HVLP finishing with wax?

[MR H 91]

Hi all,

I'm getting busier with my side line job as a maker of things, my Etsy store is getting so busy now, my hobby has started to become a full time job. One thing I'm getting really tired with is the rubbing down of Briwax into a particular item I sell, as it's rustic so there's lots of "defects" in the wood and it has a kind of rough sawn look, and it just takes forever to get into the grain to make the whole thing look good, then theres the buffing it's too much! I much prefer finer woodworking, but this rustic item sells so easily, I cannot keep up with the demand, nor stop selling it due to the income I'm getting from it.

To my question, is there anything out there that I can use a good HVLP system to make my life easier with finishing? I'm prepared to have to buff if I need to, but I would much prefer creating a spray booth than have to apply any more Briwax. Of course I understand I cannot add Briwax into an HVLP system, but looking for recommendations on any other product.

Thanks so much for reading.

 

[marcros]

how are you currently applying and removing the briwax? are you using a brush or a cloth to apply? are you using a brush, cloth, drill attachment to buff it?

I suspect that the answer to your issue is probably a refinement of what you are doing, rather than spraying it on.

How big are the items?

 

[ED65]

You could modify *gasp* modify the Briwax to make it easier to apply, but have you tried using brushes? This would be both for application and some or all of the buffing. Edit: this is ambiguous so I mean brushes such as you'd use for polishing your shoes, although there's no reason you couldn't use any suitable paint brush to the same end.

Of course I understand I cannot add Briwax into an HVLP system, but looking for recommendations on any other product.

You could actually spray a wax, same as anything else you thin it to a suitable consistency it'll go through a nozzle. But this would probably mean the wax would be so diluted that you wouldn't be applying much each time, and the smell from the evaporating spirits might be a bit much.

Of course you could use a low-odour version to reduce the smell (and make it safer to be around if you're not constantly wearing a mask) but those evaporate more slowly so that might be an issue for you.

 

[MR H 91]

Thanks for both of your solutions. I tried using a stiff brush, but that was still a lot of work. I usually apply it with a cloth, then buff with a separate one.

I'm going to start planing/thicknessing the wood smooth, this will make it much easier to apply the finish.

Thanks!

 

[marcros]

i dont use briwax, but Rico Daniels on Le Salvageur program used to apply with a stiffish paintbrush, and it seemed to go on quite quickly. You could use some form of stiff brush on a drill to buff. If the item is moveable, a buffing mop on a bench grinder would make short work of it- i use one in my lathe chuck and it is very quick.

I have a liberon wax buffing brush, but you still need to put in a fair bit of effort.

 

[ED65]

I tried using a stiff brush, but that was still a lot of work.

Reduce its consistency then, the wax is fighting you.

I don't use it, isn't Briwax kind of noted for being stiff? You can simply dilute it with more white spirit and turn it into something much more easily spread.

So make it softer. Or buy a different wax. Or make your own wax polish that's exactly the way you like; less than an hour to make enough to last you 5-10 years so it's, um, quite a good use of time.

Also worth mentioning you don't have to be neat at all when applying the wax, you can literally slap it on with the brush! Brushing it out at the time will remove a lot of the excess and later a suitable brush removes excess wax about 100 times more effectively than a cloth does from the type of surface you were working with initially

 

[custard]

isn't Briwax kind of noted for being stiff?

Exactly the opposite. Briwax won its place in the market back in the stripped pine days, when it was renowned for being super sloppy and fast to apply. Black Bison was the "quality" wax, and Briwax was the professionals choice for getting the job out the door. But to keep Briwax like that you had to keep the lid on or it quickly congealed in the tin. Maybe Briwax was the first to use one of the more volatile thinners?