festool RO125 and their polishing system

[nsc]

Can anyone give the best steps for using the RO125 to polish a lacquered  counter top.  I have a cherry countertop that i just finished with sherman williams pre cat lacquer.  it has a slight bit of orange peal, that i would like to get rid of.  there are about 6 good coats on it already, the last was applied at 10a, today. 

any advice would be great. thanks

 

[tjbnwi]

Let it cure a few days. It may shrink to an acceptable surface.

At coat 3, I would have wet sanded it with 600.

Sand with 600, wet sand with 1200, buff with Platin to 4000.

You may not want it real shinny. Every bit of dust will show if it is.

If you do want real shinny, polishing compound and wax.

Tom

 

[Absolute Stone Polishing]

Let it cure a few days. It may shrink to an acceptable surface.

At coat 3, I would have wet sanded it with 600.

Sand with 600, wet sand with 1200, buff with Platin to 4000.

You may not want it real shinny. Every bit of dust will show if it is.

If you do want real shinny, polishing compound and wax.

What kind of polishing compounds are you using to polish laquer

Tom

 

[tjbnwi]

This for RO;

http://www.griotsgarage.com/product/machine+polish+collection.do?sortby=ourPicks&page=2

Meguiar's or Zanio's works better for rotary.

Tom

 

[nsc]

Thanks, it is a pre cat lacquer from shermin williams...

will platin 4000 bring it to a shine?  i was at my local festool shop and they sold me a foam pad (orange) and a sheepskin looking mop for the ro125.... is this any use?

Let it cure a few days. It may shrink to an acceptable surface.

At coat 3, I would have wet sanded it with 600.

Sand with 600, wet sand with 1200, buff with Platin to 4000.

You may not want it real shinny. Every bit of dust will show if it is.

If you do want real shinny, polishing compound and wax.

What kind of polishing compounds are you using to polish laquer

Tom

 

[tjbnwi]

Shine is subjective. Yes the 4000 will bring it to a shine. Not sure if that is the extent you are looking for.

This plinth was polished beyond 4000.

The pads are used for polish and wax. I have to look to see what color is which step in the process. The sheepskin will be last.

Tom

 

[tjbnwi]

You need the Stickfix pad to use your RO as a polisher;

http://www.festoolusa.com/products/sanders/pads/stickfix-polishing-pad-492128.html

These are the various bonnets Festool offers read what each one does and then apply that to your situation;

http://www.festoolusa.com/accessories/sanders/polishing-accessories.html?page=2

The orange bonnet is a medium cut pad. The sheepskin works best with wax.

Tom

 

[nsc]

thanks tjbnwi

can you tell me what wax to use?  and if you can suggest a polishing schedule that would be appreciated  thanks

 

[tjbnwi]

The wax (carnauba or bees wax) can be any that does not have a cleaner in it. I prefer paste over a liquid. You are waxing the finish not the wood. Briwax is a blend;

http://www.briwax.com/briwaxpp.htm

If you have wet sanded or used the Platin, the polish needed should not have to be that coarse. A schedule is very hard to do without seeing the piece and the flatness of the finish. The reflection is nothing more than how flat the finish is. If you use a polish that is to fine it is easy to go to a coarser on then back to the finer polish. If the polish is to coarse, you run the risk of polishing through the finish.

Go to Griots web site and view their videos. Again you are working on a finish, not much different than the finish on a vehicle.

Also research pumice and rottenstone for polishing.

Tom

 

[nsc]

thanks tom,  i used a high gloss finish from shermin williams, pre cat lacq.  it look pretty good to me but it is my first, if i use the briwax on it with that shine it more?  i have seen similar cherry counter top natural finish with a high gloss, the under cabinet light are clearly visable, you can see the light bulb, thats what im looking to replicate.. my top with the same style bulb are little blurry  on the edges.. any thoughts?

 

[tjbnwi]

You need to turn the diffused (bouncing all over the place) reflection into specular (mirror like) reflection.

The surface imperfections are causing your problem. If you look at my pictures you can see the guide rail on the MFT looks distorted. The was a valley in the finish of about .0001". This is happening to your piece but across the entire surface.

I like to start by wet sanding. I would use 3M paper ending with 1200 using their sponge. From there try Platin to 4000. Then polish. Reevaluate.

The piece in the my picture was wet sanded to 12,000 before I ever hit it with polish. The sanding cloth is Micro Finish I believe, used with a hard sponge block.

This is something you need to just take a deep breath and do. Worst you can do is wreck the finish and have to start over. Try doing it on a $500K car.

Watch the edges, they will burn through first and quickly.

Tom

 

[nsc]

thanks for all the information, im going to try it this weekend

 

[tjbnwi]

This is what the plinths looked like after the dye was applied. Hope yours goes well for you.

Tom

 

[tjbnwi]

?

Tom