I've finished the veneer on my 2ft x 4ft speakers, weighing 160 lbs each. And I think I have a problem.
I'm using Arm R Seal wipe on finish. But the speakers are TOO heavy and large to flip all around, for applying finish on a horizontal surface.
They are too heavy to put on plastic triangle points without making indentations in the wood.
Soooo, how do you properly put finish EVENLY on a vertical surface?
And what to expect? Even though it's wipe on, sit two minutes and wipe off. But won't the lower half of the panels absorb more and start being enough coats, before the top half does?
I'm lost on vertical surface finishing. Thanks
I'm using Arm R Seal wipe on finish. But the speakers are TOO heavy and large to flip all around, for applying finish on a horizontal surface.
They are too heavy to put on plastic triangle points without making indentations in the wood.
Soooo, how do you properly put finish EVENLY on a vertical surface?
And what to expect? Even though it's wipe on, sit two minutes and wipe off. But won't the lower half of the panels absorb more and start being enough coats, before the top half does?
I'm lost on vertical surface finishing. Thanks
I tried tung oil varnish on a 14" vertical subwoofer side, and it settled considerably thicker on the bottom portion, and even creating a drip edge. I had to wait weeks to sand it back down.
The Seal A Cell and Arm R Seal are very thin. It's normally applied generously, then the excess lightly removed.
This sounds difficult at best on a 4ft vertical surface.
The Seal A Cell and Arm R Seal are very thin. It's normally applied generously, then the excess lightly removed.
This sounds difficult at best on a 4ft vertical surface.
I am a furniture maker, and Arm R Seal is one of my go to finishes. Arm R Seal is a true wipe on finish, you should be applying it in very thin coats. Each coat should be just thin enough to just wet the wood / the previous coat and then any excess immediately wiped off. Arm R Seal should not be left to sit on the surface like a traditional polyurethane.
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I'm not sure what video shows General Finishes allowing Arm R Seal to sit for 2 minutes before wiping off. Below is one from their YouTube channel that shows the technique I described.
And do not alter the re-coat dry times, this is extremely important. The surest way to screw up an Arm R Seal finish is to rush dry times between coats. Especially since you're finishing over veneer, the last thing you want to have happen is insufficient drying of a coat and needing to sand the finish back down to raw wood veneer.
And do not alter the re-coat dry times, this is extremely important. The surest way to screw up an Arm R Seal finish is to rush dry times between coats. Especially since you're finishing over veneer, the last thing you want to have happen is insufficient drying of a coat and needing to sand the finish back down to raw wood veneer.
When I use Arm-R-Seal, I apply 3 coats before I begin sanding. I usually use a soft bristle brush for these first coats. Then I sand with 220, and apply a 4th coat with either a very high quality soft bristle brush, or I use a particular brand of paper towel as a wiping cloth. If I am applying a satin or semi-gloss finish, I am usually done after the 4th coat. If it is a gloss finish, I next sand with 320 and apply another coat. If needed, I sand again with 400 and apply another coat, but this is rarely necessary.
A word about "a very high quality soft bristle brush,"... These have gotten expensive. I recently paid $17 for a 1.5 inch wide natural bristle brush that I thought was suitable for clear varnish. That is why I am using a wiping cloth more and more.
When using a paper towel, I fold it so there is no free edge to leave a brush mark. a folded edge leaves less of a mark. If I am doing a large surface, I will fold the paper towel around a cotton ball to increase the carrying capacity.
When applying final coats, I find it is best to first wet the surface, then go back and very gently, very lightly stroke the wiping cloth/brush from one edge to another... a single motion from end to end without stopping. Then make the next stroke slightly overlapping the first.
I have had good luck applying to vertical surfaces. I fully expect to get some runs and brush marks in the early brushed-on coats, but those are removed by sanding. The smoothness and uniformity of the final coat is really all that matters. If the surface is properly sanded, the final coat goes on very thin and uniform.
One coat of Arm-R-Seal on walnut veneer, applied with a brush.
After 3 brushed on coats. The next step is sanding with 220
Final coat of gloss, after sanding with 320. I think I used a brush for this, but I may have used a folded paper towel.
A word about "a very high quality soft bristle brush,"... These have gotten expensive. I recently paid $17 for a 1.5 inch wide natural bristle brush that I thought was suitable for clear varnish. That is why I am using a wiping cloth more and more.
When using a paper towel, I fold it so there is no free edge to leave a brush mark. a folded edge leaves less of a mark. If I am doing a large surface, I will fold the paper towel around a cotton ball to increase the carrying capacity.
When applying final coats, I find it is best to first wet the surface, then go back and very gently, very lightly stroke the wiping cloth/brush from one edge to another... a single motion from end to end without stopping. Then make the next stroke slightly overlapping the first.
I have had good luck applying to vertical surfaces. I fully expect to get some runs and brush marks in the early brushed-on coats, but those are removed by sanding. The smoothness and uniformity of the final coat is really all that matters. If the surface is properly sanded, the final coat goes on very thin and uniform.
One coat of Arm-R-Seal on walnut veneer, applied with a brush.
After 3 brushed on coats. The next step is sanding with 220
Final coat of gloss, after sanding with 320. I think I used a brush for this, but I may have used a folded paper towel.