Interesting find!

[twosoc]

In my local Bodycare they arecurrently selling packets of tissues at 10p per pack. So what I hear you cry. Well, the difference is these are 100% non woven cotton. Basically they work like safety cloths at a fraction of the price, and also come in a handy plastic box. They are called Lotus Pure if anyone is interested. They are excellent for applying finishes as they are soft enought ot not mark the work and will tear off if you get a catch but wont leave little bits in the sanding sealer like tissue.

 

[mr]

What are safety cloths ?

Never heard of that before.
Cheers Mike

 

[TEP]

Hi Mike, as twosoc says they are designed to tear easily if they catch.

You probably don't use then unless you're into woodturning. When sealing or applying polish to the spinning wood if the cloth pad catches it comes away like tissue paper, instead of dragging your fingers into the work.

It is in answer to one of the biggest no - no's in turning You NEVER use cloth on a lathe.

 

[mr]

Ahhhhh

That makes sense, I can imagine quite horrible results if a cloth was to get snagged on a spinny thing.

Cheers Mike

 

[duncanh]

Is there any advantage to using safety cloth over kitchen roll as that's what I tend to use.
I do use woven cotton cloth occasionally to even out wax that I apply by hand. I also prefer it for applying friction polish. In both cases I've found that safety cloth tends to leave fibers in the finish. When I use cloth I tend to take a piece about 10cm square and fold it so that I have a pad maybe 3cm square.

Duncan

 

[TEP]

Mornin' Duncan, I think it all comes down to personal preference. (Read that as cost! In my case :lol: ) I use kitchen tissue all the time, and my only criteria is that it is white. I've found that on some the colours can run with the thinners.

The other bonus in my eyes is that you don't use the material to saturation. I use one sheet folded, do a bit then chuck it, then onto another. Once you spend on safety cloths you try to get your money's worth from them which brings it own problems.

 

[CHJ]

...... Once you spend on safety cloths you try to get your money's worth from them which brings it own problems.

I can never figure out why there is such a price premium placed on Safety Cloths at retail.

If anything is sure to discourage the use of a perceived non essential item in a hobby environment it has got to be high pricing. It is all very well expounding the mantra that the price of a safety cloth is cheap compared with the loss of a body part but when it comes down to a Can of finishing product that will last weeks against a pack of cloths that will be gone in a couple of days I know which usually gets left on the shelf.

Although if I was operating in a training shop I would probably allow nothing other than Safety cloths for the first year, in my dealings with hand safety around 'spinning' machines I always included the training of using any form of fabric or hand held abrasive alongside the wearing of correct clothing, hair guards etc.

Better to train someone to hold an item correctly so that it's snatched out of their hand if it catches than to just let them near a machine and rely on the product to save them.

And I am talking from an environment where cleaning rags for machines came into a 90,000 sqft. of floor space that had some very hazardous machines at the rate of 1 ton bales about once a month.

Unfortunately I know of no way to ensure that a new starter in a home hobby environment is given the training to use non frangible products or guidance that there is a need for it. I suppose we can only hope that the appropriate magazine runs an article on the subject from time to time.

 

[Bodrighy]

I have had tissues catch and get shredded with some of the wood I use and dread to think what it wwould have been like if it had been woven cloth. I have gt into the habit of using fresh paper towel each time as I have found that when dealing with sealer in particular if it is getting older it tends to get stuck and you end up having to peel little bits off.

I do also use an old soft shoe brush for some of the things I do for the final polish. Rough, natural edge things shred tissue faster than it buffs and I find that the btrush works a treat.

Pete

 

[Anonymous]

I do use cloths for finishing on the lathe BUT... they are approx 60mm long and 25mm wide... there's no way that I can hold on to them if they snag on the work.

When they to 'catch' they wrap around the piece with astonishing speed :shock:

... so glad me fingers couldn't/weren't holding on !!!!!!!