dry.

Anyway.... As to the finish.
Here comes the blatant advertisement..... :damn:
Don't anyone bother reporting the advertising as the administrators/forum owner and has approved it.

After sanding or whatever you intend to do the best bet would be a single coat of U-Beaut Sanding Sealer (http://www.ubeaut.com.au/sandseal.htm) which will initially darken the timber but will revert back to raw look after it fully dries. Follow this with our Traditional Wax (http://www.ubeaut.com.au/trad.html) which will also darken the wood until it is buffed out and dry.

Neither will darken the timber any more than wetting it down with water. However as Skew rightly says you will need to rewax from time to time to keep it looking at its best.

Ideally buff with Swansdown Mop (http://www.ubeaut.com.au/sdmops.htm) this will give you by far the best buffed finish and without the swirl marks left by most other buffs used in a drill.

Hope this is of some help.

Cheers - Neil :U