burnishing wood

[doyle007]

i was watch Norm this weekend use his new high end lathe with variable speed, etc.. anyway, he was turning some table legs, and once he had them shaped and sanded, he picked up some sawdust and rubbed it on the leg while it was still spinning on the lathe. he called it burnishing. do any of you guys do this with your plugs? what is the purpose of burnishing?

thanks, from a total rank amateur.

[Nebe]

i do this on all my plugs that i spin. the only thing i do different is i use a scrap of the same type of wood and lighty apply pressure onto the plug. What it is doing is closing up the grain of the wood and making it smoother than if you sanded it.

give it a shot, you'll like it.

[Christian]

this is just me, but i think my paint sticks better if i dont burnish. i used to do it, but i dont burnish anymore.

[BigFish]

Not necessary on plugs...they ain't furniture! Christian is right, paint sticks better...on furniture, no matter what you finish it with....varnish, stain, whatever...it will penetrate the burnished wood, however paint needs something to grab. Just my .02 cents since you asked.

[Nebe]

too each their own

[woodbutcher]

what christian and big fish said.

[Tagger]

A glass baby food jar works so good the paint will fall off.. trust me .. been there .. I only go 100 grit aluminum oxide paper now ,purposely leaving some tooth for the paint to stick ... that and my tear out ..