I like a glass look for most of my woodturnings and I found a method that works for me. People that do finish work will first prepare the surface that the finish will be applied on by sanding . A lot of furniture finishers don't sand past 150 grit and will then fill the pores and sand it smooth. After this they apply the finish and then rub it out.

The key to a glassy finish is to have a very smooth surface to apply the finish. If the surface is not smooth then light will refract in many directions and will appear less than glassy. Any finish that is labeled "gloss" will produce a gloss shine if the surface is glass smooth.

With these tips in mind, I sand up to 220 grit making sure there are no sanding marks that are visible. I then apply a Dewaxed Shellac and let it dry, then another coat making sure the entire surface is coated. Let it dry overnight and then sand the shellac with 400 grit, just enough so there is no shiny surface left and the surface is very smooth to the touch.

Next, I apply a Wipe-On Poly Gloss . I usually apply 5 to 6 coats. I don't sand between coats. I sand the last coat with 600 grit very lightly, letting my fingers be the judge of smoothness. Clean the surface and apply the final coat. After it is completely dry it will look like glass.

It works for me.

Phil can be reached directly via email at woodturnerphil@gmail.com .