Leveling A Brush On Finish Trick

This only works for flat, horizontal work.

I'm the type of person who doesn't want to wait
'til the end of the construction to see what the finish
I think I want to go with looks like. I want to
apply the finish to the first part I make and each
subsequent part.

My first choice for non-oiled stuff is shellac,
either as a grain sealer, or, more often the
actual finish. And most of the time I go with
lots of layers of 1 pound cut. Doesn't build
fast but flows out nicely. 2 & 3 pound cuts
are trickier since I use a brush - not worth
cleaning a gun for one part at a time. And
if I need a durable finish I"ve been known
to use poly - also brushed on.

But with the thicker, more viscous finishes
like 2 or 3 # shellac, poly or varnish, some-
times the flow out still leaves brush strokes.

BUT - if you vibrate the wet part even
fairly thick finish with brush marks will
level out - or at least a lot more than just
letting it sit.

I pulled a muscle in my back - cleaning out
a clogged sewer line - caused by the idiot
who owned this place before me (Curse you
Reverend Shirley!). I say idiot becasue,
as he was back filling the sewer line trench
he'd dug to put in the cast iron sewer line
he put in - this bozo planted - wait for it
- a REDWOOD TREE over the line. To make
matters worse, he used "shorts" off of
construction sites just to make sure there
were plenty of bell and spigot joints for
the redwood tree roots to have access to
the inside of the sewer pipe. I own my
own power roto-rooter type machine
thanks to this nitwit.

So anyway, pulled muscles have become
part of my life - as has the Panasonic
variable speed, ergonomic bent handled
back beating 60 watt vibrator. - you
know - the one that rattles your teeth.

Anyway - I've brushed on some Enduro
water based semi-gloss poly (over four,
or was it five coats of dewaxed garnet
shellac) onto a shelf for my lathe bench
and the brush marks not flowing out. Got
the Panasonic out and vibrated the crap out
of that shelf and sure enough - the brush
marks disappeared. My hand had that weed-
wacker mild tingling semi-numbness
- but the ply was nice and smooth.

Your mileage may vary. Void where
prohibited by law. Some assembly
required. Batteries not included.
Contact a physician if swallowed.
DO NOT INDUCE VOMITING . . .

charlie b