Wipe on Poly

I use minwax and am very pleased with this product I Prefer satin over gloss. Have a look at my last project, a live edge maple coffee table finnished with hand rubbed poly and 400 grit wet and dry paper. I buy it at Home Depot.

-- Denis in Grande Prairie. Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mistery, but today is a gift. That is why it is called the present.....Pink !

Don’t buy it…make it. Get a quart of Varathane oil poly in the sheen of your preference and thin as much as needed for a project 50:50 with naphta. Wipe it on and off as many times over as many days as you want.

-- Clint Searl.............We deserve what we tolerate

I use the minwax wipe-on poly for a lot of my turnings…
This one I used gloss

-- San Diego, CA

General Finishes makes a good wipe-on poly and is available at Woodcraft.

Some folks really despise poly. I have used it and like it. I am in the “make your own” camp. I dilute 50/50 with mineral spirits and wipe with a rag from an old t-shirt. You will need a lot more coats than if you used full strength. For furniture and boxes I put on about 4 coats of wiping varnish.

-- If the world was a logical place, men would be the ones who ride horses sidesaddle.

I experiment with other finishes, but my standard approach is MinWax wipe-on poly. IMO, the gloss is too glossy and the satin is too dull. Therefore, I usually mix them 50/50 and that works out fine.

Be advised – once you mix them you have a shelf life of about a week. I don’t know why, nor do I worry about it. I just mix up enough for the current need and proceed.

-- Rich, Cedar Rapids, IA - I'm a woodworker. I don't create beauty, I reveal it.

I love the wipe on poly cause it is so darn easy to apply to my turnings just before I take it off the lathe. I run my machine at low rpms (about 70) and apply the poly with a piece of old T-shirt and keep applying till it absorbs no more then go over it again to remove any excess poly. I usually leave the machine running for about an hour till it is mostly dry to prevent runs! I prefer high gloss for my turnings. I keep applying additional coats till I’m satisfied with the “look”.

-- Erwin, Jacksonville, FL

I use Minwax Clear Satin wipe on over shellac and it turns out very nice. I use one coat of BLO, 3 coats of Shellac and 2 coats of wipe on Poly using a 3M finishing pad lightly between each coat of Shellac and Poly. That combination makes the colors and grain really pop, especially Red Oak and Walnut.

-- If it won't fit get a BIGGER hammer.