I'm finishing a dark handle and I can't seem to be able to keep the dust off while it drys. I am useing Tru-oil and the last coat has a little bit of dust particals in it, so what should I do to get this out? I have already put 5 coats on and steel wooled them down but for the life of me I can't seem to get this handle clear. I have Andy Dears buffing wheels and I have done other handles with out any problems, but this wood is so dark that it shows every little thing.Help please .


PS I have also used wet dry sand paper the problem is the finish is not as clear . When I do this,it seens to dull the color. Maybe I need to be more agressive with the buffer wheels.

Don't know what your place looks like but I always spray water all around the rod I am going to clear to help keep the dust down.
You should try to get some kind of exhaust fan. And a large vacumn cleaner.

I take most of my hard burled handles and seats and really work them on the buffing wheel if using a compound. . Once the compound is worked into the grain well,,,I think a soft buffing wheel can be used pretty agressively to bring out that hard sheen. This process could be done with tru oil also if you work several apps in by hand and then take the dried handle and use the soft buffing wheel.

I usually do the entire process on a mandrel..shaping, sanding, cleaning, finish and buffing. If I apply any oil to a handle, cork or wood, I then place the mandrel in a vented wooden box about 1' x 2' x 6" . I took a piece of furnace filter and placed it over an opening about 5" round at one end of the box. There are slots cut in the box at the bottom of the sides to let air vent out. I have a small electric rv fan mounted outside the furnace filter and it blows the filtered air into the box and lets it vent out the slots. It's amazing how fast epoxy and finishes dry on a handle when placed in this thing...clean airflow is the key. It only took about an hour to make and an electric rv fan is under $10. I did this because I lathe alot of hard wood, cork, corian and lucite. The dust gets to be a problem so I came up with this little drying chamber idea and it works well. I was thinking about making one about 8' by 6" by 6" and installing a drying motor on one end and a small fan on the other with the vent slots at the bottom. Then I could do wrap and guide finishing with the same results.