French polishing

[Bino]

Hello there. This is my first submission to the forum. I am in the SouthWest of WA, retired, with a good workshop and enjoying the opportunity to indulge in my interest in woodwork. I have been "listening in" for some time without making any contribution, several times I have seen a question I could have answered only to find it had already been answered so well that anything from me would have been superfluous.
To get to the point. I would like to be able to use french polish on some of my projects, for instance I am currently making a small hall table in curly jarrah and I thing french polish would be ideal on this. but everthing i have read on the subject sems to assume that you are working on a flat horizontal surface. this is fine for the top but what about the rest? Can anyone give any tips on polishing a three dimensional object?

Bino

[Auld Bassoon]

I'm far from being an expert on this matter, however, I'd imagine that one would have to treat each item separately as if it were a top surface - should one wish to French Polish the whole piece. IMO that would be quite unusual, and probably unnecessary. Regular shellac followed (when dry) by some uBeaut trad. wax and a buff with a swan's down mop should suffice.

[Sturdee]

but everthing i have read on the subject seems to assume that you are working on a flat horizontal surface. this is fine for the top but what about the rest? Can anyone give any tips on polishing a three dimensional object?

Bino

Of course you do all sides as well as the top of your masterpieces else it would look terrible. Just turn it on the side and do the then top side and turn again etc. This is what I did when I french polished our bedroom suite.

The use of a high and low table to put your work on is essential, I used 2 saw horses with a sheet of chipboard to make a low table.

The only exception to putting it on its side is for coffee table legs, where you can put the table upside down and do the legs in an up and down motion. For this a large turntable is handy. THat way you can do one side and turn it around and keep on going without damaging the top.

Good luck,


Peter.

[ubeaut]

"A Polishers Handbook" http://www.ubeaut.com.au/book.html It's got it all.

Cheers - Neil

[Iain]

I have been known to cheat and apply shellac or Hard Shellac followed by EEE paste the Trad Wax.
A lot less effort and a very pleasing result, in fact I would say that many would not know the difference.
The difference would be a matter of a couple of hours work as opposed to a couple of weeks.

[Bino]

I do have The polishers Handbook but it too deals with a two dimensional object. How do you deal with the edge between the top and the side? there tends to be some carry over from onr to the other.

Bino

[kiwigeo]

"A Polishers Handbook" http://www.ubeaut.com.au/book.html It's got it all.

Cheers - Neil

Youve read this handbook Neil??

[kiwigeo]

I do have The polishers Handbook but it too deals with a two dimensional object. How do you deal with the edge between the top and the side? there tends to be some carry over from onr to the other.

Bino

This is a problem on guitars....where top and sides meet. The problem is reduced by rounding off the corners slightly and making sure the pad moves off the edge rather than being moved onto the surface starting at the edge. The latter is explained in the Polishers Handbook.