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Hot take: I thought using a hair dryer to speed up stain drying was a dumb shortcut.
A guy at the supply house in Tacoma said he does it all the time, so I tried it on a small table leg. I kept it moving on low heat about a foot away, and it cut the wait time in half without messing up the color. I was sure it would cause bubbles or dry unevenly, but it worked perfectly. Anyone else use weird tools for finishing steps?
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john_fisher4mo ago
Tbh @jadej50's right, I do the same thing on water-based poly and it works every time.
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jadej505mo ago
Ever try a hair dryer on water-based poly? I used one on some pine shelves, low heat about eight inches away, and it really helped the coats flow together without brush marks. Just keep it sweeping side to side so you don't cook one spot.
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gray8755mo ago
My old boss in Seattle swore by a heat gun for polyurethane. I was skeptical but tried it on a maple cabinet door, holding it maybe 18 inches away on low. It set the top coat way faster and actually leveled out better than just waiting. You just gotta keep it moving constantly.
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drew_hart45mo ago
My dad's old Wagner heat gun from the 90s is my go-to for oil-based poly on tabletops. I hold it about a foot away on the low setting and make slow passes. It totally kills bubbles and makes the finish glass-smooth, just like @jadej50 said about keeping it moving. I did a walnut desk last month where the final coat set up in half the time with zero dust nibs. You really can't beat the control it gives you over the dry time.
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