Watching a lot of videos that show people finish up a bowl by sanding and then applying some type of finishing compound like ultrashine.  At the same time I read all this stuff about shellac, poly, laquer, etc and wonder when it's appropriate to use each of them. 

Full disclosure, I turned my first ever piece of wood 2 days ago.  It was a mini baseball bat turned from a limb of maple from my own wood pile.  It looked pretty neat, had some spalting in it and I practiced sanding with multiple grits of sandpaper down to 600 I believe.  I dry sanded it but I've since read it's better to wet sand it.  Anyway, Ive not had the chance to purchase all of my wood turning accessories so when it came to try finishing it I did not have the proper wax/finish.  So I started looking around.  I had a lot of automotive finishes from muigure and mothers.  I also had a tub of polishing compound from turtle wax.  So I said what the heck I'll try it.  I was amazed at how well it worked.  It left a very shiny smooth finish on the bat.  Everyone that I shoes it to commented on how smooth the finish was.  So yes it was quite ghetto but it kind of worked.

If I were to do it properly what would've been the best way to finish off that mini bat?

The art of finishing - - - life's great mysteries.

Here's a shot at summarizing the choices.  Others please add your thoughts.

Penetrating finishes - finishes that penetrate the surface of the wood and enhance grain patterns.  Typically leave a matte finish. 

• BLO, amber color darkens with age
• Pure tung oil - slight amber color
• Walnut oil - colorless
• Mineral oil - colorless, usually used on items that must be 'food safe', does not actually cure and must be renewed.

Film finishes - finishes that form a protective film on the surface of the wood, but that don't necessarily penetrate deeply into the wood.  Typically leave a glossy finish but may be modified to be matte.

• Shellac - a universal finish, foodsafe, good for decorative pieces but does not withstand frequent handling, moderate water resistance, can be damaged by alcohol
• Varnish - a universal finish, protects against water and handling, resists alcohol, may yellow (although may also contain UV inhibitors)
• Long-oil varnish (aka Danish oil, antique oil, teak oil, etc) - combination of varnish, an oil, and a solvent.  Combines features of oil and varnish
• Poly (solvent) - a varnish that produces a tough, water-resistant plastic skin.  Tends to yellow with age.  Cleanup with a solvent (eg, mineral spirits)
• Poly (water) - a faster-drying varnish that produces a tough, water-resistant plastic skin.  Tends to be so colorless that it appears bluish.  Cleanup with water.
• Lacquer - a fast-drying finish that produces a very tough, water-resistant skin.  Tends to be neutral in color.  Usually applied by spraying but can be brushed.  Some consider lacquer to be difficult to apply
• Friction polish - a combination of an oil (BLO, tung oil or walnut oil), a finish (shellac or lacquer), and the appropriate solvent.  May also contain a wax component.  Applied on the lathe with the piece spinning at high speed; friction from rubbing causes heat that causes the finish to cure rapidly.  Repeat coats can be applied quickly.  Less suitable for larger items because of the difficulty in achieving a uniform application.

Things like EEE Ultrashine, Dr Kirk's, or Yorkshire Grit aren't finishes, but rather are abrasive compounds that polish the surface while leaving some wax.  And wax itself isn't a standalone finish, but rather a surface treatment that leaves the wood looking nice, but will have to be renewed.

And to make things interesting/complicated, each of these components can be combined with other components to create additional finishing products. 

Pat,

It's usually not a good idea to wet stand dry wood.  It will absorb the oil, water, or sanding compound you use for sanding and can ruin your finish.  Wet sanding is ok for acrylics, but most don't use it on wood.

Steve

I frequently wet sand with walnut oil.    Yes, the oil is absorbed into the wood.  Walnut oil by itself produces a matte finish.  After the walnut oil has cured, Beall buffing produces a velvety smooth semi-gloss finish.  You can put a varnish or oil base poly on top of the wet sanded surface to produce a high gloss sheen.  I also buff the poly after it is cured.

Louie Powell wrote on Oct 10^th, 2016 at 1:29pm:


Varnish ingredients typically contains boiled linseed oil (BLO), solvents, resins and/or alkyds.

A long varnish has a higher ratio of oil and works well for items that be used outdoors. It is more flexible and softer. This makes a long varnish more capable to withstand the expansion and contraction of wood movement and rain when used outside.  Downside it also scratches easy which ruins the integrity of the finish so it is not good for uses such as table tops.

Spar varnish is a long oil which historically has been and still is used on boats and ships.

Originally Danish Oil (DO) consisted of equal proportions of varnish, BLO and solvent. You are in effect reducing the ratio of resins. Another thing to consider is that today commercially available DO uses soybean oil instead of BLO.

Because of all this DO does not make a good outdoor finish since it cannot handle the environment like standard long varnishes. I wouldn't call DO a long varnish.

Regular varnish and poly have less oil, dry harder, and are harder to scratch which makes them great for table tops. Both will crack and peel if the wood placed outside and is not considered a good outdoor finish.

The alkyds used in Polyurethane finishes are made from fatty acids derived from linseed oil. While some will say that Poly is a plastic finish it really isn't since alkyds are an organic compound and plastic is typically derived from non-organic petroleum.

All finishes are food safe once it as cured.

Multimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or

Frank

Finishes do not all wear equally well.  So there might be two parts to your question:  first, can finishes have a shine when dry/cured; and second, can the shine persist as a piece is used.

The "amount" of shine or sheen typically is one of matt or flat (no sheen), satin, semi-gloss and gloss.  Of course, what one person considers to be satin can be thought of as semi-gloss by another person.

Most likely you can find explanations for how finishes create shine or sheen on wood, and how rubbing a dried/cured gloss finish with a fine abrasive can lessen the sheen.

The remaining aspect of your question is how well the amount of sheen will persist say on a wooden cereal bowl as it is washed over time with a soft sponge and drop of mild dish soap.  Some dried/cured finishes are harder than others, and so the sheen lessens faster for some finishes than others.