Hello. My first question.

[0rinoco]

Hello to everybody, and I must say that this is a very comprehensive site. Something for everyone..........well, almost.
I took up French polishing fairly recently and very satisfying it is, too. At the moment, I am using wadding in my rubber, but does anyone have an opinion as to the superiority or not of wool, old jumpers and such? I find the wadding tends to gradually foul the neck of my shellac bottle with fibres.
Thanks in advance.
Eric

[artme]

G'day Orinoco. If you can go with the flow this is the place to be! Problem is the flow is full of various wits, wise ones, opinionated ones, knowledgable ones, ratbags and others like me who may or may not fit into any or all of the aforementioned categories.:D:D:D

You shoud be able to get lint free types of cloth that you can wrap aroound wadding and use that as your rubbing pad.:):)

[jerryc]

orinoco,
Suggest you look at the thread "Shellac tell me all you know." Should help. As to right materials for a rubber, use a cloth that is smooth i e linen. Any fibrous material will cause trouble. In the thread I cited I have put in a series of photos showing how to fold a rubber and equally important that you charge the rubber from the back preferably with a squeeze bottle If you've got fibres around the neck of your shellac dispenser then it's odds on you've got fibres on the shellacked surface. Go read.

Jerry

e entitled to my opinion.

[0rinoco]

Thanks for the input. Yes, I use a linen outer on the rubber, but the wadding inside (the fad, I think is the name of it) tends to leave fibres around the neck of the bottle when I am charging it. Just wondered if wool might be an improvement. Just found an old lambswool jumper, so I shall give it a whirl tomorrow (it's half-ten here, time to get some kip!). :U

[jerryc]

Eric,

I repeat my advice. If you use a squeeze bottle for the shellac and ALWAYS charge the cotton wool inner from the back, you should not have any fibres passing through the linen, the cotton wool acts as a filter.

Jerry

Everyone is entitled to my opinion

[0rinoco]

Thanks, Jerry. Just love the French polish finish. Nothing to touch it.
Eric