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Scott glass

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rotten stone vs sanding
Mar 5^th, 2011 at 9:36am

I am also looking into rotten stone vs sanding. No matter how nice your work is the finish can either bring out the best of the wood or make it muddy looking. I am not sure one finish works best for every wood. I have not found anything I like for Padauk so I I don't use any finish but it seems like I am not doing my job. Some people seem to make any wood look great.

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« Last Edit: Mar 6^th, 2011 at 9:25am by Ron Sardo »

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Ken Vaughan

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Re: Minwax Tung Oil
Reply #1 - Mar 5^th, 2011 at 10:18am

Hey Scott -- I remember rottenstone from when I learned to do french polish with a shellac surface - It is an abrasive for polishing the surface of the finish, and was not used as a replacement for sanding the wood. It has been replaced by many polishes and controlled abrasives available for polishing finishes, but is till around for the restoration trade.

It will muddy the surface of the wood if you use it before you get a level surface film built.

If you are using a poly (plastic) surface -- the plastic glow polishes from caswell with a buffing are hard to beat for bringing the surface to a maximum shine.

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« Last Edit: Mar 5^th, 2011 at 10:19am by Ken Vaughan »

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Scott glass WR Addict Offline Wood is my Gold! Posts: 1,589 Depoe Bay Oregon Oregon USA Gender:	Re: Minwax Tung Oil Reply #2 - Mar 5^th, 2011 at 11:17am Ken thanks for clearing that up for me.I still want to try it. It is probably hard to learn but sounds like fun to. It is not all that expensive but then you add shipping. It is on my short list when I have pen money.I will have to find some more info on how to use it. smiley=dankk2.gif
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Ron Sardo WR Administrator WR Patron Offline Chief cook and bottle washer Posts: 9,675 Drums Pennsylvania USA PM 3520	Re: Minwax Tung Oil Reply #3 - Mar 6^th, 2011 at 9:04am Scott, just use some white polishing compound on a buffing wheel and you'll get the same effect with less work.
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Mike Mills

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Re: rotten stone vs sanding
Reply #4 - Mar 6^th, 2011 at 1:39pm

It has been many years since I used rottenstone (for flat work). I think I still have about 3/4 can in the shop.
You will need to use it with a carrier (some type of oil to keep it on the cloth). JMHO but seems a little messy with the buffing wheels available.
I have never heard of it being used on unfinished/unsanded items but I guess it can. As Ken V. said, it is normally for “finishing the finish”.

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Walter Hall WR Noob Offline Posts: 23 Gender:	Re: rotten stone vs sanding Reply #5 - Mar 7^th, 2011 at 3:45am I'd look on using rottenstone much like using a treadle lathe. Fun to try but not what I'd want to use on a regular basis.
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john Taylor

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Re: rotten stone vs sanding
Reply #6 - Mar 8^th, 2011 at 2:35pm

Rotten stone is just another word for tripoli polish - or the other way around. I still use it for toning down a high gloss finish. A soft cotton cloth dipped in oil or wax then into the powder gives you the right consistency for hand polishing. If you want a "hand rubbed" finish, it's the ticket. I don't use it very often because I don't do many pieces with a film finish.

Padauk is a very open grain wood. I like the open grain pores as one of the surface dimensions. An oil finish and a tripoli buff is usually the best treatment, but I've done pieces with multiple coats of sanding sealer to fill the pores, then a few coats of lacquer to provide a film for final polishing. It's not what I prefer, but a few people like the plastic look...

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Walter Hall WR Noob Offline Posts: 23 Gender:	Re: rotten stone vs sanding Reply #7 - Mar 8^th, 2011 at 3:00pm I didn't know that John. I actually sometimes use tripoli in bar form with a buffing wheel, then follow up with diamond white as per Ron's suggestion earlier.
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Ron Sardo WR Administrator WR Patron Offline Chief cook and bottle washer Posts: 9,675 Drums Pennsylvania USA PM 3520	Re: rotten stone vs sanding Reply #8 - Mar 8^th, 2011 at 3:46pm John is right, tripoli bars are made from rottenstone. The reason I suggested white diamond is I thought it might be to aggressive for what Scott was looking to do
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john Taylor

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Re: rotten stone vs sanding
Reply #9 - Mar 8^th, 2011 at 8:44pm

Rottenstone is actually a greyish white powder. The "tripoli" bar has waxes and oils along with brown colorants that act as binders and lubricants. Neither can be used in the traditional "sanding" sense even though there is a micro-abrading action. Actually, if you sand with a 12000 grit pad, it's a bit finer than tripoli.

But any abrasive material is variable depending on added lubricants, polishing speed and pressure, and the relative hardness of the material being abraded. So play with them all and let experience be the teacher. There just aren't many magic bullets in finishing - except for my secret formula... Roll Eyes

I'm lying, but it sounds good...

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Ron Sardo WR Administrator WR Patron Offline Chief cook and bottle washer Posts: 9,675 Drums Pennsylvania USA PM 3520	Re: rotten stone vs sanding Reply #10 - Mar 8^th, 2011 at 9:59pm Tripoli is between 800-1000 grit and white diamond is between 1500-1800 grit
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Vaughn McMillan

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Re: rotten stone vs sanding
Reply #11 - Mar 8^th, 2011 at 11:59pm

Ron Sardo wrote on Mar 8^th, 2011 at 3:46pm:

John is right, tripoli bars are made from rottenstone.

The reason I suggested white diamond is I thought it might be to aggressive for what Scott was looking to do

With padauk, I'd be worried that the pores in the wood would get packed with white compound. That's one of the reasons I generally don't use white diamond on walnut or other dark porous woods.

BTW, I never knew about the tripoli/rottenstone connection. Thanks for the edumacation. smiley=thumbsup.gif

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« Last Edit: Mar 9^th, 2011 at 12:00am by Vaughn McMillan »

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